Tag: Christian Purpose

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God-Given Gifts

God-given gifts, do we understand the difference between Spiritual gifts and natural gifts? Do we think they are the same? An interesting discussion came up the other day, and it was a subject that seemed so intuitive that I’d never brought it up. What is intuitive to me may not be to someone else—an example. I saw an article in an outdoor magazine (ezine); it showed a tree with a yellow, blue, and red paint stripe. The headline said (paraphrase), “Knowing what this means can save your life.” My initial thought was, if you don’t know what that means, what are you doing in the woods? Then, I recalled that I was not born with that knowledge; someone else gave it to me at some point.

1 Corinthians 2:12, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.”

God prepares leaders with a specific place and task in mind. Training methods are adapted to the mission, and natural and spiritual gifts are given with a clear purpose. – J. Oswald Sanders

Natural Gifts

I spend many waking hours thinking about and talking to others about living within God’s purpose for our lives. It is the most critical aspect of finding happiness, purpose, and meaning. When I think about the elements of my design and the story God has written about my life, I think of talent, passion, resources, opportunities, and experiences. God provides these building blocks as mileposts on our journey, our God-given natural gifts. But we have a choice on how to use them. We can use them to help others and glorify Christ, or we can use them for worldly success and fame. Only one of those will bring happiness, purpose, and meaning; the other leads to hunger.

1 Corinthians 2:14, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”

I’ve mentioned before that the Bushman of the Kalahari Desert has a saying: There are two hungers: the little hunger for food and the great hunger for meaning. We spend most of our lives feeding the little hunger while the great hunger starve. In many cases, we use our God-given natural gifts to chase self-interest to satisfy the great hunger. When we do not achieve a sense of meaning, we try harder. We lead a life of quiet desperation, sometimes cloaked in worldly success. Eventually, the great hunger dies of neglect.

Spiritual Gifts

Your spiritual gifts were not given for your own benefit but for the benefit of others, just as other people were given gifts for your benefit. – Rick Warren

The magic sauce is Spiritual Gifts. Spiritual gifts are divine enablements for ministry given by the Holy Spirit. It is what God brings to you once you come to know Him. The God-given spirit inside you comes alive. It guides you to another level of awareness. You become less self-focused and more other-focused. But what is different about Spiritual gifts than natural gifts?

1 Corinthians 12:7, “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

Spiritual gifts are the God-given gifts that the Spirit bestows on us so that we can expand God’s Kingdom. In 1 Corinthians, it mentions apostles, second prophets, third teachers, miracles, gifts of healing, helping, guidance, and different kinds of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:28, “And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.”

I think of it this way: more conventionally. Some of us are very good at memorizing and recalling Bible verses; some are very good at heart-to-heart conversations; maybe storytelling is your thing; others are good public speakers or teachers. We should use these gifts to expand the Kingdom within our natural gifts. If your vocation and talent is teaching in a school system, do you use it to teach at church? Is public speaking an aspect of your job? Do you also use it to spread the Gospel on mission trips, locally or internationally? If you are a project manager at work, do you use it to help plan Christian outreach?

Another source of information on Spiritual Gifts is Tim Keller’s explanation, “Decerning and Exercising Spiritual Gifts.”

The Blessing and the Curse

I was given my first management position at 14, detasselling corn. You must have lived on a large midwestern United States farm to know what that is, but it’s irrelevant to the story. It seemed that I eventually managed people in almost every job I have had. Sometimes, I thought it was my curse; I liked being a worker bee. When I left work, I wanted to be given a job and left alone to do it. But that wasn’t God’s plan for me. Once I accepted that it was one of my natural and spiritual gifts, I started seeking to be good at it, which made me like it. It didn’t take long before I led a mission trip and helped to organize volunteers. My natural gift was also one of my Spiritual gifts when I applied it to expanding the Kingdom. We can have more than one.

Romans 12:6, “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly.”

I know some teachers want to get away from teaching outside of school; I get that. But if your spiritual gift is teaching, teach others about Christ, find a way. If you are a nurse, a very demanding job, looking after people when not working may not be in your wheelhouse. If compassion is your Spiritual gift, find a way to use it.

In Summary

Your natural and spiritual gifts do not have to be used similarly. Doing something repetitively will make you proficient but may not indicate your actual natural gift. The desire to make more money can lead us to proficiencies in ungifted areas. I know a lot of managers or “leaders” who are not gifted; they have just done the job long enough to get promoted.

We all have God-given attributes bestowed on us at our creation that we can use as we wish. A great secular songwriter is a great songwriter because of God’s natural gift. We must overlay our natural gifts with our Spiritual gifts to glorify God.

Start where you are, do anything you can do, and do everything you can until you find something you must do! That something is probably your spiritual gift. – Jim George

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Give a Man a Fish

Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day; teach him to fish and eat for a lifetime. These words seem Christ-like; one would think they were a biblical principle. Because the New Testament is grounded in the lives of the disciples and many fishermen, it seems natural that this would have a Biblical perspective. But it is not. Chinese philosopher Confucius is said to have penned these words, but no record exists. This phrase has been my mantra since creating my first company. It has always seemed like the right way to do things.

Philippians 2:4: “Let each of you look not only to his interests but also to the interests of others.”

Give a Man a Fish

 In the book “When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor… and Yourself,” This helping stage is called relief; it provides immediate assistance or charity to address immediate suffering. One of the biggest mistakes Western cultures make when helping others is providing relief when they need rehabilitation. Why does Western culture do this? Well, it is easier and faster.

Think of an experience you have had in your town. It is easier to give someone a few dollars for food than to help them find a job. Worse yet, help them acquire a skill that leads to a job. By doing something, we avoid the guilt of doing nothing. When you meet an immediate need, you see the relief on their faces: instant gratification. You can go back to your home knowing you made a difference.

The problem is that someone will need to eat again and again. Life is uncertain, and there is no guarantee that you or someone like you will be there for the next meal.

1 John 3:17, “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”

There always exists a need for relief. It is typically short-term and specific. A tsunami hits a remote village, wiping out its infrastructure. Water, food, and electricity are all required quickly to serve the inflicted. There is a time to give a man a fish, but it should be while you teach them to fish for themselves.

Teach a Man to Fish

Ephesians 4:2, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”

Self-respect is the most important gift you give to someone. In Regi Campell’s book Radical Wisdom, Regi says, “Give a man a dime a day for thirty days, then stop. He will resent you for the rest of your life.” This quote seems like an overstatement, but the intent is genuine. Give a person a better standard of living, then take away the support and see what happens.

In the book, “When Helping Hurts…” this stage of helping is called rehabilitation. It emphasizes the importance of education, empowerment, and self-sufficiency. Instead of relying on external help, teaching someone a skill (in this case, fishing) enables the recipient to fend for themselves in the long run. It promotes independence, sustainability, and the ability to meet future needs without continual external assistance.

It gives people a life with their heads held high. It gives them the self-respect needed to carry on. But it has a price greater than money. It requires a long-term plan, volunteers who will return over the months or years, willing local participants, and patience. We are a quick-fix society; we don’t play the long game. Our donors want to see results.

Romans 15:1, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”

The Fisherman Teaching Others

When a person who has learned how to fish decides to teach others, you have the material for long-term change for the better. The last stage is development. John F. Kennedy is credited with saying, “All ships rise on the same tide.” he may have taken it from a New England Chamber of Commerce slogan. An interconnectedness of people or entities within a community, society, or economy requires teamwork to grow. The larger the middle class, the more robust the economy. As each community member becomes self-reliant, the whole community becomes self-reliant. In many cases, these communities start reaching out to other communities. The program becomes viral.

If you are going to help, really help. Don’t create a co-dependency. It is easy to become an idol in someone’s eyes if their need for you is strong enough.

Matthew 25:35-40, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, I was naked, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you visited me, I was in prison, and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

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Understanding and Pursuing God’s Plan

One of our most important challenges is how to pursue God’s plan for our lives. It is not easy to understand its origin and journey. I was having a conversation with a friend of mine from Honduras. We talked about her children and the life decisions they are facing. Her children are young adults. The challenge is figuring out their path in life. They each have passion but do not feel their passions are their purpose.

A point of reference: In Genesis 13, Abram gave Lot the choice of any land. Lot chose the well-watered, fertile land, but with it came Sodom. Abram took the less attractive but with God’s blessing. When we make choices, don’t look at the most attractive; seek guidance from the Lord.

Understanding our Purpose

Understanding purpose is an exciting subject. One can follow a dream that is not part of God’s plan created for them and find success from a worldly standard. I know that from experience. When driving myself along a worldly path, I achieved reasonable success regarding money, power, and position, but I was never content. I was using all the skills and resources provided by God, but not for their intended purpose. This pursuit left a hole in my life that no level of success could fill. This hole drove me to higher levels of worldly success as I attempted to reach satisfaction. With all my success, I did not have meaning and purpose; I had a vocation that I had become good at. A small caveat: just because you are good at something does not mean it is your God-given purpose in life. It might mean that you have done it so long that you have learned to do it proficiently.

Colossians 1:16, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”

In the book Discovering Our Spiritual Identity by Trevor Hudson, he discusses the concept of being created for God and God’s pleasure. I’ve always viewed the concept of God’s pleasure as the macro-level cloud that all Christians should strive to achieve. The concept is that we have lived a life that pleases God, or we haven’t. Hudson’s concept is that we are created uniquely, within that greater concept, for a specific pleasure God has foreseen. The idea is that when he created us, he instilled in us a purpose that pointed directly toward something that pleased Him. Each of us is part of a tapestry that displays an image pleasing to God, but we each have our specific element within the overall picture.

Sustainability

Several concerns always arise when we try to understand God’s plan for ourselves. The first is, can it sustain us? If our passion is writing, painting, public speaking, music, or whatever, can we make a living at it? What kind of kingdom impact could we have if it does not sustain us? In a modern world, this is always a valid question. What good is a passion if it can not support the person with the passion? The passion dies out.

A couple of things come to mind when I hear this; the first is that Paul was a tent maker. Paul sustained his ministry by making tents. Regardless of our life purpose, we may sometimes have to make tents.

Acts 18:3-5, “They made tents for a living. Paul did the same kind of work, so he stayed with them, and they worked together.”

Tent-making is about sustaining ourselves to pursue our God-directed passion and purpose. We may make tents all our lives or during a transition period, but we all have tent-making seasons.

The second is that when we pursue God’s will, He will give us resources. When I look for a mechanic to work on my car, I look for someone passionate about cars. I want someone who will look after my property as if it were his own. He will fix my car correctly, not because I ask, but because it is his passion.

When you chase God’s plan for your life, people will gravitate to you because of your passion. That is not to say you will achieve success as the world defines success, but that you will have an impact that dwarfs worldly success.

Philippians 4:19, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

God does not send you down a path unprepared. He wants you to succeed, and He would not have given you purpose if that purpose was to fail.

Trials

John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Even as Christ was part of the triune God and understood His mission, he still found it challenging. Christ was part of the Godhead that knew at creation that His sacrifice was required to save man, yet He prayed that it would pass from Him; Christ was part man.

Mark 14:36, “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Do not think that chasing God’s passion for your life will be painless; it will not. There will be times of doubt, anxiety, and depression. We live in a fallen world. The last thing Satan wants is for you to be part of God’s pleasure.

1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.”

The only reassurance I can give you from a worldly perspective is my own experience. During my worldly success, I never felt I was making a difference in my life, my family’s, or the world. I was not living; I was existing. I was treading water, waiting for the end. Now, I have meaning and purpose. I do not worry about my success; I worry about obedience. I am not transformed out of this world; I must still deal with worldly issues. But I am secure in that I have a legacy, yet unseen by me, but still existing through eternity.

Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
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Do We live for God or With God?

Do we live for God or with God? We all go through seasons of doubt. It is those times when we think God does not love us enough to carry us through. We feel we have let Him down, or maybe we are too disappointing for Him to care about us. God has said our salvation is free for the asking but is love? We desire the unbounded, incredible, fill-me-until-burst love that gives our life meaning and purpose. It is validation that we matter.

Acts 4:12, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

I, like everyone else, go through those times. I used to live a life entirely dedicated to myself. It wasn’t a conscious decision; it was life in a broken world. I am a high type “A” personality. I like rhythm and cadence in my life. Plan your work, work your plan. When I lived for myself, I thought I had a good idea of my destination. I knew the point on the horizon I was driving toward; at least, I thought I did. When I didn’t see progress, I could analyze my plan, adjust, and move forward. I got stuck occasionally, but I understood where I was. I just needed to determine the next step. Life was not easy, but it was understandable. I was raised that I was never a victim except for my own actions. I was the captain of my destiny.

Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

Introspection

Then Christ came into my life. He lifted the burden of achievement from my life, giving me permission and acceptance when I felt I hadn’t achieved my potential. He gave me a purpose greater than myself. But He is an invisible God. God’s ways are always true and right; they are the very definition of His existence. It is my perception of that truth that haunts me. If I get what I want, when I want, I am blessed. When God’s timing or direction isn’t what I expect, I have lost His favor or disappointed Him somehow. But God is always true and right.

Hebrews 6:10, “God always does what is right. He will not forget the work you did to help the Christians and the work you are still doing to help them. This shows your love for Christ.”

For me, this year is a year of introspection. Not the easy kind that can be achieved through a few kind words and determination. It is the hard kind, full of self-doubt, deep dives into my wants and desires, requiring me to deal with my emotions, emotions I would prefer to leave dormant. It took time and effort to bury these deep inside me even more effort to bring them back to life.

Living For God

“The sin underneath all our sins is to trust the lie of the serpent that we cannot trust the love and grace of Christ and must take matters into our own hands” ~ Martin Luther.

It started with a simple question: Do I live for God or with God? Living for God is easy to understand. It is following all the laws, being kind and compassionate, and going on mission trips, doing everything I think would make God love me more. It is me trying to make a partial payment of the cost of my salvation.

Deuteronomy 6:17, “You should diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you.”

Living for God believes that God has a credit system that allows for the ebb and tide of His emotions toward us. It believes that salvation is free to all who believe in Christ’s redemptive power, but love is different. Love is something that I must earn through behavior. It proves to God that I love Him; therefore, He can feel free to love me. Living for God makes us feel good at times and rejected at other times. Mission trips earn us credits and angry words debits. It is the quid pro quo of Christianity.

That is my life. What is my motivation? Do I do what I do because it is true and right?

Living With God

Living with God is being in synch with His desires. It is doing what we do because it is who we are. God cannot love us more. His love is unconditional. God’s love for us is pure, without constraint, and beyond our understanding. Our actions do not affect God’s love and desire for us.

1 John 3:1, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The world does not know us because it did not know him.”

This season of my life is about believing that God loves me unconditionally. It is about understanding what it means to live with God, not just for God. I find it difficult to understand what it means to put myself aside and live a life with God. I have a long history of living for God. It is a pattern that I understand. I have become accustomed to the highs and lows of earning God’s love. Now, I must learn to live like Jesus, not for Jesus. That is a significant next step for me. I need to think like I am part of Him; he is not a third party evaluating my actions.

“There will always be someone willing to hurt you, put you down, gossip about you, belittle your accomplishments, and judge your soul. It is a fact that we all must face. However, if you realize that God is a best friend that stands beside you when others cast stones, you will never be afraid, never feel worthless, and never feel alone.” ~ Shannon Alder

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

A great resource on this subject is: “Reimagining the Way You Relate to God” by Skye Jethani

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Are we Seeking The Truth or Validation

Another part of my life that needs evaluation this coming year is my perception of seeking the truth or validation.  In the last half-century, I have seen the normalization of division.  This division is now evolving into anger and sometimes violence toward others.  It started with the benign postmodern concept that you have your truth, and I have mine.  This concept started as a peaceful way of avoiding conflict.  We did not have to agree; you believe what you want, and I will believe what I want.

Ephesians 4:2, "Always be humble and gentle.  Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love."

God’s truth always agrees with itself. – Richard Sibbes

Validation

The “unexpected consequence” of this type of thinking is a division of thought.  Groups of people started drifting away from each other.  We gravitate toward those who think like we do, engaging in group intelligence, crowd wisdom, groupthink, and deindividuation.  We stop looking for truth and start looking for validation,  instead pursuing anything that makes us feel better about our opinions and avoiding anything that conflicts with them.  It is called confirmation bias and is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one’s prior beliefs or values.

We exasperate this by passing on our opinions about politics, war, global warming, social justice, and religion, to name a few,  as truths because it is all we know.    In this, we become intolerant of those who think differently wanting to educate them on our truth.  But are we seeking the truth or validation?  Interestingly, God warned us about this thousands of years ago.

Matthew 12:36, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak."

It is natural to have an opinion.  It is virtuous to have that opinion grounded in scripture.  Sometimes, finding a scriptural foundation for a worldly issue is challenging.  In those cases, it is important to tread lightly.  The issue is not so much the validity of your opinion, although that is important, as it is spreading that opinion.  We treat ordinary conversation as just that, while many conversations are just gossip.  We attempt to convince someone that our opinion is more than our opinion, but the truth.  Having them accept our “truth” validates our opinion.  And in that, we feel validated.

James 1:26, "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless."

Truth

This year, I am trying to avoid careless talk, this includes careless self-talk.  The more I entertain a careless thought, the more I am convinced it is true.  One of the activities I need to engage more is understanding the other side.  I don’t like this because I don’t like what they say, I don’t like their logic, and more importantly, I’m afraid they will make sense. Sometimes, your friends will lie to you, and sometimes, your enemies will tell the truth.  I need to find common ground and then evaluate the differences.  To accomplish this, I must be willing to open up with those who do not share my beliefs and values.  If I can understand why they don’t, I may better understand how to present my view more positively.  I must accept that sometimes we don’t have enough information to know the truth.  In those situations, I need to keep my opinion to myself.

Ephesians 4:29-32, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

We are Christians created in the image of God.  It is a demanding standard to live up to, but it is what we were created to do.  We are the peacemakers.  It is not about abandoning our principles or values but finding a positive approach to speaking the truth.

Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

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Is the Prosperity Gospel What You Think?

Is the true prosperity gospel what we think? I cringe every time I hear someone imply that God will reward us for doing what is right. God created us, and He sent His son to die for us so that we might have eternal life. That is a gift we can never do enough to earn. Its value is beyond calculation. God is not a vending machine that rewards us for doing good. God expects us to do good. Nowhere in the Bible does God say, “Give your money to me, and I will double it back to you.” The scripture does not pertain to worldly treasure; it addresses the spirit. The Bible clearly states that God will ensure you have the resources you need to do His will, but He never promises that you will be rich by worldly standards.

Jeremiah 17:7, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord."

My understanding of God’s prosperity Gospel is that if you live according to His word, you will find peace, joy, and meaning no matter your circumstances. If you live according to worldly standards, you may obtain worldly prosperity but still battle anxiety, fear, discomfort, and emotional pain. God needs people at every level of humanity to share the Gospel with everyone at every level of humanity. He needs the poor to nurture the poor, the middle class to the middle class, sick to the sick, and the rich to the rich. He needs the craftsman to nurture the craftsman, the teacher to the teachers, and Kings to Kings. God will resource your needs according to His will.

HIS DESIGN

Revelation 1:3, "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near."

The Prosperity Gospel is part of God’s grand design. He created everything, and in doing so, He created the right way to live. If we live according to His teachings, the natural outcome is spiritual prosperity. It is not a quid pro quo; it is His natural outcome. We may achieve success by worldly standards, or we may not. What we will achieve is meaning and purpose, and with that comes contentment and peace. We will be resourced according to His plan for our life, not according to the world. You will be without needs as you will not need anything you do not have. As flawed humans, we may want more than we need, but we will not go without.

Psalm 33:12, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance."

THE WORLDS DESIGN

When you live by worldly standards, not according to His will, you receive the natural results of your effort. Your display case is filled with trophies from a broken world. You will have trophies of broken relationships, fear of acceptance, failure or success, anxiety for the future, and a deep void of meaninglessness. You have all the trappings of prosperity without the joy. I know firsthand of this experience. Titles, positions of authority, power, houses, cars, and exotic vacations do not provide meaning. They are a way of distracting ourselves from our feelings. We convince ourselves we will be satisfied if we have a little more. It never comes. Every hilltop provides a view of the next hill; it is endless. Over time, it wears you down emotionally and sometimes physically. Stress kills.

Psalm 34:8, "O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!"

I mentioned in an earlier post that Skye Jethani, in his book “With: Reimagining the Way We Relate to God.” talks about Christians who “Live from God.” They live to please God so that God will bless them. God has and will continue to bless you because He loves you, not because you found the right formula to please Him. He doesn’t have an exchange calculator that tells Him how many blessings you’ve earned based on your output. If someone tries to convince you that your obedience will earn you something from God, turn away from them. It is a false doctrine—God’s blessings are free and overflowing to all who will receive them.

Matthew 13:16, "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear."

FAMILY

We are sons and daughters of the God most high, heirs to His kingdom, a priestly nation. We are blessed.

Matthew 5:2-12, "And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
•	"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
•	"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
•	"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
•	"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
•	"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."
•	"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
•	"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
•	"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
•	"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
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At the End of Our Days

At the end of our days, what do we want ricocheting through our brain? What are we left with when our hearing fades, and the light dims? What achievements will mean the most? Who or what will come to mind?

Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”

Passion for God’s Creation

I watched a documentary on the Len Foote Hike Inn on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. It is unique in that it can only be approached by hiking. I’ve had the privilege of hiking into the Hike Inn several times. It brought to mind how fortunate I was to experience God’s glory in nature. I’ve hiked thousands of miles of trails, seeing nature during all four seasons.

I’ve hiked the Ala-Too mountain Range with good friends from Kyrgyzstan, the northern Serengeti Plain, while in southern Kenya with a Maasi Chieftain and the Sierra de Lepaterique in southern Honduras. I watched sunrises and sunset, snow, wind, and rain. I once was lost in the Georgia mountains during a rainstorm when the trail became a stream—all those beautiful memories etched forever in my brain. The worst was more like a Dilbert comic strip than real life. My early experience as a Boys Scout has always given me the confidence to venture out.

End of Days

At the end of my days, when I sit in my wheelchair at the assisted living facility, I will recall the great outdoors. Nature is my eremos, my solitary place to commune with God. I’ll paint pictures in my mind of rugged mountain trails, breathtaking sunsets, and calm, quiet mornings with birds singing. I’ll remember God for what He made, not what we have done with His creation. My past will not be overcast by bustling offices, long meetings, or hurried schedules. It won’t be the titles I achieved, the deadlines I met, or the awards I received. It will be the peace, beauty, and tranquility of seeing God’s face through nature.

Job 12:7-10, “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”

I will also remember all the great people God allowed me to meet. The most amazing of them is the young people passionate about expanding God’s kingdom. I will remember their enthusiasm, energy, and thirst for life. My daughter has done a fantastic job of raising one of these.

At the end of your days, will you find contentment or worry? Did you do the right things for your family and loved ones? Are you confident that you will meet them again? Is your future laced with fear or longing?

1 Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Every Moment

All too many times, we think there is more time than there is. We put off important things to concentrate on the mundane. Eternity is such a big concept, and today is urgent. I know, as a parent, I become hijacked into believing that God needs me to raise my children. He doesn’t need me; He wants me to raise them to be Godly. After my passing, He will still guide them, just as He guides me today.

“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things that don’t matter” – Francis Chan.

Every moment is a gift to be shared. God wastes no moment. Live not with just a sense of urgency; we can hurry into an early grave, but with a sense of intentionality that every moment has a purpose.

2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

Live with an intentional urgency until you run out of time. That is God’s plan for your life.

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Being for God or With God

Am I for God or with God? This troubling question was brought up via a book by Skye Jethani, “With: Reimagining the Way We Relate to God.” Skye breaks down our interaction with God into five possible interactions.

  • Life under God – I am a sinner.
  • Life over God – I am a manager.
  • Life from God – I am a consumer.
  • Life for God – I am a servant.
  • Life with God –?

LIFE (BLANK) GOD

Life under God is a life full of accomplishing great things to please God. Is the quality of your salvation predicated on the quality of your gifts to God? It believes Devine Will is at the center of all things. Life over God is living by divine laws, rules, and rituals, each designed to qualify us for inclusion into God’s Kingdom. This interaction says that natural laws and principles are at the core. Life from God is believing that God exists to supply what we desire or need. It is about praying and receiving. Everything is of God; therefore, my life asks Him for things, and He decides what to give me. This interaction puts me at the center of everything. Life for God is about proclaiming His glory as the primary attribute to receiving grace. It has mission work and service at its core.

It is easy for me to visualize being in any one of these interactions. I am a sinner, there is no doubt. Rituals permeate my prayer life, bible reading, and churchgoing. I ask and want things from God and sometimes question my value based on the results. Obedience to His call is always at the forefront of my mind. I have been convinced over time that it is a form of worship to use God’s gift to me for His kingdom.

We express faith in Christ so God can forgive our sins, but it is done to get either a ticket to Heaven or a pass out of hell. It is safety by appeasing God with our behavior. God is a means to an end, not a treasure.

LIFE WITH GOD

Luke 12:34, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

So, what does a life with God look like? Being with someone connotates an understanding of what they are all about. Skye says Life with God entails treasuring, uniting, and experiencing God all in the moment. I see God as the enormous, all-knowing, all-seeing, time-independent author of the universe. Who am I that I could be with God? What possible contribution could I make?  

John Piper said, “Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above savoring God.”  Dallas Willard says, “The treasure we have in Heaven is also very much available to us now. We can and should draw on it as needed, for it is nothing less than God himself and the wonderful society of His Kingdom even now intertwined in my life.”

Life with God is the contiguous interaction with God every moment of our lives. It is a constant dialog with or without words. God becomes the object of your existence. In Matthew 13, Jesus talks about a man who, when he found a treasure in the field, sold all he had to acquire that field. To have a Life with God is to sell out of your worldly life to acquire a greater treasure in Christ. God is not the means of getting our treasure; He is the treasure.

GOD IS THE TREASURE

It is not about following the rules, being kind, earning blessings, or getting to Heaven. It is about selling out to God as the only value in your life.

Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

He knows what we need; he is not insensitive to our situation. But he is not here to build treasures here on earth. He is the treasure. It is great to dream of a life with no pain, loved ones around us, and eternal bliss, but without the treasure, it is meaningless. Can you live for Christ without anticipating Him rewarding you for your effort? Is salvation about eternity in Heaven, or is it eternity sitting at the feet of Christ?

Colossians 2:3, “In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
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The Next Chapter of Stories to Tell

Each one of us has stories to tell. We are a collection of great stories waiting to be told. It is our choice to write these stories or leave them untold. Throughout our lives, we experience challenges, and each represents an opportunity to become a victim of our circumstances or the author of a new chapter.

God never said the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile. – Max Lucado

CHARACTERS

Let’s take a minute to understand the characters of our stories. There is the Protagonist and the Antagonist; neither are you. You are the object of the story. The Protagonist is Christ, and the Antagonist is Satan. The fairyland is a broken world called Earth. Throughout our lives, we experience the invasion of this broken world. Satan commands that invasion. He has several ways of attacking, none of which are head-on. He is the master of deception. Satan does not speak in lies but half-truths. He is good at manipulating us into situations that appear to be self-inflicted wounds or intentional violence perpetuated by another. Seldom does he show his face. He is a creature of darkness.

1 John 4:1, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

The Protagonist, Christ, is just the opposite. Christ is a creature of the light. He is the white knight who swoops in at just the right moment to save the day. Christ speaks the truth even when the truth seems counterintuitive. He acknowledges that we are not perfect and sometimes screw up, but he doesn’t hold that against us. He doesn’t dwell on the past but helps us visualize the future. The future is triumph and overcoming, filled with hope, compassion, and love.

John 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

Where do you and I come into this story? We are the object of the Protagonist’s love. You and I represent the storyline. God created us to glorify Him, explicitly created for a unique purpose in His kingdom. The Antagonist’s job is to derail that purpose.

THE PLOT LINE

Plot lines are as varied as individuals are unique. We all have a line distinguished by time that flows from our birth into eternity. We are given specific skills, traits, passions, relationships, and opportunities along this line. The Antagonist’s job is to disrupt that flow. The Protagonist’s job is for us to experience the fullness of the path He has set before us. We have choices in this story. We make decisions that affect the outcome.

Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Now, at points upon this line, we have conflict. I have learned that you must look closely at the character development to understand the conflict better. As I have said, Satan never comes at you head-on; he sneaks in little by little until the moment is right. The conflict we experience at the moment can almost always be traced back to the small decisions we made in the past. That is one way the Antagonist rationalizes the conflict; it seems like the natural progression of events. There is no reason to involve the Protagonist, at least not until you are desperate.

Acts 16:31, “And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

CONFLICT

Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitudes toward life. The longer I live, the more convinced I become that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it. – Chuck Swindoll

Conflict is any point in which life does not go as planned. We experience minor conflicts, deal with them, and move on. There are great conflicts that leave scares that last. We’re going to talk about the big ones. These are conflicts that make us question our existence and our future. They are the conflicts that keep us up at night and on edge during the day; they crescendo to a deafening roar with a force we can not repel. They make us wonder if the Protagonist lied. At this point, we choose to be a victim of our circumstance and allow the conflict to fester and infect us, or we see it as the genesis of another great story.

Philippians 1:6, “And I am sure of this that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

That is a tough decision at the moment. It is a decision to give up or fight on. Does the white knight still exist? Does Christ care about me? Is the Antagonist too strong? Have I fallen too far?

THE OVERCOMING

Every great story has this dynamic, over-the-top, come-from-behind big finish. When there seems to be little or no hope, the Protagonist takes control. Sometimes, it is good for us to experience conflict. It is a teaching tool. But God will never give us more than we can handle. The situation is never outside of His control. The greater the crescendo, the higher the wave, the bigger the finish. It is one of the many ways God shows His love for us. He shows us His glory. The thrill and excitement of the finish make us forget the pain of the conflict. It changes the story from defeat to victory. We must choose to let Him take control. We are not the Protagonist; we are the object of His love.

THE LEGACY

Luke 12:8, “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God,”

All the stories of your life leave a legacy. It can be a legacy of overcoming or victimhood. The great stories are retold over and over. They are not only retold by the living but by the Angels themselves. Everyone loves a good story. When conflict strikes, and it will, what will your response be? Will you consider it an opportunity to write one of the greatest stories ever told, or are you a victim of your circumstances? What will your book look like on God’s shelf of life? It is thick and worn from much use, or more like a travel brochure that fell between the cushions on the couch. We have a choice; don’t let Satan ruin your book of life.

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Why it Happens or What Do I Do Next?

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.”

Why It Happens?

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.”

What Do I Do Next?

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 About People Problems?

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.”

Desired State

“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?”

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