Don’t Sell Out! (Purpose vs. Provision)

"For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God." -Col 3:3

In life, there is a great temptation to go for the next big thing:  the next big business, the next big degree, the next big job opportunity.  But in the kingdom, things are different.  God works quite differently than we do, His ways are higher than our ways.  (Is 55:9) Sometimes the thing that looks the best may not be the best for us - the best that God has in mind.

Sometimes we can get stuck seeking provision first, instead of seeking our Provider.  Sometimes we can get stuck seeking out approval or affirmation from people, instead of going to God first and experiencing His love. Other times we’ll see our value in our accomplishments, instead of seeing that God created us with value, before we ever did anything to deserve it.  Our value is built upon His love for us.

We can so easily sell out and miss our purpose by seeking other things before God’s will in our lives.  What is He doing? What is He saying?  Jesus said He only did what He saw the Father doing - nothing more, nothing less.  (John 5:19)

Are we seeking God's kingdom first? (Matt 6:33) Are we putting His purposes first before seeking out provision?  God will make sure our needs are met when we put His kingdom first.  God has all the answers we need for our business, our ministry, our relationships, our finances, and our personal lives.

Today, avoid "selling out" in your calling by putting Him first.  We will experience so much peace and life by keeping Him at the center of our lives, fulfilling the purpose He gave us to do.

Sharpen Your Sword

"He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver." - Isaiah 49:2 NIV
 
What kind of gifts has God given you? Have people always told you you were "good" or "great" at something? 
 

If you've never been told that, no worries! Often, we don't know the gifts we have - but the truth is everyone has a gift. ("The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable..." 1 Cor 12:21, 22. ) Conversely, some of us have so many gifts that we find it difficult to pick which ones to pursue! But, understanding and developing our giftedness is very important because it helps us to develop and define the purpose God has given us. (Jeremiah 29:11) 

Gifts can be 'natural', such as an aptitude for singing or management, or they can be 'spiritual' in nature, as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12. Spiritual gifts may be things such as prophecy or wisdom. But all gifts, whether they are 'natural' or 'spiritual' are designed for God's specific purpose for our lives. 



With whatever gifts God has given us, we are called to discover, develop and sharpen those gifts and talents. (See the Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14). We discover them by taking self-assessments, trying new things, and learning more about ourselves. We seek input from parents and spiritual leaders or maybe good friends who see what we may fail to recognize in ourselves. We develop our gifts by taking classes, practicing, or interning with someone who knows our specific aptitude. We continue to sharpen our skills and talents by progressing in our practice, inviting feedback, and learning from that feedback as we move toward mastery. I can't imagine how many times American Idol contestants must've asked their family members to rate their performance - and I'd venture to say even some of the best were horrible at first! 

Have you discovered your gifts yet? Ask God what they are. Glean from others. Your gifts are directly related to your purpose. Ask God what He might want to do with those gifts, with His purpose in mind. 


Our True Identity

"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." -Matthew 16:18
 
Have you ever found yourself lacking confidence? Have you ever found yourself doubting the call of God on your life? I think all of us go through this, even the most mature Christian. But when we get to this place, we need to go back to God's promises, and go back to remembering our true identity in Christ. (Perhaps even begin a journey of truly discovering it!)

Simon Peter was someone in the Bible who is cited as being impulsive and emotional, as evidenced by his unending questions and rash decisions. His name, Simon, meant reed - which is blown and swayed by the wind. But when Jesus first meets Peter, He says, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Peter." -John 1:42

It's interesting to me that during the time Peter was Jesus' disciple, he is called by two names. Isn't that a little bipolar? I would be confused in my identity if I was given two names! But at the end of his three years with Jesus, He tells him, "I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

Peter went from being called something that defined his past mistakes and shortcomings in character to being called a rock - something sturdy, steady, and characteristic of his new life build on The Rock - Jesus. Masks (our false identity) come out of our flesh or wounding, the areas where the enemy has defined us. Our true identity comes from God, via revelation by the Holy Spirit, by submitting our lives to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. God always sees us in the context of our future destiny, not our past failures.

Are there any areas where the enemy has defined you? Have you allowed your relationship with Jesus to re-define you? Are you on a journey of discovering who you really are in Him? I pray that we will continue to grow into the fullness of all we were meant to be in Him.

Walking Out Your Calling

When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” -Mark 10:49 NLT

Imagine spending 100% of your time doing things you were gifted and anointed to do.  How awesome this would be!  Perhaps this is you already, but if this is you, you are rare indeed. Experts say that just 2% of us walk in our calling - the intersection between our gifts, talents, anointing, and our calling (also called “convergence”). 

In America today, about 65% of people are unsatisfied or unhappy with their jobs.* I think one of the major reasons people are dissatisfied is that they do not see it as a calling, and they are not using the gifts and talents God put within them.  So those gifts lie dormant, and people remain frustrated, unchallenged, and demotivated.  This is detrimental to the individual, the other people in the company, and the company itself!

Does this sound like you?  Are you dissatisfied in your work and calling?

First, we need to understand that our work is worship to God.  Are you working as unto the Lord?  Second, we need to sharpen the skills that ARE in the area of our gifting, so we can move in that direction.  Is there anything you can do outside of work or school that can sharpen you in the area of your passion and move you closer toward it?  Even if our goal is to do our passion 80% of the time, that is still a great goal.

God is a Master economist.  He wants each of us where we will do the most good, however we are gifted.  Are you walking out your calling today?


*http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/05/18/new-survey-majority-of-employees-dissatisfied/

Focus & Purpose

“God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty, and firm in His purpose.” -Job 36:5

Each of us has a call, an assignment from heaven for our lives.  We may or may not know what it is, but all of us have one thing in common. We have time – a finite amount of it. 

Whether or not you’ve decided on your path in life, God certainly made no mistake when He made you.  It says in the Bible through the example of Jeremiah’s that He fashioned us before we were born, and has a plan for our lives. (Jeremiah 1:5)

The place where our gifts, talents and God’s dream for our lives collide is called Convergence.  Experts say that just 20% of us will every reach this point in our lives.

You may even be involved in a “good” thing right now.  But is this God’s thing for your life?

That is why it is so important to examine where we focus, where we spend our time.  If you know what God has in mind, or you have a general idea, are you spending time in these pursuits? If you’re not sure what it is yet, are you seeking God and discovering and developing the gifts and talents He’s given you?

I have a good friend whose father recently passed.  She said that at the very end of his life he regretted never getting involved in computers, his true passion.  How awful would it be to get to the end of our lives and think, “I wish I would have pursued such and such.”  I never want to be in that place! “The biggest mistake people make is not making a living at doing what they most enjoy.”- Malcom Forbes

Do everything you can to stay focused on the things that make you the most alive.  Do everything you can to seek God out in your life. Our purpose is tied up with others – could it be possible that God is birthing a purpose in you “for such a time as this”? (Esther 4:14)

What Is My Purpose?

“But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”   -Luke 4:43

Do you know your purpose?  Do you know that God made you with a specific idea in mind? There is no doubt that each of us is unique. But have you ever asked yourself why?

Sometimes it is baffling to try to figure out specifically why God made each of us.  But, it is a wonderful, lifelong journey of self-discovery.  Our gifts and talents collide with our passions, relationships, and an assignment from heaven.  Once we choose God, the journey doesn’t end there.  It is only the beginning.  The Bible says He has great plans for each of His children. (Jer 29:11) And just as Jesus’ was and is, our identity is unique in Christ. (Romans 1:2)

There are many stories in the Bible where God ordained someone for a particular task.  The problem with us is many of us don’t get to fully walk in the purpose God designed specifically for us.  We settle for doing tasks that keep us busy, versus having a real impact in the kingdom. We go to church on Sunday, go home and love our family. But this is the smaller story.  God has a much bigger story in mind.

Mark Driscoll said in a recent sermon: “If Satan can’t make you sin, he will keep you busy. Not doing bad things, but neglecting first things.”  What is the passion that is burning on your heart?  What is the thing that you most enjoy that collides with your gifts, talents, and abilities?

Churches have a purpose. Cities have a purpose.  Nations have a purpose.  Our purpose is tied up in our community, where we live, what church we attend, and what country we live in.  Even what school we go to.  God has a purpose for everyone on this planet, no matter how it looks right now.  God invites us to live our His purposes in our lives, so that we can be fruitful, peace-filled followers of His seeking to reclaim His kingdom on the earth, to bring heaven to earth. (Matt 6:10)

Do you know your purpose?  If you don’t know, I invite you to find out, through prayer, reading the word, trying new things, and perhaps using some tools to help you such as self-assessments.  We can live full, abundant lives living in our purpose.  After all, isn’t that following Christ’s example?

The Darkroom of Calling

"Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.  But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him..." -Genesis 39:20-21

Do you know what a darkroom is?  Darkrooms were used as one of the first methods of developing film. Wikipedia says of darkrooms: "From the initial development to the creation of prints, the darkroom process allows complete control over the medium."

Often when we begin on our walk with God, we have big ideas and big visions for what He wants to do with us.  Somewhere down the line though, disappointment or circumstances get in our path, perhaps through no fault of our own. We can wonder what God is doing with us during these times.  "But God," we might say, "I thought You wanted to do A, B, or C in my life!"

At this God invites us to wait on Him, to be still before Him and “wait” on what He is going to do.

This waiting place is not an idle place however; it is a place where we are to be faithful. Faithful in what?  Faithful to God, in His truth. Faithful to develop our prayer life, even when we feel dry.  Faithful to forgive others, and let Him purge sin out of our hearts. Faithful to seek Him, even when He seems far away.  Faithful with our money, even when we don't have a lot. And faithful with our time and talents, even if we aren't getting many results in the moment. 

We can't try to develop ourselves, or make the process go faster. Only God knows when we are ready. We learn to become secure in God, versus ourselves, our ambitions, money, intelligence, or other people. In order for a darkroom to work it's purpose, there cannot be any sunlight. God uses these places in our lives so that we will learn to trust Him fully, becoming more like Him.

Are you in a darkroom right now? Can you cite times when God was using a "darkroom" to develop you in ways you couldn't see at the moment?  Let us not short-circuit God's processing, so we can be fully developed, and become everything He has called us to be. (James 1:4)

Naturally Supernatural

"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." -John 14:12

Have you ever wondered how to walk in the supernatural?  Many people desire to walk in the supernatural, but few know how.  There is always the danger of looking like a crazy person - repelling more people from the gospel than attracting them to it!  But, there is a way to bring the supernatural to earth, naturally.  God desires for each of us to walk in the supernatural, as His Son did.

Bethel Church Atlanta (at the time of this writing) experiences an average of 1 miracle a day through the faith of their members.  This happens by their members stepping out in faith and having open eyes and ears to what the Father is saying.  

A woman shared one Sunday morning about how she and her husband were led to talk to some teenagers who were passing by on the street.  The woman had perceived that one of them was struggling with foot pain, so she asked the group if one of them did.  A young man spoke up and said he had foot pain. She then asked if she could pray for him, and he said yes.  After they prayed, he had no more foot pain! This event led to an open door to the woman sharing her faith, and one of the teenagers gave their lives to Christ. 

Now that’s naturally supernatural! 

Have you ever stepped out into the supernatural? Have you ever had an impression for someone or a word of knowledge about someone and stepped out in it?  If you’re not sure how, find a place where the walking in the supernatural is taught. Let us be people of the supernatural, so that God’s kingdom can flow through us into the lives of others, naturally. 

Servant Leadership vs. Entitlement

"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant" -Matthew 20:26

I walked into the store toward the customer service counter and waited for a few minutes.  I was next in line, but to my surprise, a young store employee walked right up to the customer service desk when the register became open and made a purchase.  The cashier saw me and told the employee, who said something about the fact that there were two lines, and I was in the other one.  I wasn’t about to fight with an employee for a place in line, so I let him go ahead.  It was a horrible example of customer service, but a great example of entitlement.

There is a consensus in our world today that we are becoming more and more entitled.  iPhones, iPads, iPods, personal computers, facebook, video games, media, entertainment, and marketing have increasingly made it all about me, me, me! We think if we’re alive we’re entitled to success, happiness, or greatness. But this mentality is directly contradictory to what Jesus taught.  It is in fact, in direct opposition to true success. 

When I worked for a department store, it was our policy to do anything within our power to make the customer happy, even if it meant returning a used item.  Related to how we think about others, Jesus made it clear to “love one another as we love ourselves.” That means doing to another what you would want to be done to you.  And even more than that, putting God before ourselves and others.  What would He want us to do?  How would He want us to serve someone else?

If we are to make a mark in the world for God’s kingdom, we can’t live entitled.  We must learn to live as “a servant of all.”  When we learn this, often other things follow - such as financial increase and meaningful relationships.

Are you a servant leader?  I pray each of us can find more ways of serving one another, and letting love be our ultimate goal.

Righteous Anger

"And 'don't sin by letting anger control you.' Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry”  -Ephesians 4:26

What makes you mad? Often we don't talk about getting angry in Christian circles because it's an uncomfortable topic.  But, if we're true followers of Christ, isn't it true that certain things should make us angry?

I'm not talking about the kind of anger where we didn't get our way.  I'm talking about things that really get you - injustices like child trafficking, a lack of ethical business practices, corruption, abuse in relationships, bullying, an inaccurate view of God - these are the types of issues that need solving in our society.  I think when we recognize what angers us, it is a big key to our destiny and calling.

Jesus got angry. Jesus actually got angry at several things.  This most notable example is when He entered the table and ran out all the money changers.  He said, “The scriptures declare, ‘My temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” (Matthew 21:18&19)  The money changers didn’t care about people’s spiritual growth. Jesus was angered by their greed.

But Jesus was probably the most angry with the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day.  He said to them, “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.” Matthew 23:13  We never see Jesus angry with sinners.  But He was angry with the Pharisees.  He was angry with them for misrepresenting God, for seeking out man’s approval more than God’s, for failing to recognize the kingdom of God among them, and for their overall corruption and failing to look after the poor and the widows.

What in today's world makes you righteously angry?  It could be a clue to connect you to a problem that you are called to solve.

Stepping Out

"See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore He would give to your fathers - to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - and to their descendants after them." -Deut 1:8

 When the Israelites were instructed to "step out" into the Promised Land, they were afraid.  But God commanded them over and over "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." -Deut 31:6  When they obeyed God's commands, they were successful.  And when they stepped out in faith, God met them there.

 There is a desire in each of us to "step out" into something more.  We are each called to something bigger than ourselves. But, stepping out is hard. It requires faith and risk. It requires perserverance, and caring more about what God thinks versus what other people think. It requires sacrifice and service to things and people who perhaps aren't worthy of it.

But what happens if we don't step out? Songs won't be written. Businesses won't be started. Marriages won't be healed. Families won't be restored. Brokenness won't be mended. Souls won't be saved. We'll learn to settle for mediocrity.  We'll never fulfill our purpose.  We'll never receive God's promise of rest.  (Joshua 22:4)

Even if we don't realize it now, other people are depending on us. That's a hard pill to swallow!  But it is so true.  People are needing you and I to step out in faith.  People are needing you to be you. I don't mean that we should act hastily or bear burdens we weren't meant to bear. But, we need to realize that future generations are depending on us for foundations built today. Is your foundation solid? Are you building it on faith?

"See, the lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." -Deut 1:21

Do you feel the need to solve a problem, create a solution, or make a change?  Are you ready to "step out" into something you feel God has called you to?  Make a commitment today to step out and take a stand.  If you don't, who will?