God’s will

April 11, 2013

Minding Your Own Business or Butting In? (Stand Out part 2)

In this tumultuous world, do you STAND OUT? Poise, focus, and work (1 Thessalonians 4:11) in your life draws the respectful attention of even people outside the community of faith. Check out “Calm in Chaos?” for more insight into the first area. This post highlights the second arena – focus.

“Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NLT)

In Paul’s second letter to Thessalonica, he complains again, “Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business.” (2 Thessalonians 3:11 NLT)

#2 FOCUS: Are You Minding Your Own Business – or Butting In Where You Don’t Belong?

You know some folks who are busy, busy only with what is NOT their business. Keep your focus where it should be. Focus on your personal responsibilities.

Stop worrying so much about the performance of others. Don’t put your nose into everything. Don’t go butting your way into conversations or fights or assignments of which you are not a part.

The Greek verb periergazomai is often translated “busybody” in 2 Thessalonians 3:11. Think about the meaning of that word.

“to be working round about, instead of at one’s own business . . . to take more pains than enough about a thing, to waste one’s labor, to be meddling with, or bustling about, other people’s matters.” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary, p. 85)
The word carries the idea “of a person who flits from task to task without really accomplishing anything. It is to busy oneself with trifling matters and to be inquisitive about the affairs of others. (Hayford, Fearless Faith)

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Be busy, not a busybody! God has you on earth at this times in history for a reason, and you need to be busy doing what He has called YOU to do.

Please observe, I am NOT calling for personal isolation. At times, you must shoulder the burdens and concerns of others. If you are a Christ-follower, then minding your business is focused on God’s agenda, seeking first His Kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

We are responsible for our own lives and are accountable before God for how we live them. In that sense, everybody is to pull his own weight, contributing to the work of ministry and developing Christlike character; and habits. The one person you can exercise control over is yourself. When you mind your own business, you believe that, in one sense, life is just between you and God. You are accountable to God alone. You care about others, but you carry your own load. In Galatians, Paul wrote, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). A little later he adds, “Each one should carry his own load” (Gal. 6:5). These verses seem contradictory, except the word translated “burdens” and the one rendered as “load” have very different meanings. One concerns carrying the pain of others and the problems they face. We should pitch in and help them carry that load. The other word focuses on personal responsibility and the load of accountability that each person has before God. In this case, no one can help us. Here we stand alone. (Holman New Testament Commentary I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, p. 63)

The world is watching. In today’s turbulent times, what is your life communicating to those around you? Poise, focus, and work will cause you to STAND OUT. Aspire to live as a STAND OUT!

April 8, 2013

Run the Race to Win

Are you vigorously giving everything you have to accomplish God’s purpose for you life on earth?

Your “race” is not something to be run in a half-hearted, complacent manner. Keep your eye on the goal, the target, the finish line! Without a focus on the mission, you will not accomplish all that God has for you. The Apostle Paul frequently uses athletic metaphors to depict the disciplined lifestyle of a believer.

“Do you remember how, on a racing-track, every competitor runs, but only one wins the prize? Well, you ought to run with your minds fixed on winning the prize! Every competitor in athletic events goes into serious training. Athletes will take tremendous pains—for a fading crown of leaves. But our contest is for an eternal crown that will never fade.” (1 Corinthians 9:24 PHILLIPS)

Run the race of your life to win the greatest prize, the Father’s “Well done!” Get up; dust yourself off; RUN TO WIN!

My talented great-nephew Jaydan Urwin recently wrote a poem with a fantastic message. I am so thankful that Jaydan agreed to let me post it today. That’s Jaydan in the middle of my sister-in-law Rosalyn and my nephew Tony.

Why do we begin the race?

Many would say so we can win

I say so we can reach the finish

I say so we can pick others up who fall along the way

Why is there a battle cry before a war?

Some would say to hype up the soldiers

I say it is to mark the beginning

I say it is so we can affirm courage in our own hearts

Why do we fall?

Many would say so we can get back up

I say so we remember we’re not immortal
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I say so we can remain humble

Why are there obstacles along the way?

Some would argue that they are satan’s footfalls

I say some are God’s tests

I say they measure our strength and faithfulness

Why does it feel like every devil is on your back?

Some say it is because the Devil is trying to hold you back

I say it is because you looked behind

I say it is because you forgot to focus on the finish line

Why is the race so difficult to finish?

Some say because you are tired

I say it is because the hardest times will be when he have to dig deeper

I say it is so we can SHINE when we FINALLY FINISH

March 29, 2013

God’s Plan + Your Obedience = Great Victory

The church where Patti grew to know and to love Jesus Christ is Central Assembly in Boise, Idaho. Patti and I were married there in 1987 and we were honored to have Pastor Ted Buck be a part of the ceremony. Patti’s parents are still members of Central. I appreciate the years of faithful ministry by Pastor Ted. Recently, he commented on how Achan’s subtle sin brought disaster right after Israel’s wonderful victory over Jericho. Pastor Ted shared:

1. When you do what God wants you to do and you do it His way, the way that He tells you to do it, you will have the result that God intended. You will be the recipient of a victory in your life courtesy of God’s power. Think of it like this:

God’s Plan + Your Obedience = Victorious Life

2. When you choose to do things your way, even just a little differently than how God said to do it, it will always usher some type of defeat or failure into your life. You will not like the result.

God has good plans in mind for you today, but yielded obedience is necessary. “I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume.” (2 Corinthians 2:14 CEV) As you yield to God’s plan with obedience, you will enjoy the blessed life prepared for you.

Ultimately, God’s master work, His Will is for you to conform to the image of Christ: “God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son.” (Romans 8:29 MSG) God is THE Master Artist and “we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

Michelangelo is a name synonymous with artistic aptitude. Yet of the forty-four sculptures he attempted, he finished only fourteen (Ken Gire, Shaped by the Cross, p. 115).

Then there is the final work of his life, the Rondanini Pietà, on which he worked for ten years. [Giorgio] Vasari [a Michelangelo contemporary] writes that Michelangelo “ended up breaking the block, probably because the latter was full of impurities and so hard that sparks flew from under his chisel.” The sculpture was rescued by a servant and survives to this day. It bears the marks of Michelangelo’s chisel, but none of the beauty of his earlier work Pietà. . . .

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The same dilemma exists for those of us who are the work of God’s hands. In an attempt to free the image of Christ that is encased with the stone of the self, God begins chipping away everything that isn’t Jesus. The stone of our lives either submits to the chipping or it resists.

If it submits, features of the Savior begin to emerge from our life. If it submits long enough, the Savior himself emerges. If, however, it resists, and continues to resist, there will come a day when God will let the stone be stone.

C. S. Lewis said as much when he stated that there are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, “Okay, go ahead and have it your way.” (Shaped by the Cross, p. 116).

I pray that you will surrender to God’s plan and live in obedience. Victory and Christlikeness is God’s will for you. Don’t settle for less.

When you finish reading today’s blog, I encourage you to go and watch “God’s Chisel”. I enjoy the humor and lessons of TheSkitGuys and “God’s Chisel” communicates!

March 21, 2013

Confirmation Needed For Obedience?

Last night, Patti picked up her mom from the Nashville airport and stayed at a hotel near the airport. Mema used a confirmation code to board her plane. Patti used a confirmation number to access her reservation at the hotel. Confirmation codes are a common part of life. We trust those numbers and letters like a promise from a trusted friend. We don’t keep returning to the website, travel agent, or clerk to get a new confirmation – we expect the business or airline to follow through.

Do you have more faith in a hotel confirmation code than the peaceful assurance of your loving Heavenly Father? By your actions, do you ever testify to more faith in a human guarantee than a Divine direction upon your life? Do you feel compelled to seek confirmation for something He places upon your heart?

Or – be honest – do you seek confirmation of your confirmation? Again and again and . . .

You are not alone. God’s clearly called Gideon, yet Gideon’s insecurity spurred him to ask for confirmation after confirmation. As you reread Judges chapter six and seven notice how Gideon needed confirmation:

Gideon requests, “If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me.” (Judges 6:17 NLT)
Gideon repeatedly uses a fleece, asking again “If you will save” (Judges 6:36-40).
God gives opportunity for yet another confirmation if Gideon is still afraid to attack, and Gideon grabs it (Judges 7:9-15).

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God patiently bolstered Gideon because He wanted his people freed from oppression. But, is it proper to for a person to pray again and again, “Lord, give me a another confirmation”?

Consider the importance of obedience!

#1 Your obedience is proof of your faith in God.

Obedience corroborates you really trust God. If the reason you are asking for another confirmation is a delay tactic, realize that delayed obedience is disobedience. You don’t need to lay out another fleece for something you know-in-your-knower you are do.

Seeking confirmation after confirmation cannot be a substitute for obedience. God knows your heart. If your motive in seeking another confirmation is to let the moment pass without having to respond to God’s call, you insult God’s intelligence. Repent! He responds to honest pursuit but is displeased by hypocritical prayers.

#2 Your obedience will likely tackle needs you can address right in front of you.

“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.” (Proverbs 3:27 NLT)
“Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” (Galatians 6:10 NLT)

#3 Your obedience is not linked to other people’s opinions.

Don’t wait for the world around you to ask you to do what God has asked you to do. Gideon’s first steps toward full obedience were done in the dark because he feared his family. The early apostles proclaimed, “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (Acts 5:29 NIV) You should never allow fear of humans to hinder you from obeying God. If you keep doing what’s right, what’s wrong and who’s wrong will eventually leave your life.

#4 Your obedience opens the door for many others to be blessed.

God delivered Israel using the weak hands of Gideon. God emphasized that deliverance was from His hand by limiting Gideon’s army. Do you recognize God wants to deliver people today? “There’s no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army. No one can stop God from saving when He sets His mind to it.” (1 Samuel 14:6 MSG) Your obedient action may change the destiny of thousands! Accomplish what He places upon your heart!

Thankfully, God does confirm His leading in many ways. Three important means of confirmation are God’s Word, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the peace of God. You can expect God to confirm His leading when you are insecure about the time, direction, or strategy, but never allow seeking confirmation to stall your obedience.

March 12, 2013

Seek the Peace and Prosperity of the City Where You Live

Obedience to God’s directives ensures God-promised hope and future.

As Judah spiraled into sin, popular opinion assumed the fall of Jerusalem impossible. False prophets gave false hope, but God’s true prophet Jeremiah declared, “Those prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They have been prophesying false visions, idolatries, worthless magic, and their own wishful thinking.” (Jeremiah 14:14 NCV) Jeremiah’s audience ignored his true message.

The Jewish people didn’t think God would judge them, but they were wrong. Near the end of the 7th Century B.C., Nebuchadnezzar and his brutal Babylonian army besieged and destroyed Jerusalem. The army carried away thousands of Judah’s best and brightest as slaves and deported many thousand more into exile in Babylon.

God loved His people too much to allow them to continue in their wicked ways. He loved them too much to abandon them. He loved them so much that He allowed the cruelty of the Babylon to discipline His people. He loved them so much that even at the moment of chastisement He had good plans in mind for His people.

Because of sin, God sent His people into captivity. They were refugees forced to start over from nothing. Removed from their Judean homes, they were banished to Babylon – a different climate, a different language, a different culture. The exiled people must have felt like life would never return to normal. But God wasn’t done with them; He promised a hope and future.

As the exiled Jews struggled to support themselves in strange new surroundings, prophetic lies began to surface. Jeremiah once again proclaimed God’s unadulterated message (chapter 29). The Lord censured the false prophets, “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them” (Jeremiah 29:8-9 NIV). Apparently, some were trying to foster resistance and rebellion to the Babylonian regime, but God had other plans for His people. Jeremiah’s letter provided welcome comfort and clear advice for the remnant eking out existence in exile.

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:4-7 NIV)

God told them to settle down, build houses, plant gardens, invest their lives, and create a growing presence in their new locale. Gardens provided food and provided a source of income which allowed the exiles to serve others, not just take from others. God wanted His people to marry and have kids, even in the midst of difficult times. “Increase; don’t decrease” was His command. Pray for the city in which God had placed them. Their prosperity was dependent upon the city’s prosperity.

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Pray for the economy of the city.
Pray for the safety of the city.
Pray for the politics of the city.
Pray for the people of the city.

No doubt the Jews in Babylon were surprised to hear Jeremiah echo the vocabulary of Psalm 122. Psalm 122 had been used for hundreds of years to inspire prayer for the prosperity of Jerusalem.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity. (Psalm 122:6-9 NIV)

Now, they are commanded to use the same prayer for Babylon.

More revolutionary still was the advice to seek the welfare (s?a?lo?m) of the Babylonian regime, to pray for its welfare and not its downfall. Jeremiah by these words cast the people completely adrift from all those things on which they depended and which they regarded as essential to their own well-being, a nation-state, kingship, an army, national borders, the temple. Without all these Yahweh could give the nation new perspectives and a new understanding of their calling. For the present the action lay in Babylon. Such advice would not have been easy to accept for people who had been carried off from their homeland by those for whom Jeremiah was asking them to pray. (The Book of Jeremiah, 1980, Jeremiah 29:1-32)

“This is what the Lord says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29: 10-11 NIV)

Could the directives God gave to the exiled Israelis help you to walk into your hope and future?

February 9, 2013

5 Questions to Advance God’s Will for Your Life (Part Two)

Are you about to make the right decision? Who to date? What major? Where to volunteer? Job change? What exercise plan? Who to hang out with? Honest answers to the questions below can increase your ability, stability, responsibility, and accountability to God.

Of the several flights out of Huntsville this morning, my beautiful wife Patti is right now on the flight headed to Atlanta, then on to Virginia where she will lead a team for an accreditation visit. Patti is a busy lady – wife, mother, Christian school administrator , missions pastor, Bible teacher, and on and on – yet she volunteers her time to help improve other Christian schools. Why? Because she understands God’s Will for her life. She answered the five questions I posed (Part One & today’s Part Two) and responded to God’s call upon her life.

#3 WHAT DOES COMMON SENSE SAY ABOUT IT?

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned [EVEN FROM HARD KNOCKS!] and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,” (2 Timothy 3:14 NIV)

God gave you a brain and memory. Have you used the common sense God gave you? If God got you into college, don’t question whether you should get out of bed, go to class, or complete homework. Apply what you have learned already. Learn from your own mistakes. Don’t repeat the same mistakes over and over. A wise farmer cleverly quipped, “You don’t learn anything the second time you are kicked by a mule.”

Before you make that huge decision, take a little time to gather some facts. Evaluate the consequences of your actions. You have the same 24-hour-day limitation as the rest of humanity. Don’t spread yourself so thin that you are accomplishing God’s purpose. Use your brain!

#4 WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT IT?

“and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures [THE GUIDE FOR LIFE], which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15 NIV)

Read, study, meditate, and memorize God’s Word so that you understand the way God thinks, the way He acts, His principles, and His attitude. Scripture is be obeyed, not just meditated upon, so heed Its instruction. Don’t seek wisdom from others or belabor praying for fresh leading of the Lord concerning action clearly forbidden in God’s Word. I see too many people argue with God’s Word, acting as if they know better than the Designer.

For example, 2 Corinthians 6:14 (HCSB) is a pretty clear principle: “Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?” If you are a Christ-follower, I don’t care if you really “like” that attractive honey; if that person isn’t a believer, that person isn’t the one for you. Don’t waste your time trying to get God to change His mind or trying to find someone to rubber stamp your sinful decision. Move on; advance God’s will for you.

Align your friendships, your dating-life, your marriage, your money management, your morality, all your life to the standard of truth, the Word of God. Allow your convictions to be constructed and remodeled by the Architect of life’s blueprint, the Bible.

#5 WHAT DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT SAY ABOUT IT?

“All Scripture is God-breathed [HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRED!] and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)

Paul reminded Timothy of Spirit-breathed Scripture, but don’t overlook the Holy Spirit’s continued work in your life (and every believer!). Anticipate the leading of the Holy Spirit. Allow God’s Word and the Holy Spirit to expose absurd, illogical thoughts in your mind. Remember, God will never lead you to do anything that is contrary to His Word.

Remain sensitive to the leading of the Spirit. “The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them.” (Romans 8:14 NCV) Does the course of action ahead of you conflict with desires the Holy Spirit already placed in your heart? Don’t ignore the Holy Spirit’s task of guiding you into all truth (John 16:13).

Are you ready to advance God’s Will for your life?

For more insight, check out:

February 8, 2013

5 Questions to Advance God’s Will for Your Life (Part One)

Do you have unflinching assurance that you are making the right decisions?

Every time I read Paul’s letters to Timothy, I feel like my dad is once again mentoring me for success in life. I treasure the pastoral wisdom Paul passed to Timothy, but the wisdom wasn’t for Timothy alone. Paul’s charge to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:10-17) is a charge for you! Your answers to the five questions will keep you advancing in God’s plan. You can walk God’s path with confidence!

#1 WHAT DO GODLY, MATURE ROLE MODELS SAY ABOUT IT?

“You, however, know [DO YOU LEARN FROM OTHERS?] all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.” (2 Timothy 3:10-11 NIV)

Timothy’s journeys with Paul – so many miles, so many places, so many hardships – furnished a first-hand example for Timothy to follow. Choose your traveling companions well. Learn from the lifestyles and decision-making processes of wise men and women of God. Seek counsel and gain wisdom from others. Don’t resist asking for advice fearing it might interfere with your plans. Ultimately, the greatest Godly counsel is only as good as the use you make of it.

#2 WHAT DOES YOUR GUT SAY ABOUT IT?

“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, [DOING RIGHT ISN’T ALWAYS EASY.] while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:12-13 NIV)

Don’t allow the wolfishness of the wolves around you to spark sheepish hesitancy within you. Deal honestly with your emotions. In your inner “know-er”, what are you feeling? Peace? Fear? Faith? Uncertainty? Timidity isn’t from God (2 Timothy 1:7). Don’t let fear of people, fear of failure, or fear of hardship curb your passion to live for God’s glory.

Refuse fear-based living! Fear is a poor compass. Don’t let fear be the reason you do or don’t do something. The right path may be difficult but God’s strength within you imparts balanced boldness and optimistic audacity.

Read tomorrow’s post for questions #3, 4, 5.

January 11, 2013

Ambition gets nowhere until it forms a partnership with effort.

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. (2 Corinthians 5:9 NASB)

Is my life characterized by ambition? Righteous ambition is God-centered, not self-centered. Are my goals and aspirations pleasing to my Lord Jesus Christ and worthy of His call upon my life? The Apostle Paul reminds:

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. (Ephesians 4:1 NIV)
live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10 NIV)
live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:12 NIV)

Ambition gets nowhere until it forms a partnership with effort. Authentic ambition will get you into a lot of hard work. The ambition of “pleasing Him” spurs us toward excellence.

Healthy ambition generates:

energized behavior,
balanced emotions,
channeled focus,
passionate pursuit, and
God-expectant success.

God deserves nothing less than our best effort! Oswald Sanders writes, “It is the responsibility of the disciple to be the best he or she can be for God. To please Him is a most worthy aim. He wants us to realize the full purpose of our creation; He does not want us to be content with bland mediocrity.” (Spiritual Discipleship, p. 67) We cannot settle for mediocrity.

When we get tired of working or waiting, we too easily accept far less than God’s best. We don’t need to follow the example of the lonely lady who stuck up a conversation in a checkout lane, asking the man behind her, “Where do you work?”

“I haven’t found a job yet,” the man replied. “I just finished a twenty-year prison sentence for banked robbery.”

“So,” the woman paused hopefully, “you’re single?”

Leaders need to be especially careful, evaluating their own motives. Sometimes, we too quickly excuse self-promotion. The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah cautions his secretary Baruch, “Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it!” (Jeremiah 45:5 NLT) Paul alerts that some “proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives” (Philippians 1:17 NASB). In a book targeted for pastors, Gary Fenton warns, “the smoke produced by unbridled ambition can cloud our vision for ministry. We need to admit and channel our ambitions rather than allow them to direct our work.” (Your Ministry’s Next Chapter, p.47)

Motivation is the key. Why am I seeking to be a leader? For me? For Christ? Am I after God’s agenda or mine? Jesus told His disciples, “I seek not to please myself but him who sent me” (John 5:30b NIV). Christ is our role-model. As we mature in Christlikeness, the reason for righteous living moves from:

“I have to” (legalism) to
“I like this” (satisfaction) to
“It’s important” (value) to
“God is pleased” (worship).

Ambition without determination never reaches its destination. We have got to stick it through to the end, giving our very best to the King of Kings. Let’s make it our ambition to please Christ!