Looking to the Future
What was the hardest personal goal you’ve set for yourself?
Our greatest fear should not be failure, but succeeding at things that don’t matter – D L Moody. The hardest goal to achieve in life was to stop thinking so much about myself and more about others.
List three jobs you’d consider pursuing if money didn’t matter.
What about skill and aptitude?
Disregarding skill and aptitude it would be: musician, author, or artist. (It is insane how gifted people are in expressing themselves)
But since I have neither the skills or aptitude, I’ll go with Residential Architect (first love), World Travel podcaster, or Wilderness Tour Guide (personal passion)
What could you do more of? The key to life and contentment is to realize that life has never been about me. It has always been about the people who traverse my life. I need to focus more on them; not to direct them or fix them, but to listen to their stories. To let them know that there is someone in this univese that cares.
When faced with a difficult situation, do you ask why it happens or what do I do next? Why something happened is grounded in the past. It is passive in that you can not change the past. It is blame-oriented. What you want me to do next is grounded in the future. It is active in that it requires me to do something to change the future; it is forgiveness-oriented.
“You may be wondering why such difficulty has come into your life. However, the greater question is, “Lord, how do You plan to use this difficulty so I may serve You better?” ― Charles F. Stanley, How to Let God Solve Your Problems: 12 Keys for Finding Clear Guidance in Life’s Trials.
Proverbs 26:24 “Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.”
What to choose, why it happens, or what do I do next? Most people I know gravitate to why something is happening in their life. They want to know who said what, who did what, and who is responsible. Somehow, understanding who is at fault makes it more understandable. Unfortunately, that is not usually true; debating the past shrouds the present. The he said, she said, they said interrogation only leads to hurt feelings and a defensive posture. People do not remember exact words or actions. Personal bias taints repeated conversations; we remember what we want to hear. The discussion is personal.
Matthew 7:3-5, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
If we ignore the mistakes from the past, we will likely repeat them. However, learning from the past is all about making a better future. It’s about figuring out what we want and how to get there. What happened in the past doesn’t matter as much as what we should do in the future. To understand and solve a problem, we first must admit there’s a problem. Instead of blaming, it’s more important to focus on finding a good solution to prevent the same problem from happening again.
Proverbs 18:17, “Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight.”
Let me give you an example of why it happens or what do I do next collide. I was at a board meeting where one party thought we had overspent the budget; another party understood we had a surplus. Rather than accepting the problem that we had two different perceptions, the discussion went toward who did what wrong. This conversation went on for over a week via text and email. At no point did the discussion turn to what do we do in the future to avoid this happening again. Can we create one set of financials that is acceptable to everyone? It was more important to understand who was right and who was wrong. Egos became bruised, reputations were tainted, and relationships got strained.
Christ wasn’t that way. He didn’t quiz people on the situation that gave way to sin. He accepted that sin had happened; the question was what to do next. You didn’t read that Jesus reconciled relationships by allocating blame. His focus was on the desired state and how to achieve it. He told people what they had to do for salvation. Christ has forgiven the past.
What if the problem is that two people don’t like each other? Listening to them complain will not help get to the root cause of the problem. Asking each one what they would ultimately like to see to resolve the problem would be a better approach. Getting to the root cause is far more productive than listening to two people gossip and slander each other. Getting to the root cause requires getting the parties to get off their emotions and on to a more objective conversation.
This sometimes creates a paradox concerning why it happens or what do I do next.
Regarding personalities, it sometimes means that the solution is to help one of them find another path. Toxic personalities that do not seek positive change are unsuitable for any relationship. But they still deserve grace. You must use compassion and love when you pursue a solution.
Romans 12:14-21, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink’… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
“All adversity, every problem you face, is a gift of love given to you from the hand of God.” ― Charles F. Stanley, How to Let God Solve Your Problems: 12 Keys for Finding Clear Guidance in Life’s Trials.
Ultimately, good problem-solving relies on God’s guidance. It is trusting that God knows everything, cares about everything, and is not surprised by anything. You can not change the past; the future is malleable; it has many possibilities. God desires that we not live in the past but look forward to the future.
People all have baggage, flaws, and biases. Much of what people say at the moment is a product of something in the past. Previous conversations or events bleed over to current situations. Even our childhood experience raises their ugly head from time to time. We can not rely on what is said to determine what is wrong accurately. The root of the problem may not have anything to do with the situation. God would want us to set aside our need to be heard to focus on His need for us to show compassion and grace. When faced with conflict or disappointment, ask yourself, “Lord, what do you want me to do next?”
Every great story starts with a tragedy. God’s great story of salvation is no exception. Many Christians focus on worldly perfection over spiritual perfection.
God’s great story of salvation starts at the fall in the Garden of Eden. Although we are all made in the image of God, we live under the stain of that fall. Unlike many, I do not believe we are inherently bad from birth but flawed by sin. There are a lot of non-believers who do good works. The most dispiriting of men can and do show compassion. The image we bear is one of goodness, love, and compassion, but it is constantly at war with temptation. All of us lose battles from time to time. The challenge is from where do these good works emanate? Are they of this world, or are they God-inspired? Do we focus more on our losses than our victories?
Romans 3:11-13 - “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
“We ought first to know that there are no good works except those which God has commanded, even as there is no sin except that which God has forbidden.” – Martin Luther.
It is important to avoid a theology solely focused on sin, which can lead to the enslavement of individuals to their past. This view fosters a works-based mentality, leaving little room for grace. Unfortunately, this is precisely what Satan desires. A sin-oriented theology compels us to strive for religious obedience, integrity, perseverance through trials, faithfulness, learning authority, and submission—all in our strength, devoid of God’s presence. Gradually, we fall into the misconception that we must prove our submission through adherence to rules before experiencing grace.
True righteousness lies in placing God above all else. God has blessed us with passion, knowledge, resources, and ambition. Righteousness entails utilizing these blessings to fulfill God’s desires rather than our own.
While God entrusted us with the responsibility to steward His creation, we must do so according to His will. God has graciously given us these gifts to glorify Him and live fully. Instead of cowering in fear of sin, God calls us to embrace life and use His blessings to pursue His glory.
Genesis 1:28, “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
This passage emphasizes that God has granted us authority over creation, not to exploit it for selfish gain but to steward it with reverence and obedience to His purpose. Whether parents, doctors, nurses, teachers, scientists, workers, or managers, we must approach our responsibility with reverence for God’s will.
In our character development, we find ourselves navigating the tension between our fallen nature and the redemptive power of God. Through this ongoing journey, fueled by God’s grace, we can grow into the individuals He intends us to be.
How do we use our God-given and God-directed gifts to achieve righteousness? God commands us to subdue the land. That is not a passive statement. God does not tell us to wait for Him to tell us what to do, but to be fruitful, fill the earth and subdue it. Trust that God created you in His image and endowed you with His spirit.
“We believe that the very beginning and end of salvation, and the sum of Christianity, consists of faith in Christ, who by His blood alone, and not by any works of ours, has put away sin, and destroyed the power of death.” – Martin Luther.
Our task is to embrace the person God has designed us to be, casting aside timidity and not focusing solely on avoiding sin. Instead, we should actively pursue God’s will with determination. God will guide and correct us if our motivations are pure. We must remember that He has blessed us with passion, intelligence, drive, and aptitude to fulfill His unique plan for our lives.; use it to build His kingdom here on earth.
Mistakes happen, setbacks occur, and battles are lost; that is part of the narrative in a broken world. In such moments, we find solace in God’s word:
2 Corinthians 7:10, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
“You can’t wait till life isn’t hard anymore to be happy.” – Jane (Nightbirde) Marczewski ( look into her testimony)
We are heirs to the Kingdom of God, Royalty; we should act like it. The tiniest little spark can make a difference in the darkness.
How does God’s great story end for us? What is the big overcoming that brings joy to our hearts? It is the ultimate destination where we dwell in God’s sacred tent upon His holy mountain. Through His infinite love for us, He lovingly transforms us, making us acceptable in His sight.
Psalms 15 – “Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.”
Those who embody these virtuous attributes will find an unshakable foundation for their lives. They will experience the culmination of God’s great story, dwelling in His sacred presence and basking in the majesty of His holy mountain. This destination is the magnificent conclusion to the story—the fulfillment of divine fellowship and the eternal joy that permeates our hearts.
As we journey through life, may we strive to embody these qualities, aligning our thoughts, words, and actions with the righteousness God desires. In being the person God made us be, we participate in the grand finale of God’s great story—eternity with Him, where love, truth, justice, and compassion reign.
Hebrews 13:20-21, "Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.”
I’m not good enough. I’m not smart, funny, pretty enough. There will always be someone better than you, at almost everything, in a world obsessed with image and performance. Others may live a life that seems so effortless, fluid, graceful. You may feel like the elephant stomping grapes, and they’re the eagle gliding above it all.
Somewhere along the line, we started to believe life is the Universe’s version of America’s Got Talent. Just like the show, talent isn’t enough; you have to be marketable. If you are not, you will be voted off the planet. We fear, like some of the contestants, we will embarrass ourselves for even trying. Like Alice Fredenham, we come unaccompanied with the expectation of failing alone, unnoticed.
Colossians 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
We live in a world of hyper expectations. Social Media feeds us the best moments of people’s lives while hiding from view their struggles. As a result, we start to believe we are alone amongst 4 billion delighted individuals.
You see, I know my past. I know my weaknesses and shortcomings. Many of them I have had my entire life, even though I have tried desperately to overcome them. I see the lives around me, and I don’t measure up. I’m always looking at people I feel inferior to, never at those who struggle with me. I spend way too much time reinforcing my weaknesses as opposed to building my strengths.
You have to believe what God says is true even when you can’t see it.
Numbers 28:19, “God is not man that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?”
IF YOU TRULY BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAY YOU BELIEVE, YOU ARE NOT THREATENED BY THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS.
Matthew 5:48, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
You were made in the image of God. That means you were made to be perfect. God created you specifically to live the life you are living. No one can live that life but you. The trials that you face are unique to you, even those trials shared by millions. We each experience them differently. Even our disabilities are part of God’s plan.
If you are like me, you experience doubt from time to time. During those times, I am alone in the dark. I have stepped out of the light of God’s grace to cower in the darkness, alone. But look up Alice Fredenham and her real-life experience on BGT. (Compare the beginning with the end) It is the same type of experience God has for you once you come back into the light of His love and compassion. You are so much more than the sum of your thoughts.
The genuine desire in your heart is God’s proof to you of what God has planned for you in advance. Seize it, own it, nurture it. Do not be afraid of failure. Failure is one of the ways God teaches us. Those things that seem to hold us back are the very things that God has given us to demonstrate His glory to others. We should not pray that He takes these away, but pray that He shows us how to use them. Even Paul struggled with his “thorn.”
2 Corinthians 12 7-9, “Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant. I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'”
Remember, you can fail at things you don’t like easier than you can fail at those you love. If you are going to fail, fail at something with meaning. Living a life worth living is what helps us rejoice in old age. You will not go into the final chapter of your life with regret. You will not look back at things you wish you would have done, people you wish you spent more time with, or places you’ve always wanted to visit. Instead, God will drive you to levels of fulfillment you never thought you could achieve.
2 Kings 6:17, “Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
Life is a fight, and you have an army. You’re never alone. We live in a fallen world, so struggles will continue to happen. When you struggle with lies, life becomes far more complex. Take a moment, turn around and see God’s army. Take courage.
Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
1 Peter 2:21, “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.”
When I get back in-country, one of the questions I have is how do I keep this feeling, actually much more than a feeling, alive? What is the care and feeding of a God moment?
These moments are the manna that is poured down from heaven to feed and nourish our souls. They are the actual display of God’s glory that will sustain us through bad times and provide the catalyst of hope for the future that we can then pass on to others.
The second most important responsibility we have when answering God’s call, short of obedience, is to become a living testimony to those who do not know God and have never seen tangible examples of His love.
When I first come back from a trip, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the experience God has allowed me to have through Him. Each trip is like the first time a small child visits a botanical zoo or an aquarium; they can’t verbalize all they have seen and experienced. My brain is on sensory overload. I have met so many Godly people that have little reason to be thankful but are still light to those around them. I have seen God instill wisdom that exceeds education level; it even exceeds what would be expected based on life experience. I have heard life stories that bring me to my knees.
2 Corinthians 1:12, “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you.”
I always leave knowing the reason I am there I not only how God used me to help them, but how He uses them to soften a hard spot in me. For every moment of truth, God reveals to them; he also reveals one for me.
Tell a Story: Your story is the key that can unlock someone else’s prison.
Psalm 66:16, “Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me”
People remember stories. It is one of the most critical ways ancient man passed on knowledge. “Folk lore” is not real-life events, but stories used to demonstrate essential lessons; the illiterate could remember the account and pass it on. Fables are written to teach life lessons in a form that the listeners could pass on from generation to generation. The passing on is the crucial part.
God’s moments don’t always happen in significant ways. Living your testimony isn’t always a mission trip or a big inner-city event. Instead, some of my most favorite God moments are from everyday experiences. These are the moments when God sends someone into your life to make a point. They are strangers when you meet them, and many of them will remain strangers, when they leave, but they will have left an indelible imprint on your life.
Organize your Thoughts
“The unbelieving world should see our testimony lived out daily because it just may point them to the Savior.” Billy Graham
I am a visual learner by nature; it is the way God wired me. When I read words, they create a picture in my brain that is easier to remember. When I travel, I take lots of pictures, some of them relatively mundane. I have to go back and label them as soon as possible before I lose the moment. If I wait too long, the moments are gone. We each have our gifting; we are each wired differently.
So it is with all of our experience God gives us, big and small, we have to label them, sort them, and organize them so that when we need them, they can easily be found. We need to do this as soon as possible after God’s intervention. We need to treat them as heirlooms to be passed on from generation to generation.
Rehearse your Story
Psalm 22:22, “I will praise you to all my brothers; I will stand up before the congregation and testify of the wonderful things you have done.”
These moments become the stories of our lives. They need to be told with truth, for the lessons God gives us have a specific purpose. We need to take the time to meditate on them, with prayer and scripture, to ensure that we don’t stumble through the telling when they are required.
Don’t waste a single moment God has given you. There is no guarantee of more tomorrows; there is only this moment. So, make it count for something.
Daniel 4:2, “I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me.”
Here are some short examples from the last few weeks. The context of these stories is that they are from a people who live in a predominately Muslim country that has been a strife with violent government uprisings and devastating economic circumstances:
– I met a man who had been released from a Russian prison at age 40. I bonded with this man immediately. He became a Christian after he got out because he experienced the love and kindness of other Christians and wanted to know why. He liked what they had.
– I met a great young man who organized youth sporting events in a vacant lot where he lived. Every Saturday between 3 pm and 7 pm, he would gather the neighborhood kids to play games. He used this as a way of getting to know the needs of his neighbors. When he would hear of a need, he would collect the required objects during the week and give them to the child to take home. As he did this, he shared the gospel and handed out Bible verses.
– I went hiking with two extraordinary young men. Extraordinary doesn’t do them justice. One of these men took 18-year-old men that had aged out of the orphanage system to teach them life skills. Most of these men had challenging backgrounds. The second man adopted orphans with severe emotional problems based on previous trauma. On the hike, he brought along one of his daughters, as it was her thirteenth birthday. He told about her having seen her mother stab her father with a kitchen knife at six. As they hiked, they talked. I was awe-struck by how commonplace they spoke of their dedication to Christ. They thanked me for coming to help them, but I couldn’t imagine someone having a more significant impact on God’s kingdom than these two.
One of my takeaways from these trips is that most Christians treat helping as organized sports with team uniforms and sponsored events. These people know it is a schoolyard game played at the moment.
More than a year before the pandemic, I was thinking about what my life would look like if I were born in 1910. It was to give perspective of how blessed I truly am. I thought I would pass it on as a reminder in these troubled times.
Today we believe that our world is afflicted. It is not a wrong observation. The 2109-nCov pandemic is racing around the world. We are cautioned about meeting in groups of 10 or more; our churches have turned to video conferencing to spread the word. God is, and always has been, in control. God’s sovereignty will never change.
The population of the world in 1910 was about 1.5-1.7 billion compared to 7.2 today. This revelation puts the following numbers is perspective. To understand the impact of these events, if they happened today, you could see multiple everything by 3 or 4 to get the equivalent result.
When I was 12 years old, the Titanic sunk losing 1,500 passengers. But this was only a sign of what was to come. By the time I was in middle school, “The Great War” had started. It wasn’t called World War One until 1939 with the start of World War Two. Who thought there would be two of them? The Great War would claim 40 million military and civilian casualties, 6 million to war-related famine and disease. It left 23 million wounded. It was fought in my backyards with such weapons as mustard gas (a vomiting agent), tear gas (affected the eyes and lungs), and barbed wire.
The Great War ended at the end of my High Schools years (although I wasn’t in High School, I was in the army) just to be followed by The Spanish Flu epidemic in which millions died, approximately 5% of the world’s population. It targeted 20-35-year-old’s, my age group. Citizens wore masks to schools, theater, and other outside events. Businesses were shuttered, and bodies piled up in makeshift morgues before the virus ended its deadly global march in 1919. By the end of 1919, the average life expectancy plummeted by a dozen years. The first vaccine was created in 1940.
By the time I turn 39, the Second World War was starting. It would claim another 50 million lives, 20 million in Russia alone, another 12 million executed by the Germans. Five million in Poland, and 7 million in German. Again, it was fought in my back yard. Over 425,000 Allied and German troops were killed, wounded, or went missing during the Battle of Normandy alone.
When I was born, life expectancy was only 46 years. If I lived through all of this, I was lucky and had maybe another 10-15 years left. I would die in the middle of the greatest military arms buildup in history. By the time I turn 60, there are over 30,000 nuclear warheads ready for deployment.
During my lifetime, over 190 million people would die from war and flu alone, very unnatural causes. This death toll had to mold my view of life. Today we complain of political corruption, loosening of moral standards, self-centeredness, and the pandemic. We point to Revelations and say the end must be near. What would you say if you were a child of the early 20th century?
Don’t get me wrong; our problems and perceptions are real. Our world is slowly circling the drain. But God is still the God of love and compassion. He is not the author of evil; he is the vaccine. He and He alone has gotten us through a lot of worse situations.
Psalms 136:23-26, “He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever. He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever. He gives food to every living thing. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven. His faithful love endures forever. “
1 Peter 1:8-9 “You have not seen him, but you love him. You do not see him now, but you believe in him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy because you are attaining the goal of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”
Things come to me from odd places. I was watching the movie “Find Me.”, I gravitated to it because it was about hiking. It’s a love story, I’m a guy I know, don’t judge me. I won’t ruin the storyline, but a statement struck me, “I need you to find me.” It was like a lost little voice from within. It had a hint of desperation. It was the voice of the man that God wanted me to be. It was a plea. It was lost and wanted to be found.
I never really thought that the life I was looking for was waiting to be found. The visual of this is hard for me to describe. I see a great love lost in a dark forest of discouragement. The trees of disappointment and lost dreams are blocking out the sun. This great love forages for food and stays warm at night by the campfire while I bask in the sun. God made me this man of great passion and achievement, and I have sequestered him in the recesses of my mind.
See, the problem is that he is not practical. He has great plans and great enthusiasm for things he cannot be. He doesn’t worry about the bills or going to work. He cares little for the aggravation of traffic or the passing of time. He speaks of adventure. He speaks of usefulness without compensation. He wants me to believe that I can exist in a world of joy and fulfillment, and God will provide.
He is real. He is in my mind, pushed down by life.
Proverbs 10:28 “The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.”
The reality is the picture is painted backward. It is I who live in the forest of discouragement. The man that God wants me to be lives in a world of light. The trees of my forest are bills and jobs and traffic. I have come to believe that being the person God wants me to be is the struggle and living life, is natural and more uncomplicated. This view of life is not valid. Each has its struggles, but only one has eternal rewards. God admonishes us in Luke 11:35, “Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness.”
1 John 1:5-6 “Now this is the gospel message we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth.”
As I struggle to find my way, it is encouraging to know that I am not alone. Through the Holy Spirit embedded in me, I have a guide. I do not have to pull the real me out of darkness; I need to walk toward the light.
When lost in the darkness of the world, always walk east toward the horizon and sunrise will come.
Ephesians 5:8-9 “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth).”