Tag: motivational

Posted on

Waiting on the Lord

Waiting on the Lord is one of our human flaws. Waiting, in general, is a major flaw for most of us. We live a results-oriented existence. I know one of my most significant weaknesses is impatience. My impatience falls into two categories:  delayed scheduling and delayed gratification. When I go to the trouble to schedule an event, like a meeting or appointment with someone, I expect them to be on time. Although I try not to display my impatience, it is there. The second is more challenging for me to disguise: delayed gratification. I did what I said I would do when I said I would do it, so where are the results? Quid pro quo, give and take, action and reaction: this isn’t rocket science.

ISRAEL’S WAIT

Around Christmas time, we are reminded of the value of patience. The Book of Isaiah, written around 739-680 BC, speaks of a virgin giving birth to a child and foretells the birth of a child who will be called the “Prince of Peace” and whose government will have no end. Micah, written around the same time, 735 – 700 BC, talks about one born in Bethlehem who will be a ruler over Israel. The Israelites waited 700 years before these prophecies came to be.

Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
Isaiah 9:6, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,  and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Micah 5:2, "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me, one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

SIMEON’S WAIT

Simeon waited on the Lord his whole life before seeing the coming of the Savior. Luke tells us that the Holy Spirit came to Simeon to announce that he would not die before seeing the Messiah. The Bible tells us that Simeon was old when he encountered Jesus. Simeon faithfully waited his entire life for the consolation of Israel.

Luke 2: 25-26, "Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah."

MARY’S WAIT

Think of Mary; as a teenager, she knew her son would be the Messiah. Her son, born in a manger, would be King of Israel but could not care for himself and depended on her for his development. She watched him for thirty years before he revealed himself to the world. How many sleepless nights did she lie awake, wondering if what she remembered was real? Did she hear the promise correctly?

Luke 1:26-28, "In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel approached her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

OUR WAIT

When I sit in a doctor’s waiting room, impatient for my appointment, do I grasp the historical relevance of waiting on the Lord? Does every moment of my life fall within the providence of the Lord? When I pray in my time of need, do I put that prayer into the perspective of God’s timing? Does instant gratification of my needs overshadow the dominion of the God I serve? Christmas is not just about celebrating the birth of our Savior; it is about the experience of waiting for God’s revelation.

“To prepare our hearts for Christmas, we must cultivate the spirit of expectancy.” – Handel H. Brown.

It was thirty years before Christ said the time has come. Even then, people did not believe because they had lost hope during the wait. Their chance at salvation came and went without their knowledge.

Mark 1:14-15, "After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"

When things don’t happen on our schedule, do we rely on Christ? Do we have the confidence to believe that Christ will meet our needs in His time? Children get a sense of that anticipation every Christmas Eve as they wait on daybreak. Do you experience the same emotional high when waiting on Christ?

Luke 2:14, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men."

“The great challenge left to us is to cut through all the glitz and glam of the season that has grown increasingly secular and commercial, and be reminded of the beauty of the One who is Christmas.” — Bill Crowder.

Posted on

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."
Posted on

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.

Posted on

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.

Posted on

Managing Spiritual Change in a Chaotic World

Managing any change in your life can be difficult. Managing Spiritual change is no different. Trying to become the person God made you to be is always a challenge. Change only happens when the pain required to change is less than the pain of staying the same. Many fail in this pain exchange when they say they want to change. We perceive the pain of making the change as more significant than what we are currently experiencing. We want to remove our current pain, but at what cost? Does managing Spiritual change have a return on the investment?

“Nothing paralyzes our lives like the attitude that things can never change. We need to remind ourselves that God can change things. Outlook determines the outcome. If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory.” – Warren Wiersbe

1 Peter 5:6-7 "And God will exalt you in due time if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you."

PUTTING YOUR TRUST IN HIM

One of the critical assurances we possess when pursuing God’s vision for our lives is that when we locate the space where we place our trust in God enough to draw closer to Him, we will discover a profound joy that surpasses any previous experience. I understand that this notion may seem unconventional for some because it remains hidden from our immediate sight. The initial step is acknowledging God gives this to us out of His boundless love for us. There are no conditions or exchanges; it’s a selfless love that goes beyond comprehension. It remains steadfast, unaffected by our actions or choices.

Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

God is not human. He does not have the same frailties as we do. God does not act according to the preconceived notions we have. It is not a whim when he says he has a plan for you (Jeremiah 29:11). It is a solid truth you can count on.

Numbers 23:19, "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"

WORLDLY PERSPECTIVE

When considering the cost/benefit (sorry for the business jargon, it just seems to apply) of changing our lives to pursue God’s plan, we have to look at two scenarios. The first is the worldly scenario, where we weigh the discomfort of our personal life. How does it affect the relationships we have, the financial stability we have, and the sense of accomplishment? This scenario is a short-term perspective. The world is ever-changing. Perspectives change, culture changes, and attitudes change. Trying to sustain happiness in a fallen world is almost impossible. The cost of change today might seem too high. The cost of change tomorrow may seem cheap. The return changes with the wind.

The other approach has an eternal perspective. How does it affect that first conversation we have with God when we meet Him face to face? What happens when we get to Heaven?

Revelation 21:4, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

I would conjecture that the eternal perspective would win out every time if we believed in Heaven. The question is: Is Heaven real to us? If we believe that salvation will get us in, how bad can that be if we have no works? Do we want a true homecoming?

John 3:16," For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

We realize that our works or efforts cannot save us (Acts 16:31). The fact that we have accepted Christ as our savior gets us to Heaven. What does changing our life to mirror His plan get us?

THE PAYOUT

First, there is the submission issue:

Proverbs 3: 5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

This leads us to this sobering passage in Matthew:

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."

It comes down to this question: If I have genuinely accepted Christ as my savior and do not have a corresponding change in my behavior, have I truly accepted Christ in my heart?

As you contemplate your next move, consider this:

Deuteronomy 31:8, "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Posted on

Would it still be Heaven?

Would it still be Heaven if Christ was not there? Is our perception of Heaven our “Happy Place,” or is it the dominion of all things good and righteous? It is a holy place on a hill where we show appreciation for all God has done, or is it the better of two alternatives? Would it still be Heaven if our creator and savior were absent?

If there were no hell, the loss of Heaven would be Hell. – C.H. Spurgeon

If a tree falls in the middle of the forest and no one is around, does it make a sound?

In this case, a falling tree would generate vibrations in the air that we perceive as sound if an observer were nearby. Some argue that sound is a phenomenon that exists independently of human perception, while others suggest that it requires a perceiving mind to interpret and define it.

If you could have all the attributes of Heaven, but Christ was not there, would you still want Heaven? You could have a life for eternity without pain, suffering, hunger, fear, disease, depression, or guilt. You would be in the eternal presence of all your loved ones, fully healed physically and mentally. But there would be no Christ. Would it still be Heaven? Does Heaven exist independent of human perception of salvation?

The first two legs of this stool are: is there a God, and does eternity exist?

Is There a God?

We have crossed this bridge many times. God makes His presence evident through His creation. Through His creation, we should seek Him, and in seeking Him, find Christ.

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."

God makes finding Him very simple. Ask the animals, birds, and fish, and they will teach you. Those who read my posts know that I love the outdoors. It is where I feel the closest to God because I see tangible evidence of His existence. Try to understand the universe; you must expect at least a sovereign power.

Side note:  The observable universe, the part we can see and measure, is estimated to be about 93 billion light-years in diameter. There are 5.88×1012 miles in one light year.

Does Eternity Exist?

Eternity is a complex question for humans because of our limited knowledge. For example, the Hafele-Keating experiment placed precise atomic clocks on fast-moving airplanes or in high gravitational fields and showed time differences compared to clocks at rest. Even the Big Bang Theory does not deal with time before the Big Bang; it deals only with the time associated with the creation of our known universe.

So, does eternity exist? My uneducated answer is that we have yet to discover limiting factors to time. We don’t know what we don’t know, but we know that time extends longer than we can conceive. Weird question to ponder: what are the implications of time being finite? What would happen if time stopped? One of the critical aspects of time is that it measures movement. Would movement stop? If movement stops, does thought stop?

The bigger question is, does time stop for me? Is death the end of my time? Do I cease to exist in any form? God made this promise to us.

1 John 2:25, "This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life."

If you accept that there is a God, you should accept what he says as accurate. Any entity that can create the universe, and much more not seen by us, has no reason to lie to mere humans. It would serve no purpose.

2 Corinthians 4:18, "while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Time is the invisible hand of existence. If you do not believe you have an eternal soul, then believing in salvation is impossible. What would God be saving you for?

What Were we created for?

Today’s last leg of the stool is: if there is a God and He saved me for eternity, why?

Romans 11:36, "For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever!"
1 Corinthians 10:31, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
Matthew 5:16, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

He created us to glorify Him. Plain and simple. Everything Christians achieve in life is a byproduct of glorifying God. You do good deeds to glorify Christ. Sharing the gospel is a form of glorification.

Would it still be Heaven?

“For the Christian, Heaven is where Jesus is. We do not need to speculate on what Heaven will be like. It is enough to know that we will be forever with Him.” – William Barclay.

The simple answer is No. You might be disappointed if you look forward to Heaven to avoid Hell. Heaven gets its value not in avoiding an endless dark void but in celebrating the glory of our creator and savior. Nothing else will do.

Posted on

Kingdom Impact – The Parable of Talents

Kingdom Impact is a cornerstone of our ministry; we use business sustainability to fund people impacting the Kingdom of God. From my time in third-world countries, I see how significant the Kingdom Impact can be when we invest very little money. We all have access to resources provided by God to sustain us. THe question is, how do we invest those resources? Do we trust God to meet our needs even when we are doing his work?

I hear and contribute to discussions concerning planning for retirement, college, weddings, investing in land, stocks and bonds, Gold, precious gems, and so on. What if we looked at the parable of the talents differently?

THE PARABLE OF TALENTS – Matthew 25:14-30

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them his property. To one, he gave five talents; to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

The Investment

He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his Master’s money.

The Reward

After a long time, the Master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His Master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your Master.’

And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered two talents to me; here, I have made two more.’ His Master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your Master.’

The Reckoning

He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’

But his Master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming, I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

BIBLICALLY WHAT IS KINGDOM IMPACT INVESTMENT?

What if the actual investment was in saving souls, not gaining material wealth? The first man invested in a city-wide rally for Christ, and 100 people came to know Christ. The second man invested in a mission trip to a third-world country where some people accepted Christ. And the last man bought stock or Gold or precious gems where no one came to know Christ. Does the parable make more sense? Does it take on more kingdom impact?

Proverbs 16:8, "Better is a little with righteousness than vast revenues without justice."

THE KINGDOM IMPACT CHALLENGE

God challenges us to balance our need to survive and our need to have an impact. Survival in the United States is almost an oxymoron. We are so far beyond survival. But still, this is the condition we know. This environment is where we spend our entire lives. We can not quickly reorient ourselves to seeing survival as less.

Matthew 6:19-21, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

These thoughts come to me directly because of a very dear friend of mine. He is always looking for ways to increase his income in his retirement years, like converting cash to Gold because he thinks it is a better return. He owns land that he wants to convert into a rental property, providing a monthly stream. A start-up company he invested in that has been trying to get traction for years. He is incredibly talented; he has written one Christian book and is working on another. He and a couple of his friends have started a non-profit. But they are just side projects—things he would love to spend more time on if he had more money.

“God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supplies.” – Hudson Taylor.

The Alternative

I’m not him; I am not giving advice. But what if he took the money he plans to buy Gold with and invested it into a marketing campaign to sell his current Christian book? What if he used it to promote his non-profit? What if he used it to help himself through the writing of his new book? Would God not find a way to keep him doing God’s work? Could the sale of the books surpass any interest income? Would the souls reaped justify the investment?

Philippians 4:19, "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

I am not picking on him or anyone. We all have this within us. The challenge of caring for ourselves in this world and helping impact the next. It is a struggle; only God can tell us which road to travel.

“The way you store up treasure in Heaven is by investing in getting people there.” – Rick Warren.

Posted on

The Truth about the Silent Lie

The silent lie is the most dangerous lie of all. It allows us to pretend we did nothing wrong while deceiving another. The silent lie is passive; it takes no effort. In many cases, we congratulate ourselves for holding our tongue. There are around fifty-four verses in the Bible that directly address lying.

Proverbs 12:22 says, “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy.”

We know when we have intentionally told a lie. It is called the black lie; we hate that term. We prefer to call it a little white lie. A little white lie sounds so much more acceptable. We know our words are not the truth the second they leave our lips. As we speak, we often wish there was another way to shed our guilt by telling the truth and still achieve our desired result. Lying is about achieving selfish results. At night, in the dark solitude of our bed, we pray for forgiveness.

“A lie that is half-truth is the darkest of all lies.” ― Alfred Tennyson

Lying by Omission

What about lying by omission, the silent lie? There are two broad categories of lying by omission. The first is when you say nothing when the other party draws a faulty conclusion in your favor. You watch them as they misinterpret your words, leading them to a conclusion. Maybe you intentionally crafted your words to mislead, feeling that their lack of comprehension is their problem. You spoke the truth in the exactness of your phrasing while knowing it would mislead. Lying by omissions can lead people to remember the true parts they heard while erasing the parts omitted or misrepresented.

Psalm 120:2, “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, From a deceitful tongue.”

Politicians have popularized another silent lie; it is deflection. They answer a direct question with an irrelevant fact. The implication is that the “fact” somehow answers the question. A politician is asked if they think their employment policies are effective considering the current 8% unemployment. They respond that there were 800,000 new jobs created in the last quarter. The implication is that they think their policy works without going on record as saying it does. The deflection gives plausible deniability later if needed.

Psalm 12:2, “They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak.”

Constant lying can take a toll on the person lying, affecting their mental and emotional well-being. Keeping up with lies can be stressful and may lead to feelings of guilt or anxiety. It can ruin reputations and minimize future potential. There is a whole list of adverse effects of lying, both physical and emotional.

The Biggest Silent Lie

“When truth is replaced by silence, the silence is a lie.” ― Yevgeny Yevtushenko.

The biggest silent lie is when a Christian sees a person on the path of destruction and keeps quiet. Somehow, it is not their problem that the other person is destroying their future. Saying nothing does not betray Christ; it just avoids telling the truth. The silent lie is not telling the truth when the truth matters. Deliver the truth with compassion and love, but deliver it you must. Not speaking up is lying by omission, the silent lie. Watering down the truth to save face or avoid ridicule is a silent lie.

Proverbs 26:28, “A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth works ruin.”

We speak the truth if we genuinely care about those we say we love. We do not allow the lost to believe a faultshood.

Proverbs 14:5, “A trustworthy witness will not lie, But a false witness utters lies.”

There are many studies about the number of times a person lies daily. The majority conclusion is that everyone lies at least once or twice a day. That is right, everyone. We live in a broken world. The sixty-four-thousand-dollar question has two components. Do you lie to yourself by omission, refusing to allow yourself to believe the truth about yourself, and, by extension, lie to God about who you are? Does the silent lie hide aspects of your life that need open and honest communication with Christ? Trust is often the first casualty of lying. God already knows; you might as well come clean.

Psalm 101:7, “He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me.”
Posted on

God’s Underdogs

The most profound narrative ever told revolves around God’s underdogs. Storytelling holds a special place in my heart; I passionately root for the underdogs. I deeply admire champions and fervently desire those victories against all odds that only God can provide. Consider David versus Goliath, Gideon versus the Midianites, Moses versus Pharaoh, or Paul versus everybody. Don Quixote stands tall among my heroes, and I’ve carried a wooden statue of him since high school.

1 Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

Being That Person

Within me lives a fighter, or perhaps more accurately, a tenacious, promise-keeping poet who embraces the road less traveled. It’s not about winning but about overcoming. Anyone can win when faced with a weaker opponent. However, can I go the extra mile? Can I make sacrifices for a noble cause? Can I humble myself for the sake of others? Can I be that person?

Isaiah 42:13, “The Lord goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.”

When thinking about God’s desires for me, I envision Him at the edge of His seat as I grapple with adversity. I see Him cheering as I rise once more. He detests the pain but adores the effort. I belong to Him, and He beams with pride. God is prepared to fight for me and provides opportunities for me to grow stronger. He’s well aware that the path ahead is fraught with danger and disappointment, but He also knows the glory of victory that awaits those willing to persevere.

Deuteronomy 20:4, “For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”

Vince Lombardi famously expressed, “I firmly believe that any man’s finest hours – his greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear – is that moment when he has worked his heart out in good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.”

Countless stories of salvation and reconciliation exist, each a prized trophy in God’s display case. Each narrative moves God to tears. He points to each one with joy and pain and says, “They are one of mine.”

Luke 10:19, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.”

I believe the challenging part is that we must possess a warrior’s spirit to fulfill God’s potential. We don’t often view ourselves as warriors but as ordinary individuals. To be exceptional in God’s eyes can seem like a stretch, but it’s false.

Why do you think God painted this picture?

Ephesians 6:11-17, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.”

God repeatedly encourages us to “stand,”… “Take your stand,”… “Stand your ground,”… “Stand firm,”… “and after you have done everything, to stand.”

After we’ve done everything, the command is simple: stand.

We live within one of the most remarkable narratives ever written, the story of our lives as authored by God of the universe. We find ourselves in a battle against evil, not by our choosing, and we cannot win it alone. But we can play our part.

Be one of God’s underdog stories. That is all God asks of us.

2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Posted on

Surviving the Act of Caring

Surviving the act of caring is exhausting. The Bible teaches us to care for those around us, but at what cost? Most of us tabulate the cost in time or money; what must I give of myself to advance the well-being of another? My experience is that the long-term cost is emotional. It is living with the knowledge that the world is not a fair place. It is coping with the knowledge that we are only making a small dent in an enormous injustice.

Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

Surviving the act of caring requires us to rationalize suffering. I struggle with staying awake at night and replaying my conversations with people in need. I try to understand the genesis of their environment. Where did this dystopia start? Why does it still exist? How can we, as caring, feeling people, allow this to continue? I engage with individuals living in the 21st century who lack access to basic utilities like running water in their homes. In their environment, criminal groups operate with impunity, free from the constraints of law enforcement, leaving the population vulnerable to government abuses and the influence of power-hungry individuals.

I am Only One

“I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”. ― Edward Everett Hale

I am but one person. I ponder these questions in the dark of the night when my mind will not rest. Am I doing enough? Is what I’m doing even significant?

We learn from the Bible that we are to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. There is no magic number of who we weep or rejoice with. God does not set a specific quota for us to fulfill; our sole responsibility is obedience, which comes with a cost. It also has a reward.

Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."

The reward is knowing we have done what God has placed before us. We have set aside our comfort to embrace those less fortunate. God requires that believers reflect His glory toward others. Christ suffered and died for us; what are we willing to do for others? The time I spend with these people is a great joy; it gives me hope for the future of humanity. In their present situation, they praise God for all they have. Most of my neighbors don’t see God in anything they claim as theirs. Who is worse off, the impoverished who rely on God or the wealthy with pride in their accomplishments?

Matthew 13:49, "So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous."

I am not God.

I lose sleep because I am not God, I can’t speak righteousness into existence. Because I am not God, I can not command the earth to provide for its poor. I must trust that all that is and will be is the providence of the creator of the universe. My place is to be obedient to His call. And in that obedience, I will be protected.

Psalm 91:11, "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."

I am debating a “Gap Year.” The emotional drain of knowing is exhausting. I have ghosts of people in desperate situations swirling in my head day and night. With limited resources and unlimited opportunities, I question my impact. I am Sisyphus pushing that rock up a hill only to have it roll back again.

I am not Alone

As I reflect on Esther, who was orphaned, forced into exile in a distant land, and compelled to enter a pagan king’s harem, I’m reminded of the life-or-death choice she had to make in order to aid her people. Mordecai’s words resonate: “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Perhaps, you and I were also destined for a purpose during this very moment. It’s possible that we’ve been placed here and now to fulfill precisely what God has commanded. Mordecai added:

Esther 4:14, "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place."

And if we don’t, God will raise another in our place. How do you survive the act of caring? Obedience and perspective. We do what we do because God has allowed us into His plan for another. It is a gift, not an obligation. We must understand that everything is under God’s purview. God leaves nothing to chance. Every action has meaning.

Ephesians 1:11, "In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will."

Surviving the act of caring, we must have a great counselor, therapist, and guide. The good news is we do.

Purpose Driven Life Proudly powered by WordPress