Tag Archives: hearing from God

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How Often Do You Fill Your Spiritual Tank?

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I am in the car business so I hear about a lot of different perspectives people have on the gas tank in their vehicles. The parallels between the gas tank in our car and our spiritual tank are helpful if we will stop and think about it

spiritual tank

Gas Tank Stories

I have heard of elderly ladies (my grandmother included) that have never pumped gas into their car because their husbands always did it. I hear about people who never let their tank get below half full and others that know to the tenth of a mile how long they can drive once the “Need Fuel” light comes on!

I even had one gentleman explain to me that he could not afford to keep his new truck because it cost him too much to fill it up. The truck got great fuel economy, but the tank was bigger than the one in his old truck. While he could go longer between fill-ups, he insisted that did not matter because each fill-up was more expensive. I could not convince him that he was spending the same amount of money overall!

Better When Full?

Whatever your thoughts about your gas tank, I imagine that you are like most people and feel more comfortable with a tank that is full or near so than you do with one that is near empty.

Maybe you want to be prepared in the event you need to leave in a hurry or go on a trip that requires more fuel. Maybe you commute to and from work and fear the idea of running out of gas on the highway in between. It could just be that you have more peace of mind when the tank is full.

Whatever the case, virtually no one likes to drive around all the time with the “Need Fuel” light on. No one enjoys testing the limits of their reserve tank on a daily basis. If they have a choice, most people will keep more gas in the tank rather than less – just for the peace of mind.

Spiritual Tank Is Similar

The same is true for our spiritual tank. Have you thought about this? Are you one who always runs around with a spiritual tank that is full or do you squeak by most days with just enough to survive?

If you are in the “always full” club, do you see the benefits? Do you realize that when you frequently bump into others with spiritual needs (whether they realize it or not) that you are able to share some of your fuel with them? Do you feel less wasted at the end of the day and wonder why?

Always Full?

If you are in this “always full” club, you have probably noticed the difference between you and others, but maybe you have not considered the cause of this difference. Maybe you have just chalked it up to a positive attitude or rosy lenses. I would bet this is not the case.

If I had to bet, those of you in the “always full” group have a fairly consistent quiet time. You probably have a pretty solid prayer life and I would also guess you attend small groups where you are poured into by others. Am I close?

Always Empty?

What about those of you that are at the other end of the spectrum. You have never stopped to pinpoint the reason, but you seldom get to the end of a day without feeling completely drained. You rarely have the energy to spend much time with those “needy” people you see around you at times.

You might look at others around you that are always chipper and they somewhat annoy you. You think their energy probably comes from a special blend of coffee or some hip energy drink that you can’t afford.

How To Keep Full?

Have you ever considered that maybe their spiritual tanks are kept at full and yours is not? Have you ever stopped someone like this to ask them what they do on a regular basis to “fill their tank”? Would you consider it?

Imagine going to the gas station every day and putting $1.50 worth of gas in your tank. How far would you get before needing more? How much sense would that make if you knew your travel for the day would require at least $5.00 in gas? Could you ever share gas with someone else if this was your habit?

Empty Brings Trouble

The idea here is that we cannot expect much peace in our lives if our spiritual tanks are always empty. Without a continuously filled spiritual tank, our days are doomed to stress, anxiety, and frustration. Just as bad would be our inability to share our peace with those around us.

Rather than trying to scrape by on the absolute minimum, we need to strive for a constantly full tank. We need to determine what it is that we need in order to maintain this full spiritual tank and we need to do that on a regular basis.

Fill With Scripture

For some, this is simply the act of reading the Bible every morning. Maybe it is Psalms or Proverbs. Maybe it is Paul’s letters. Regardless, simply reading from God’s Word can be an instant spiritual tank filler.

For others, this does not work. Maybe they do not understand what they are reading and need help or explanation. Maybe they just get their energy and fill from being in a group that is discussing Scripture. The different perspectives offered help them digest the learning more clearly.

Other Ways To Fill

There are many ways God can use to fill our spiritual tank. We only have to ask Him to help us find the methods that work best with our unique characteristics. I promise He is faithful to answer and help us stay at FULL!

Take some time today and think about which group you are in. If “always full,” then look for someone in the other group and share your methods with them. Teach them how to maintain a full tank.

If you are in the “always empty” group, in addition to prayer, look around and find someone from the other group. Ask them questions and be ready to apply what you learn. Don’t be content with your “Need Fuel” light staying on all the time!

How often do you fill your spiritual tank?

Do you recognize times when you have run on empty?

What is life like for you when your spiritual tank is full?

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Mind Like Water Is Possible!

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Several years ago, I found an audio book on the clearance rack at the local Staples office supply store. That book was called Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity and it revolutionized how I approach my work day. While I cannot go into the details of the whole program author David Allen proposes, I can tell you that there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from him as well.

mind like water

Mind Like Water

Getting Things Done (GTD) is a work-life management system that begins with a concept called “mind like water.” This idea is best understood by picturing a quiet pond where the water is perfectly still…not a ripple anywhere. When a rock is tossed into the pond, ripples are created in the water. Throw another rock in and more ripples appear.

If you throw enough rocks into the pond, one after another, then your quiet, still pond is a memory. In its place is rough water, waves and ripples crossing each other as they run from one side of the pond to the other. Do you get the picture?

Now, go back to the original picture of the quiet, calm pond. Your mind is like this water. Without constant inputs, it can be quiet and still. In this state, you can be more creative, more effective, have a sharper focus, etc. When your mind is calm like this pond, getting things done is so much easier. You know exactly what I am talking about!

Life Throws Rocks

Unfortunately, life throws rocks. Every time you are told about something you have to remember, a rock is tossed into your “pond.” When you a meeting is added to your schedule or a report is requested of you, more rocks are tossed in. Pretty soon, sometimes before you are finished with your first cup of coffee, your pond looks like the Atlantic.

Getting Things Done is a system that teaches you how to minimize the ripples from each rock and to get back to “mind like water” quicker (and stay there). I can vouch for its effectiveness as I have been using it for years. It is not simple, but once you get the hang of it, you will never go back!

Spiritual Mind Like Water

Folks, the cool thing is that this idea of “mind like water” also describes our spiritual life. Just think about how easy it is to worship God or pray for extended periods of time WHEN your mind looks like the quiet, still pond. Things seem easier then, right?

Unfortunately, as I have already said, life throws rocks! Sometimes you cannot get out of bed before the anxiety sets in and takes away any peace you thought you had. Whether these rocks come from business issues, family problems, or health concerns (or a combination!), maintaining a spiritual “mind like water” is tough these days.

Even if we manage to escape without waves and ripples for a season, we know it is only a matter of time before the tumult returns. Why is life so hard like this? Why can’t we have more quiet time when our minds are at peace instead of churning through the day?

Its How We Learn

Well, I read a verse today that speaks to this. Here it is:

It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I could learn Your statutes.
Psalm 119:71

I think God knows we learn better when we go through tough times. He knows that we draw closer to him during the storms. Maybe getting things done is easier when there are fewer waves, but He is more interested in our relationship with Him than He is in our getting things done for Him.

So first, recognize that the waves bring us to Him and as a result, help us to learn and mature in our Christian walk. Don’t fight the waves. Instead, ask what you can learn from them.

Constant Tumult Not Necessary

At the same time, God does not necessarily desire for us to be in constant tumult in our minds. The external waves can teach us much, but even in the midst of the storms, God promises that we can have peace!

So even though you will face storms throughout your life, you can still have a peace inside. Your mind can still be like water – absent of anxiety and fear. I wrote several posts on this recently (read them here), but the bottom line is that you must take an eternal perspective on life.

Eternal Perspective

I believe this peace comes from recognizing that this life is temporary and is only a brief glimpse of the eternity we have ahead of us. When we trust God completely, to the point where all anxiety and fear is replaced with peace, then we can experience spiritual “mind like water.”

When we can do this – even for short periods of time – we are better able to hear and understand what God wants us to learn. When we are free from worry about the distractions in this world and focused on His peace, then the insights and wisdom we can gain will astound us.

I encourage you to try Getting Things Done if you need an effective work-life management system. However, more important than that is gaining the eternal perspective that can help you achieve a spiritual “mind like water.” I promise you will never go back!

Have you experienced “mind like water”?

Is your eternal perspective allowing you to have peace in the storms?

What do you need to do next?

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Danger Zone In Continuous Learning

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I have talked a lot in my posts about being mentored and learning from others. I think continuous learning is a critical part of being a leader and anyone who has stopped learning will not be leading much longer. However, there can be an easily overlooked danger in this that I want to address.

danger

Endless Supply Of Material

If you have access to the internet, then you literally have access to more leaders than you can count. You can read books and blogs or watch videos and webinars on virtually any subject or topic you choose. There is a virtually endless supply of wisdom out there to be gleaned.

Even if you narrow your search down to Christian business leaders, it would not be very difficult to find more material than you can absorb in a year. Quite simply, there is not a shortage of opportunities for learning or gaining wisdom in the world today.

I have been overwhelmed at times with the abundance of godly wisdom that is available. In fact, there have been times where I have been reading two or three different books or blogs at one time. While it can sometimes get confusing, I have enjoyed the variety.

So what exactly is the danger that we need to avoid?

How can continuous learning cause us trouble?

Danger Example In Scripture

These are good questions, but before I answer them I want to take a look at an example from Scripture. In the following passage, Peter steps into a danger zone. It is this area that I want to discuss.

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transformed in front of them, and His clothes became dazzling—extremely white as no launderer on earth could whiten them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— because he did not know what he should say, since they were terrified.

A cloud appeared, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud:

    This is My beloved Son;
    listen to Him!

Then suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone.
Mark 9:2-8

Three Tabernacles?

Did you catch the danger area for Peter? Look back at what Peter said about building three tabernacles for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. What was wrong with that? Why should we consider this a danger zone?

I am not sure it is really clear until you read further and see how God responded. Read again what He says to them – “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!”

Starstruck?

I believe that Peter was in awe over seeing Moses and Elijah. As a Jew, Peter saw these two guys as legendary men of faith. God worked incredible miracles through them and their lives were studied in depth by Jewish children as they came up in the synagogue.

For Americans, this would be like suddenly meeting George Washington and Ben Franklin. For students of business, the equivalent might be Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller. Athletes might compare this to meeting Babe Ruth and Jim Thorpe.

I think you get the idea, but maybe the danger is still unclear.

God Interrupts

Think about it. Peter is clearly enamored with meeting these two legends and immediately wants to do something to show his excitement. Rather than thinking it through, he blurts out the first thing that comes to mind – to build three tabernacles or shelters for the tow of them and Jesus.

This is when God steps in and speaks. It is not often that God does this so we need to pay attention when He does. We should immediately realize that there is something important for us to learn here.

When God speaks, He makes it known that Jesus is His Son and that Peter (and the others) should listen to Him. Why did He do this?

Wrong Star!

What Peter did not realize was that while Moses and Elijah were great men, they were not great enough to be put on par with Jesus! Even though Peter should have been in awe of their presence, he should have been that much more in awe over being in the presence of Jesus, the Son of God! I don’t think it is coincidental that as soon as God said this, Jesus is the only one still standing there.

Too often, like Peter, we get caught up in who is the latest leader or guru in our industry. We want to read the latest book on business by the most recent author to rise to the top of his area of expertise. We even take pride in telling people what we have read and who we are learning from.

Jesus Stands Alone

Unfortunately, the danger is in the possibility of putting these people on par with Jesus. Even worse, we might be putting them ahead of Jesus! And while God is not using his booming voice to shock us back into the right mindset, passages like the one above should make it obvious that we are out of line.

Peter got caught up in the moment and went too far in showing honor to Moses and Elijah. We often do the same when we stop seeking our wisdom from Jesus, replacing Him with whoever it is that intrigues us at the moment.

Jesus As Foundation

To avoid this danger, we all need to make sure we build a foundation of learning from Jesus through consistent Bible study and prayer. We need to allow the wisdom from God’s Word to be our first and most important source of wisdom – whether it is for our business, job, or family. He should be first.

From there, there is no danger in adding godly wisdom from other sources as well. We just need to remember to keep this other wisdom in perspective, comparing it to Scripture and only applying that which matches what we read there.

Have you been guilty of putting others on par with Jesus?

Can you see the danger of doing this?

How do you make sure Jesus is your foundation first?

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Anxiety: What Is The Worst That Can Happen?

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Recently, I published a couple of posts on eliminating anxiety. While I wish I could believe that anyone who read those posts has now eliminated all traces of anxiety, I doubt that is the case. Therefore, I want to share more thoughts about defeating this debilitating attack of the enemy.

anxiety

Bible Is Truth!

If you read those last two posts, you will remember that Step #1 was to recognize and believe that the Bible is 100% truth. If this is not something you are willing to accept, then I will say again that you need to learn to enjoy anxiety. You are not going to defeat it otherwise.

Assuming you do accept the Bible as truth, then I want you to take a look at the following excerpt from Psalm 91. For the full effect, I suggest you read all of Psalm 91. Read it slowly and carefully and think about what you are reading.

Because you have made the Lord—my refuge,
the Most High—your dwelling place,
no harm will come to you;
no plague will come near your tent.
– Psalm 91:9-10

What Is The Problem?

Let’s first tackle the obvious problem with these verses (and the whole Psalm 91). Here, we are told no harm will come to us. Elsewhere in Psalm 91, we are told that others will fall at our right and left, but the attack will not reach us. We are told we will live a long life.

Clearly, when we take this literally, we have a hard time accepting what it says. We know of people who have fallen. We have been affected by attacks. We know those who have died way too young. So why do you think it says what it says? Are we missing something?

It Is All About Perspective!

I think it is all about perspective. If we look at this Psalm from an earthly perspective, then it is easy to argue that it is not true. Anxiety still makes sense because of all that can happen to us.

However, if we look at this passage from an eternal perspective, the picture changes dramatically. Imagine the Psalmist is not referring to our earthly body when he refers to our tent. Instead, consider that he is talking about our soul. Does that change things?

In fact, read the entire Psalm 91 again and experience it from your soul’s perspective. Maybe this is a little unconventional, but I think it is sound advice. When you read this Psalm from the eternal perspective, it makes perfect sense.

Eternal Perspective

Sure, things are going to happen in this life here on earth. Yeah, there will be challenges and pain, even death. None of this is avoidable and all of it can cause anxiety when viewed from a short-term perspective.

The problem is that the short-term perspective is usually our default view. It takes practice, perseverance, and prayer to develop our eternal perspective muscles. It won’t happen overnight in most cases. Nor will it continue automatically once you achieve it. Maintaining an eternal perspective is an ongoing battle, but it is worth the fight.

When you can maintain an eternal perspective and know that your eternity is in God’s capable and loving hands, then you can have peace during the short-term storms, trials, and defeats in this life. Nothing the enemy can throw at you can harm your tent (soul).

Anxiety Elimination Exercise

I will leave you with one quick exercise. I give you this from my own experience when dealing with anxiety years ago. It worked then and I have never forgotten it since. See if it makes sense to you.

I called my father with what I felt at the time was a significant, emergency customer issue – at least from my perspective at the time. I described it to him and expected him to gasp, wondering what in the world we would do! Fortunately for me, he remained relaxed.

He asked me a simple question, “What is the worst that can happen?”

I thought for a moment and responded with what I thought would be a reasonable, but terrible result.

He asked again, “What could happen that is worse than that?”

I paused again, thinking outside the box. I gave him an outlandish answer that included the customers pulling out guns and other weapons.

Again, he asked, “No, what is the WORST that can happen?”

Frustrated, I snapped back, “I don’t know! You tell me!”

Still calm, he answered, “The worst that can happen is that you die and go to hell. There is nothing worse. Is that a possibility for you?”

“No sir,” I responded quietly, “I have settled that forever.”

He then removed every ounce of anxiety from the situation. He said, “If that is not a possibility for you, then there is nothing more in this situation for you to worry about. The worst is taken care of – now go and address the situation as best you can.”

Ask Yourself The Same Question

I ask you the same question – is that a possibility for you or have you settled it?

If you are certain of your personal salvation based on what the Scripture says, then there is nothing else for you to worry about. Everything else pales in comparison to that. All that is left to do is for you to handle each situation as it comes. Do the best you can. The rest is taken care of.

Can you see Psalm 91 from an eternal perspective?

How does this impact your thoughts about anxiety?

Does the exercise help?

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Are Your Eyes On The Prize?

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Yesterday was a great day of football. Two teams fought their way into the Superbowl – the championship game of the NFL. These teams have had their eyes on the prize of this championship from the very beginning of the season. In two weeks, one team will achieve that prize. What about you? Are your eyes on the prize?

eyes on the prize

Eyes On The Prize

In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul says the following:

Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14

Simple Questions

I am sure you have probably read this before. I am sure you have probably heard several sermons on this passage before. Guess what? I am likely not going to tell you anything amazing about this passage that you have not already heard before. I am simply going to ask you a couple of questions.

Are your eyes on the prize?

Are you reaching forward toward the prize?

What is the prize to you?

Like I said, I am not going to tell you anything new about this passage. I am simply putting it in front of you and asking if you are following Paul’s example and applying it to your life.

Paul’s Eyes On The Prize

In reading about Paul in the Bible, it is clear that he lived what he preached. Everything he did was focused on his desire to do exactly what God had called him to do. He was determined (as we read earlier in the same chapter) to know Christ and to be like him in his death – obedient.

As I read about Paul, I want to do the same thing. I want to focus everything I do around knowing Jesus. I want to be obedient in every area of my life – including the business. For me, I try to have my eyes on the prize. That prize, in my mind, boils down to hearing the following words from Jesus:

‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!
Matthew 25:21

Hearing “Well done.”

Therefore, when I am trying to make decisions in the business, I try to figure out which decisions would move me closer to hearing those words. I imagine Him standing there in front of me ready to say, “Well done.” What path do I take to cause Him to smile and say those words?

I am by no means perfect at this. Much like Paul, I do not consider that I have got this whole business as ministry thing figured out. Not by a long shot. However, I do try to have my eyes on the prize. When I am successful in doing that, it seems like everything works better.

For you, the prize may look different. You may imagine a different scene. That is perfectly fine! The key here is that you recognize that God wants us to be obedient and that is where our focus should be. God wants us to focus on Him and His purposes, not our own.

Wrong Prize?

There are those in this world that are completely and totally focused on themselves. They have their eyes fixed on the prize, but the prize is all about them. These people are similar to the Israelites that God referred to below:

For they did not practice My ordinances but rejected My statutes and profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.
Ezekiel 20:24

Folks, I don’t know about you, but I do not want to be in that group. I do not want to be seen by God as having my eyes on the prize of my father’s idols. I do not want Him disappointed in my focus. I only want to hear, “Well done.” from Him.

Great Advice

I encourage you to pray about this. Take some time and ask God if you have your eyes on the prize – the right prize. Ask Him to make it clear to you where this is not happening and to give you the will and strength to change where necessary. Paul gives this same advice.

If you keep reading in Philippians 3, after he describes how he has his eyes on the prize, he says this:

Therefore, all who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you.
Philippians 3:15

I think that is great advice. Will you follow it?

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Are You Living The Truth You Know?

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In my last post, we looked at Apostle Paul’s resume and talked about how he thought of it as filth and counted it as loss. My goal was to get us to take a look at the goals we have for our lives and compare them to what we see in Scripture. Like Paul, we should be heading in a different direction from the world. If not, are we applying the truth we know to the lives we live?

truth

***If you have not read my last post, you might want to do that now [HERE] so you are on the same page as the rest of us.

Accountability From Scripture

Just to make sure we do not escape the accountability that Scripture gives us, let’s take a look at another verse that comes up just after the ones we looked at last time:

In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.
Philippians 3:16

Now, that is a pretty short verse, but I think it is also a very powerful one. Do you get the meaning? Paul is telling us that attaining truth, or gaining knowledge, is not enough. We cannot simply know something and leave it at that. We have to also apply it! We must LIVE UP TO IT!

Truth Applied

Therefore, if we know that this world cannot offer us anything eternal and that only a life lived for Christ will survive the fire that is to come, then our lives should reflect this knowledge (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).

And as an extension, our business lives should also reflect this knowledge.

Assuming you agree with me at this point, or at least are willing to read more before making a decision, let’s take a look at some key areas where we might be likely to exhibit inconsistencies in our workplace.

Potential Areas Of Inconsistency

It is in these areas that many of us fail to fully live up to the truth we have attained. As you read through these areas, think about your own work life and how you might need to rethink your approach to some of them.

1. Business Mission
Every business book will tell you that the purpose of a business, the reason it exists, is to produce a profit. It is similarly believed that the main purpose of a job is to provide income.

I believe the Bible says otherwise. I think the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) shows us that a business exists to produce a return for its owner. The problem is that we are not the actual owners…God is the owner (Psalm 50:10-12). And as the owner, He wants a return.

Since God already has all of the money in the world, I believe He wants what He does not already have – souls. I believe the Bible shows us that the purpose of our business (or job) is to impact others (souls) for eternity by pointing them to God. Sure, income and profit are necessary to sustain us and our businesses, but they are not the purpose.

2. Money
Even those of us that agree with #1 above can still fall victim to erroneous thinking about money. We may see the eternal purpose of business, but then turn right around and hoard the money that comes from it. It is not always one big decision that we make, but the accumulation of a bunch of little ones.

One of the questions in the C12 Yearly Audit I recently shared with you talks about becoming less acquisitive. When we are assessing our lives in light of the truth we know, we should look hard at our use of money.

Are we freely giving it to those who have needs greater than ours? Are we treating it as stewards of it rather than owners? If pressed, are we more likely to leverage it for eternity or spend it on temporary pleasure or luxury? We likely know what this SHOULD look like, but are we living up to the truth we have attained?

3. Time
An area of our lives that often receives less focus is time. We tend to spend it even more frivolously than we do our money. We often fail to budget it. Even when we do budget it, we frequently allocate too much of it to the wrong uses.

Think about your calendar. What types of activities get the most preference as you schedule out your time? How much time are you committing to a personal relationship with God, the owner of all you steward?

Does your family get more than adequate time or are they generally the last to receive a ration of minutes? Is the time they do receive considered your higher quality time or your leftovers? Would they answer the same way you are right now?

Other Areas?

I can keep on going, but I think you get the idea. I encourage you to take some time and come up with some of your own areas of inconsistency. Pray through each of these and ask God to help you see clearly into each one. He is faithful to do so.

Once you have seen the truth, apply it. Live up to it. Don’t simply accept it and move on from it. Stop and take action. Map out a plan to make corrections over time if the initial results are too overwhelming to take in at once.

In any case, we all should live up to whatever truth we have attained!

What other areas of inconsistency did you consider?

How do you make sure you apply the truth you attain?

Where do you need to take more action?

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Resumes Are Overrated!

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Our world as a whole is obsessed with appearance. In the business world, one’s resume is critical because it is thought to reflect the strength and depth of the individual it describes. Even in Christian ministry and leadership circles, the resume is called a “platform” and carries a lot of weight. Without it, you are likely not to rise in importance beyond the city limits where you live.

resume

Resume Builders

As a result, there are many in our position of Christian leadership that clamor for recognition in a variety of areas. They seek it wherever they can find it and add another corresponding line to their resume or platform as soon as they can. Are these people aware of something we are missing? Do we need to imitate them and attempt the same accomplishments?

My Annual Planning

In a recent post, I mentioned how I was frustrated with my current state. One of the reasons for that frustration was that I missed my normal time for annual review and planning this past fall. I allowed issues at work to consume me and I failed to carve out the time.

As I am now beginning this process (better late than never!), I am looking into 2014 to see what can be accomplished. My natural tendency is to think big and I have many ideas about what I would like to achieve this year. However, I began to rethink this mentality recently after reading a passage in Philippians.

Apostle Paul’s Resume

I was reading Paul’s words (talking about himself) in Philippians 3 when I came across the following verses:

…although I once also had confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.
Philippians 3:4-6

Add one fact to this passage that is found earlier in Acts 22:3. Paul was educated by Gamaliel, a well-known teacher of the law and a respected member of the Sanhedrin (similar to a Senate body). Now that you have this picture, do you see a pretty strong resume here?

Impressive Platform!

I am not a Bible scholar, but I know enough to say that Paul’s resume at that time would be the equivalent to a present-day, third-generation Ivy League law school graduate with internships at one of the top law firms and an invitation to practice law or teach anywhere he wants to go. It was that strong!

With that kind of a resume, or platform, you would think Paul would be proud and flaunt it wherever he went. Just to verify that, let’s take a look at the verses that follow:

But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ and be found in Him,…
Philippians 3:7-9

Paul’s Choice

Wait a minute…huh? Did we read that right? Paul considers EVERYTHING that was a gain (his resume) to now be a loss? He actually calls it all FILTH? Is he serious?

Of course, you already knew this, right? You have read this passage and you have known that Paul traded everything on his resume for the simple life of a traveling evangelist. He traded the life that came with his impressive platform for one that included shipwrecks, being stoned (by others), chains and whips, prison, etc. because he saw something most people miss.

Knowledge Proven In Actions?

So if we already know all of this, is this knowledge proven out in our actions? If someone from the outside were to look at you or me to determine our main goal in life, would they guess it to be an impressive resume or something else entirely? Would they see our actions matching up with our knowledge of something greater than this life?

If your answers are anything like mine, then there is some serious work to be done. If you are seeing inconsistencies in your actions like I am seeing in mine, then we need to stop and assess what gets us up in the morning.

Work To Be Done!

Maybe you do not require a complete overhaul, but some serious tweaking instead. I think that is where I am. I have allowed distractions to take my eyes off the prize and point me in other directions. Hopefully you are either in a similar position or better.

Either way, I encourage you to join with me in intentional, intimate prayer. We need to ask God to reveal those areas in our lives where we are seeking to add to our resume. We need to seek His guidance as to where we are to place our focus. We need to submit our plans to His plan.

If we will do this, I believe peace will replace frustration. Trouble will not disappear, but our peace within the trouble will increase. I don’t know about you, but I can handle that!

Have you ever been guilty of this resume building?

If not any longer, what changed?

What needs to change now?

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Being Faithful For What Purpose?

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I don’t often do this, but today’s post is actually a response to a comment I received from someone that regularly reads this blog. While I cannot always respond to comments by writing another post, I thought this one merited it. The reader’s comment concerns my last post and a possible misinterpretation of what I see as the purpose of being faithful in the small things.

faithful

Not Faithful Recently

In my last post, I confessed to being dissatisfied with how I have not been faithful in the small things. As a result, I described how I have that “out-of-shape” feeling we sometimes get at the end of the year – not just from eating too much, but also from straying from being faithful with the small things God has given us.

I went on to detail five ways I believe we can be more faithful in the small things as we head into a new year. For a closer look at these five ways, read that post [HERE] before continuing. This will also help you understand my attempt to clarify some of my statements in that post.

In general, I went through five areas where we can be more faithful. Some of these are areas in which we sometimes feel we have less to work with than others may have. I proposed that as we are more faithful with the small things, He will give back in increase.

Not Enough Explanation

This is where I did not spend enough time explaining exactly what I meant by increase in each area. Nor did I go into detail about what I see as the purpose for this increase. I did not completely ignore these issues (they WERE on my mind), but I did leave too much to interpretation. For this reason, I want to clarify.

So you understand the whole picture, here is the comment I received:

The practices below are absolutely right on! Did you intend for the purpose of each practice to point towards personal blessing and increase? You don’t seem to write this way usually, but the article started to read a bit like prosperity gospel and I wanted to check your thoughts on my interpretation.

Opportunity To Learn!

First of all, I am seriously thankful that the reader sent this comment to me. We have exchanged emails before and I am glad he felt comfortable enough to question the content of the post. I love to get feedback on what I publish and I took this feedback as sincere and constructive. Even if I disagreed with his position, I would consider it an opportunity to learn from someone else’s perspective!

So, now to clarify what I believe as it relates to his comments. Essentially, he asks if I believe the purpose of being faithful in the small things is to receive “personal blessing and increase.” The short answer to that question is easy for me – No.

Not A Believer Of Prosperity Gospel

I am not a promoter of the prosperity gospel that says we should do this and that spiritual activity or discipline so we are wealthier and happier here on earth. I believe that message takes us away from being a true disciple of Jesus and moves us toward putting ourselves and our own well-being on the throne.

I know there are verses in the Bible that can be used to support this message, but I do not believe they are being used in context. Nor do I believe using them this way to be consistent with the overall message of Scripture.

Faithful Out Of Love

Our purpose in being faithful in the small things God has given us should not be to gain our own wealth, wisdom, talents, etc. so that we can make our lives here more comfortable or easy. We should not be seeking to learn more about God in our spiritual disciplines so we can figure out how to get Him to give us more.

Instead, I believe we should be more faithful in these areas because we love Him and want to please Him. Our purpose should be to bring Him fame and make His name known among those around us. We should seek His renown, not our own (Psalm 115:1).

Increase Happens!

The cool thing is that when we are being more faithful with what He has given us, He often gives us more (2 Corinthians 9:6-12, Galatians 6:7, ). That “more” may be in the form of wealth or it may come in wisdom. He may even give us more peace in return for being more faithful in giving. Only He knows what form the increase may take.

The problem here is that too often we experience the increase and then fall right back into the mindset that we deserve it and should keep it! Unless we are careful, we can revert to the prosperity gospel without even realizing it.

Blessing To Others

Instead, our mindset should be to get excited about how we can turn to give and share the increase! I mentioned how God promised Abram the following:

“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

Genesis 12:2-3

Clear Purpose

Note the bold phrases. God promised to bless Abram and his descendants SO THAT others (all peoples on earth) could be blessed THROUGH them. The purpose of the blessing God gives us – whether in the form of wealth, wisdom, talents, etc. – is so that we can bless others. It is not about us!

We are to be conduits through which God can bless all peoples on earth!

The bottom line is that our purpose for being faithful is to please God. If He sends increase as a result, we are to use that increase to bless others – being faithful with the increase. If that results in more increase, then we continue to bless others with that as well!

Rinse, lather, and repeat.

What has been your purpose for being faithful?

Where has God given you increase?

Do you agree that the increase should be shared with others?

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What Does Your Future Need From You?

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Every once in a while, if you will just listen, you will hear a great line that will stick with you. Sometimes it comes from where you least expect it. Other times, you are listening for it. Either way, when you hear it, you know you need to burn it into your mind and apply it as quickly as possible. I heard one today about the future. I have to share it!

future

Greatness Takes Time!

Years ago, I heard a similar line that stuck with me – “The best time to plant an oak tree was 10 years ago. The next best time is now!” This line communicates the idea that greatness rarely happens overnight.

Greatness takes time and energy. It also takes forethought. If we never consider our future as we plan our current activities, then we will miss a lot of opportunities at greatness!

Question About Your Future

In light of that, I want to share what I heard today. While the idea is similar, I believe the more personal nature of today’s question can be even more impactful!

We have recently hired a good friend of mine to train our sales staff at the dealerships. I have come to truly respect the gifts that God has given him related to training and interacting with others. Once you have spent five minutes with him, you know he is a gifted communicator and that he is close to the Lord.

Just this morning, as he was encouraging our sales staff to start doing those activities that will pay dividends in the future, he asked a question about the future that grabbed my attention. Of course, as quickly as this question grabbed my attention, he lost me. From that point on, I was only thinking about his question! Here it is:

What is the five-years-from-now version of you begging you to start doing right now?!?

Future Questions

If you remember, I said he was a gifted communicator, not an English major! Regardless, I think you get the point. Try to imagine yourself five, ten, or twenty years from now. What would that version of you beg you to start doing right now?

What habits would he ask you to create?

Where would she plead with you to begin investing your time and energy?

What would he beg you to stop doing?

What might she urge you to begin learning?

Obviously, these are only a few of the questions that come to mind. If you spend any time at all thinking about this idea, then I am sure you can come up with more.

Take Time To Think

I encourage you to stop and take some time to think about this question. Think about the future you and what your desires and needs might be. Think about how your goals will likely change. Try to discern the best way for the current you to begin laying the groundwork.

As you do this, pray through it. Ask God to give you insights that you have not had before now. Ask Him for wisdom regarding your future and how He wants to use you in it. Finally, pray that He will give you the strength of commitment that you need in order to start on this new path.

I won’t promise anything, but I believe I see a few new posts coming from my own meditating over this question. I will share in future posts whatever comes up!

What are the first thoughts that come to your mind?

Have you thought about your future this way before?

Are you committed to lay groundwork for your future?

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Do Others Know Of Your Commitment To Christ?

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I have recently been reading in Philippians and came across a couple of verses that caught my attention. Paul, the author of Philippians, is writing to the members of the church at Philippi. He is writing to encourage them in their commitment to Christ and in doing so, he sets a high standard for us.

commitment

Tough Circumstances

See Paul was most likely in prison (Phil. 1:14) as he wrote this letter. His future is not clear to him at this point, but he knows he is likely to suffer more for Christ before it is over. He has every reason, based on his circumstances, to throw his own pity party.

Based on his treatment to this point by those opposing his preaching, as well as the likely suffering he will face ahead, Paul should be depressed. He should be writing to complain about his unjust incarceration. He should be begging others to come to his aid, right?

Paul’s Response

Instead, what do we find him doing in this letter? In general, he is encouraging those in the church at Philippi for their commitment to Christ. He is praising them for their generosity and their bold commitment to share the gospel.

Not only that, but the verses that caught my attention show another perspective of Paul’s commitment to Christ. Take a look at these verses:

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advance of the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is in the cause of Christ.
Philippians 1:12-13

Did you catch the point here?

Depth Of Commitment

Paul is not wailing away in the prison cell about how he is unjustly imprisoned. He is not laying around crying about what he could or should be doing. No!

Apparently, Paul is showing the depth of his commitment to Christ by continuing to tell everyone about the gospel! Paul tells the Philippians that his imprisonment has actually served to advance the gospel.

He goes on to tell how everyone, including the Imperial Guard (elite guards of the Roman Emperor), knows that he is in chains because of his commitment to the cause of Christ. Paul has obviously been sharing the gospel with anyone that would listen!

Questions For Us

So the questions for you and me:

Do others know of OUR commitment to Christ?

Is it clear to all around us that we do not fear our circumstances or worry about the future because we know that God is in control?

Do we maintain our commitment to Christ even when our circumstances are depressing?

Take Inventory

I think we all need to take inventory of our situations. We need to assess how well we are handling them in light of our commitment to Christ.

Maybe we need to rethink where we are placing our confidence (in God or in the world?). Maybe we need to then turn and follow Paul’s example. If we did this, what might it look like?

Our Response

We are Christian business owners and leaders in a culture that is increasingly intolerant of our Christian faith. Rather than cowering in fear of offending someone, we should continue to speak out about the truth of the gospel. If Paul could do it in chains, surely we can do it now.

We are also part of an economy that is fragile. Rather than focusing our attention solely on increasing our performance and protecting against potential financial pitfalls, we should consider the advance of the gospel. Fast forward one hundred years – on which of these will we wish we had spent more time?

I think the answer to that question is clear. We don’t think about it that way very often, but I believe that is EXACTLY how we are instructed to think about it. And when we do, people will notice.

Costs vs. Rewards

Sure, there are costs to this eternal perspective. Fortunately, the rewards outweigh the costs in ways we cannot even imagine! For those with a full commitment to the cause of Christ, God will make Himself known. He will strengthen them in ways that they cannot understand.

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
2 Chronicles 16:9

Have you been too focused on your circumstances?

Where could you be more focused on the advance of the gospel?

What needs to change for you?