Impact Others Manuscript

The longer one lives, the harder the journey, but the more refined the perspective.

In life, a mirage always exists on the journey that captures our attention, captivates our thinking, and directs our journey. The mirage is this false sense of future comfort and success that promises joy, peace, security, and even safety. The pull of the mirage is strong and the crowd follows. The perspective of one’s life is formed by the mirage. The crowd is lulled into believing that the success of life can be found in the mirage. All bets are placed on the arrival to this destination. Each season of life, there is a different destination that promises comfort and joy. When you step back and look at everyone’s journey, the paths are eerily similar.

Early in life, one looks to their own talents or popularity. The promise of fulfillment comes from athletics, arts, friends, maybe academics, something that captivates our attention. Maybe it is a passion or talent that we believe we were created to do. Our entire focus is on those things that seemingly help us belong, make us recognized, help us find our place in society. We arrive to our perceived destination only to find that the tank is still on empty. The mirage disappears.

So we move on, and other mirages come into focus, catch our eye, and lead our journey. Money and our occupation is a strong pull. With this mirage, we get power, authority, respect in society. Money provides that “forever home” or the material possessions promised to bring fulfillment. An occupation puts a stamp on us telling the world that we have arrived, we have succeeded, we have achieved victory. Our spouse promises to offer peace and security and completeness. Fulfillment is certain during this season, but it doesn’t come. The mirage disappears.

With the next season, wisdom has increased, no doubt, but the wisdom is overcome by another mirage that appears in the distance. This mirage captivates and also has a strong pull. In our eyes, our kids become the more successful version of ourselves. We pump every dollar, every passion, every desire, into them. On their shoulders rests our peace, comfort, joy, place in society. But at some point, the burden is just too heavy for our kids, and they take over their own lives, find their own passion, go their own way, not necessarily the way that we had planned. The sport, the talent, the university, the spouse, the occupation of our child that we had depended on so much does not come to fruition as we desired. This mirage disappears.

But there is the last, certain place of security in the final season. A mirage of health appears. We do whatever it takes to live forever. We strive for the perfect body, the longer life. We have this mirage of a peaceful retirement that offers security at the beach or some other perfect place of solace. We long for the rest, but it never comes. Health wanes. This mirage, too, evaporates.

These are the seasons we will all travel, with everyone facing similar mirages in life. It is as if there is a sinister coach mapping out the playbook of our life. The coach lays out play after play, promising victory, but, only self defeat awaits. Seemingly, the only way to know the truth is to travel the path of life.

The right perspective changes things. Perspective turns the mirage of the season into the recognition of the gift from above. Perspective helps us look beyond the mirage and recognize that the gifts are temporary. The mirage is viewed as a gift for a season to be stewarded well. And we know that all good gifts come from God.

*Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. *James 1:17

The gifts that we receive during each season should turn us to the worship of God, our Father. He is the ultimate Author of our journey, directing our steps, and He is ever-present with us during these seasons. He alone gives us the perspective needed to look beyond the mirage and put our hope in the One that will always be, recognizing the gifts of life.

But the problem is that the perspective doesn’t tend to come until later in the journey. Only after we have traveled to the destination, do we realize the mirage of each season. Early perspective for the journey is a gift that only comes from the wisdom of God. This wisdom is a treasure that can only be found in His Word.

*For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth **come** knowledge and understanding; *Proverbs 2:6

And with this wisdom, one can bear fruit in each season.

*Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. *Psalm 1:1-3

One of the beauties of wisdom is that it is never too early or too late to be found. God clearly calls people to seek Him for this wisdom, no matter their current circumstances.

*If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. *James 1:5

But approach Him, not another, as true wisdom comes from Him. He is a God of grace, forgetting about the seasons where you may have missed it. He alone tosses aside the weights that you have carried, giving perspective and hope for the future.

*Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. *Hebrews 4:16

Look away from the mirage and turn your eyes up. He’ll give you perspective that provides peace, hope, and security.

And look up daily. His Words are a treasure offering the gift of perspective.

About 2,000 years ago, lived King Herod, a powerful leader in Jerusalem. He was a wicked leader, having power to kill as he decided, which he often did as he violently persecuted the believers in Jerusalem.

Herod had authority, and he demanded respect. When he spoke to the people of Tyre and Sidon, they shouted, “the voice of a god, not a man!” I have to believe they did so out of fear for their life. Herod must have relished in this praise until God interceded.

*Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and was eaten by worms and breathed his last. *Acts 12:23

Herod lacked humility. God humbles the proud. Herod took the glory, loved the praise given to him for his God-given position and talent. It wasn’t because Herod was some incredible leader that he held the position of king. He was in the family, so he was appointed. He did nothing to deserve the position. And, as for his public speaking ability? Of course the people praised him, because, if they didn’t, they would be put to death.

If anyone should have been humble and thankful for the life they were given, it was Herod. He “deserved” or earned none of it on his own.

Herod’s time on earth must have been empty. Constant glorification of himself, always trying to elevate with power, forcing people to bow, to like, to conform to his way of thinking. A life-long race to a place where one can never find fulfillment, one’s self. And his life ended in this self-glorification.

The story of Herod has a great message for us to lean into today. If we are looking for fulfillment and joy, glorify God with your life.

Two swing thoughts around glorifying God, that, if I can so boldly claim, will radically change your life and bring you great joy in the new year.

Swing thought number one.

To glorify God means to put everything I have into every endeavor before me this year. Work with excellence in every role, in every endeavor, in every job.

My role as husband. Work with excellence. Give 100%. My role as a father, it means much. Give it my all for my kids. My work, it is a blessing. Go hard. Work for Him. My interests, teaching, writing, running. Work with excellence in every endeavor.

Working with excellence glorifies God, as I use my energy, passion, talent, position from Him for Him.

Swing thought number two.

After I have put everything into every endeavor, worked with excellence, tried my best, God gets the glory for any results. I must take no glory. He gave me the positions, the desires, my relationships, any talent that I have. They are gifts from Him, and He gets all credit.

Victories will occur, sure. Expect success. But even more certain, failures will occur. Negative things will happen. But when you work to glorify God in all areas of your life, failures are not a reflection of you. God has a plan, and His plan for your life will be laced with what we would describe as “failures” to accomplish His will. His plan is perfect, and we can rest in that. His path for me is nothing that I can imagine. He must increase, I must decrease. I must fight the urge to take glory for any success in my life or bear the burden for any failure in my life.

That’s it. A simple shift in your mindset, removing you from the pressure of the sitting on the throne in your life and putting God in His rightful place will bring joy.

Glorifying God in life is a daily decision, a daily mindset shift. It requires one to wake up each day and give one’s life to Him. Live on mission for Him.

Complacency, apathy, negativity, any lack of motivation will fade away as you live His script for your life. If any of those feelings occur, you are off base, focusing on yourself, not glorifying Him. Every one of us will find ourself sliding into those feelings occasionally, but let the mission of glorifying God right the ship.

Glorify God and revolutionize your life.

The dust will settle one day. One will look back at his work, his life, his accomplishments, his failures, and think, “all is vanity.”

Be it the most “successful,” the most sorrowful, the most gifted, the wisest, at some point, we will all say something similar to these three words – all is vanity.

With this three words begin the reflections of one of the wisest and wealthiest men that ever lived. If we all are going to look around at our lives one day and utter the hopeless phrase of “all is vanity,” the words of Ecclesiastes are a gift for us to read.

To put it in perspective for us, imagine Bill Gates or Steve Jobs writing an autobiography, opening with those same words. Immediate best seller. The public would all want to hear what they had to say. After all, these men had found extreme success, so how could they possibly describe their life as “vanity?”

Such was Solomon and his words are to be treasured. Ecclesiastes is a gift.

Solomon was the powerful King of Israel, gaining admiration from the world. He began his journey as a humble young man. In fact, when we was to be anointed king, he “hid among the baggage,” (1 Samuel 10:22). He was too fearful and intimidated to take the position.

We see more of his humble beginning after he assumes the role of king.

*“At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his **throne** this very day. “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David.*

*But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. **So** give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who **is able to** govern this great people of yours?” *1 Kings 3:5-9

God opens his hand to Solomon, willing to give him anything. Recognizing his lack of experience to effectively govern, Solomon asks for wisdom to lead the people. No doubt, the man was humble as he began leading the people.

This gift of wisdom and leadership led him to amassing extreme wealth. Read his words in the excerpt below, noting his wealth.

*“I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the*

*treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well — the delights of a man’s heart. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.” *Ecclesiastes 2:4-9

No doubt, Solomon had seen the peak and the valley. And Ecclesiastes is the gift of a man that has seen it all, writing about his journey. He ends up where we will all find ourselves one day, asking himself, “does it all matter?”

At the end of his autobiography, Solomon points the reader to God, clearly saying that every man’s role in life is attached to Him. Serving God is our purpose in life, exceeding all vanity thinking. Solomon’s call that life is about more than wealth or the temporal pleasures of this world ground me, point me to eternal thinking.

Eternal thinking is where we find our anchor, our hope. Eternal thinking is where we can vehemently disagree with the words that “all is vanity.” Eternal thinking is where we find the realization that every moment, every second, matters.

We are given a brief time to point those that we love most to this same thinking, or, better said, to Jesus, the One who would leave the 99 to rescue the one.

The One who would lay His life down because of His love for humanity. The One that provides ultimate hope at that moment in our lives when we say, “all is vanity.”

Jesus provides the hope, the perspective to move past temporal thinking. He is indeed our anchor. Without Him, all is indeed vanity.

How would others measure your life? What would they measure against? What would be the barometer?

After leadership changes in Israel and Judah in 1 and 2 Kings, a description is consistently repeated about the one leading the country. In this description of their leadership style, the king’s relationship with God is the benchmark of their life. Although brief, it gives you an accurate description of what will happen under their leadership, how the people will be treated and whether the country would live in peace during the reign of this particular king. Below are a few examples:

*Abijam – And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father. *1 Kings 15:3

*Omri – Omri did what was evil in the sight of the **Lord, and** did **more evil** than all who were before him. For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. *1 Kings 16:25-26

*Jehoram – He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless, he clung to the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from it. *2 Kings 3:2-3

*Jehoram (different than above) – And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. *2 Kings 8:18

Each king described during this period of history had a leadership style that was measured against obedience to God. The description is black and white, nongray area. The king either walked in the way of the Lord or did not. And this initial description of the leadership style of the king predicted the future. In fact, this phrase is a trigger in one’s mind, a foreshadowing of events to come. If the king feared God, expect peace in the land. If the king did not fear God, followed the ways of the world, expect war, famine, idol worship, lies, deception, difficult times in the land.

But notice, in every instance, the king’s leadership style, their life, was impacted by another person. In fact, who they were as a person was described by who they imitated. They “walked in the ways” of another person. The king was who they were because of the influence of another. If you follow the dominos, because of influence, generations were impacted over single individuals. For example, study Ahab in the Bible. Over and over we see his evil leadership impacting other leaders.

The absolute truth is that people influence people. This influence impacts countries, companies, families, generations. Influence is powerful and changes the world. This has never changed and never will change. Ask anyone who had the greatest positive impact on their life and why, and you quickly know what is important to the individual.

So the influence of people hasn’t changed, but what has changed is the barometer of measurement. In today’s world, unlike the king’s in Biblical times, the barometer of a person’s life is typically not obedience to God. It seems that we have moved away from this as the barometer, but the measure of a life is more about one’s worldly defined success. If this is true, then it stands to reason that generation after generation would look to the things of the world more and more as the definition

of success or what matters in life.

If we know that the things of this world do not bring joy or a full life, we have to change the barometer. To change the barometer of my life and the influence of those in my circle, I must intentionally choose how I live. My focus has to be where I want the barometer of my life to be. If I want the measure of my life to be obedience to God, then I must focus my love, my time, my efforts toward Him. Others will naturally see this in my walk. Then if it is ever written that my life influenced others, say my children, one would know who they are at their core.

When talking about influence, I can’t skip the role of God, His grace, His impact on the individual. Ultimately, it is His grace that changes lives. The recognition of His grace poured out on me will compel me to live differently, and this will impact others. His grace to me will cause others to recognize His grace in their own lives. We may influence others, but, ultimately, it is God that changes lives. He can do this at any moment, any time, with anyone. And when He does, the barometer suddenly flips from the things of this world to the One who made the world.

*He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam… *1 Kings 16:31

The verse above describes Ahab’s way of doing life. He was King of Israel, born into royalty. To Ahab, his daily actions were “trivial,” of little importance. His way of life included building false idols, literally making wooden images and leading many to worship the self-created gods. In Israel at that time, Ahab would have known the Scriptures, but he considered God’s Word “trivial,” of little importance. God’s Word had no influence on his life, his daily actions. He set his own direction, at least partially influenced by his dad, Jeroboam.

*Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him. *Acts 16:33

Trivial, such a penetrating word to analyze one’s life. What do we consider trivial in the world today? The answer to this question has certainly changed much over the last 2 years. Culture has a way of re-prioritizing what is important in life. Seasons of life have a way of re-prioritizing what is important.

Ahab was royalty and had great influence and power as King of Israel. So to compare our lives to his, well, not sure that it is a fair comparison. However, his life is a picture of the tendency to redefine what is important. Ahab made trivial, what should have been a priority. Maybe the culture of that day in Israel influenced his priorities, maybe, as mentioned, it was his dad. Whatever the case, something or someone influenced Ahab to make God’s Word trivial. Ahab believed his daily actions, his sins against a holy God, didn’t matter. And he influenced many to believe the same, creating new gods to worship out of wooden images. Ahab’s re-prioritization of things that were important influenced others to follow. Suddenly, God’s Law was trivial in the land of Israel.

Leadership influences. Culture influences. Situations influence beliefs. People influence other people. Calls to re-prioritize or redefine our beliefs, making trivial things that should be a priority, are all around us. This is always true but seems to be emphasized in our culture today. At times, the world is overwhelming, frustrating, confusing, exasperating, hopeless.

Obviously, we can’t be blind to all that is going on around us, but we can have stability during the storm. We do control what we make trivial or, better said, secondary in our life.

*“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” *Matthew 7:24-27

My favorite pastor in the world always used to say, “keep the main thing the main thing.” Everything else is secondary and should sprout from the foundation of the main thing.

What do you consider the main thing? What would those that you influence, maybe your kids, say that you consider the main thing?

Make sure your main thing in life is not something that should be trivial.

*So** Solomon became richer and wiser than any other kings on the earth. *2 Chronicles 9:22

In the first nine chapters of 2 Chronicles, you read about the work, the wisdom, the fame, the fortune of King Solomon. The anointed son of David seemingly had it all. If we are left with just this writing, Solomon’s life would be the picture of a thriving individual. You skim the surface, the facade of his life, and you see he was an amazing leader with an amazing life.

But in Ecclesiastes, Solomon transparently writes the details of his life. The water under the surface was tumultuous. He searched for something to fill the hole in his life that wealth, fame, and wisdom could not fill. The wisest man on earth couldn’t figure out how to capture contentment, so he repeatedly called life “meaningless, like chasing the wind.”

And so it is with us. Life on the surface of the water may appear smooth. However, if you look in the depths of the sea, you see that the water is rough. People are rarely as they present themselves. Real struggles, problems, doubts, and fears exist under the surface. We hide ourselves from the public to protect any perceived shortcomings. In this constant battle of self-protection, we never find contentment. Nothing feels the hole, the gap in our lives.

Solomon ends his autobiography in Ecclesiastes with a call to humanity.

*Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. Ecclesiastes 12:13*

Interesting ending to his autobiography. Interesting way to fill the gap. Fear God and keep his commandments. This certainly doesn’t sound like a way to find joy or contentment. What could drive Solomon to this conclusion?

The search to fill the hole, the gap, the meaning for one’s life ends in one place: the hands of God. Solomon’s ending statement does not tell the whole story.

I’m thankful God left the Bible, the story of all stories, that shows us the way.

Don’t depend on the stories you have heard, the opinions of the public, random verses or quotes from Scripture, or the church you attend to understand the story. Discover the Bible for yourself.

The key to a joy-filled, happy life is fulfillment. We all desire it. We all relentlessly try to achieve it.

The greatest story ever told begins with man trying to find fulfillment.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’ ?”

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

*“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.” For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” *Genesis 3:1-5

God actually told her that she could eat of any fruit, just not this one tree, but the woman in the garden was convinced that God was withholding good from her. She wanted to find true fulfillment.

It isn’t just Adam and Eve, but the entire Bible is a story of how man tries to find fulfillment. We could fill pages and pages with examples. Abraham tried to find fulfillment through women. Moses tried to find fulfillment through taking glory for himself. The people built the Tower of Babel because they wanted a “name for themselves.” Judas tried to find fulfillment with money, as he accepted a bribe to tell lead others to Jesus. David looked for fulfillment from Bathsheba through adultery which led to murder. Peter tried to find fulfillment through pleasing others, as he denied Christ and, on another occasion, wouldn’t have dinner with Gentiles because the Jews were watching. The religious leaders wanted a set of rules to fulfill them. They looked to obedience to the law for fulfillment.

In our culture today, we have new avenues that we believe will lead to fulfillment. Some of the paths we follow:

Money and materiality will bring fulfillment. We believe that if we can just make so much money, we will be good. Or, we believe our “forever home” will now bring fulfillment.

Alcohol and drugs will lead to fulfillment. The thought that alcohol will bring acceptance by others, make me more popular.

The opposite sex will provide fulfillment shows up as we say that “this person will complete me.” We believe that we need someone else to fill the void, the hole.

Friends will fill the gap, provide fulfillment. “My people” will help me maneuver through life, fulfilling the gap of loneliness. We believe popularity is the key to fulfillment.

The church and pastor will give me the words to provide fulfillment. We run to church trying to fill the hole each Sunday.

A job or a title will bring fulfillment. We believe the title will give respect which will lead to

fulfillment.

Obedience will bring fulfillment. We carry the heavy thought of “if I am just good enough,” believing that we can work our way to fulfillment.

And on and on and on. The list of ways that we try to find fulfillment is endless. I could check every one of the above boxes, and I am willing to bet that you could check a few of the above statements yourself.

We may not articulate it like this, but deep down we are all searching for fulfillment in life. How we live tends to show where we are looking for fulfillment. We want to be liked by others, command respect, make much money, and have the perfect marriage. Every time we accomplish what we believe to be the key, be it friends or money, the hole of unfulfillment reappears. Fulfillment may arrive for a short time, but, at some point, the gap reappears.

Like every human that has ever lived, we, too, have convinced ourselves that this world will provide fulfillment. Just like Adam and Eve in the garden, we have somehow been duped into believing that God, the Creator of the universe, wants to withhold something good from us. It is a lie. The world, the culture we live in is not greater than God.

Romans 12:2 says,* **“ do** not conform to the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you by changing the way you think, then you will learn to know His will which is good and pleasing and perfect.”*

Stop and think about what this verse is saying. Don’t follow the behaviors of this world, trying to find fulfillment and glory in all the wrong places. But focus on God, and He will change how you think. You focus on God by reading what He says in His Word. When we focus on Him, He will change how we think about life, and we will discover His will which is the best for us. It is “good and pleasing and perfect.”

Jesus spoke to the heart of God this way.

*“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” *Matthew 7:9-11

As Paul traveled the world on his journeys, he saw mankind trying to find fulfillment in every way imaginable, and summarizes some of what he has seen in Romans. Paul’s words echo what we see in our culture today.

*They exchanged the truth about God for a **lie, and** worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator — who is forever praised. *Romans 1:25

*Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.*

*Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. *Romans 1:28-32

Yes, the Bible is a book about man’s constant struggle, trying to find fulfillment. But the Bible also consistently shouts and screams the answer to fulfillment. If one opens the pages of the Bible, one consistently reads the answer. The Bible gives us example of example of man’s search for fulfillment and then gives a simple answer, so simple that some can’t accept it.

*Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. *Revelation 3:20

This journey we are all on, trying to find fulfillment, is tiring. It is full of immense pressure, hurt, dead ends, and confusion. The fulfillment that our culture offers is a mirage. Like sand through an hourglass, it will fade away.

All we have to do is look to Christ. He is fulfillment.

*“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” *Matthew 11:28-30

The world will always point you to a way to have a complete, fulfilled life. And this way offers zero relief. It is tiring. But Christ offers a burden-free way. He is fulfillment. He is rest. He is peace. He offers the best.

And best of all, He is grace no matter what has happened. He looks forward, not backward. He took care of it at the cross.

If we live in riches, it is vain. If we live in sorrow, it is vain. If we live in the future, it is vain. If we live in the past, it is vain. If we live in our appearance, it is vain. If we live for our position, it is vain. If we live in wisdom, it is vain.

Solomon found this out after a life of chasing the things of this world. Unlike most, it seemed Solomon caught everything he chased, amassing great wisdom and fortune. Of anyone, he would know the vanity of life. In Ecclesiastes, he repeats the words, it is meaningless.

The recognition that temporal things are vain changes things. Understanding that all is vain is an incredible gift, as one realizes that there is purpose in all things.

You are able to flip the script. All that was vain becomes meaningful. All that was vain becomes a meaningful, purpose-filled life.

The words of Christ give meaning to a vanity-filled life. He makes riches, sorrow, the future, the past, our position at work, meaningful. In every situation, He is good.

Vanity framed in the right way is life-giving. When I think of life as being all vanity, I am immediately pointed to the Creator. Vanity makes me love more and live more purposefully.

Any gifts you have, whatever your situation, recognize the vanity. This recognition of vanity will lead you to purpose, as you use all for Him.

Thanks for the book, Solomon.

There was a landowner who went out early every morning to hire workers who needed labor. At 5 a.m., he hired a group and told them that they would be paid generously. At 8 a.m., he noticed more people needing work, so he hired them, saying they would be paid generously. At noon, same thing. At 3 p.m., same thing.

At the end of the day, as everyone watched, the landowner paid the workers, beginning with the last worker hired. Every worker received the same generous payment for his labor.

The workers hired at 3 p.m. walked away fulfilled, full of joy and gratitude. The workers hired at 5 a.m. were immediately angry and told the landowner they were treated unfairly.

“These men who were hired last didn’t have to work in the heat of the day; they only worked a couple of hours, but you made them equal to us,” the men said.

“Why should my generosity, my desire to help others, cause you angst?” said the landowner.

The struggle we create for ourselves today is similar to that of the workers hired at 5 a.m.

Comparisons are built into each one of us. Social media has only made comparisons easier.

Unfortunately, personal value is calculated the same way one values anything else in life, by looking at the market. One calculates his own personal value by measuring his life, his marriage, his title, his bank balance, his worldly success, even his kids, versus what he sees in the market.

Comparisons kill fulfillment, joy, and gratitude.

Comparisons create anxiety, envy, and anger.

The solution is something that is at everyone’s disposal.

Be others-centric.

Be for the company. Be for the team. Be for your counterpart. Be for others.

Rather than measuring your worth against others’, think about the impact you are having on others.

In every conversation today, think to yourself how you can help the other person.

Maybe it is removing obstacles. Maybe it is a tip. Maybe it is time. Maybe it is a listening ear. Maybe it is an invitation. Maybe it is an email to their boss letting them know the remarkable job they are doing.

The opportunities to impact others are endless. The fruit hangs very low.

Every person has extreme value, and we each have an opportunity to help them see it.

Value is created by the creation of something greater than the original investment.

Do you feel valued? A great question, of course. We all want to be valued, and that is certainly key to flourishing personally.

But isn’t our ultimate goal to create value for the company and in our relationships with others?

Rather than putting the light on myself, measuring if I personally feel valued, I should turn the question to others.

Am I creating value?

In your company, make your contribution to the organization greater than what you pull out. Steward with excellence. Drive to results. This is value creation.

From a culture standpoint, create unity in the hallways, at the coffee pot, in every conversation. Be the one people go to. This is value creation.

In every relationship, measure your value by your creation. Be the light, be the encourager, be the listener. Let grace be at the tip of your tongue. This is value creation.

Then, most will find that value is reciprocal.

When you create value, you will be valued in the company, in the culture, in relationships.

Even if the creation of value is not reciprocal in your case, creating value makes your conscience clear. Stewardship provides sound sleep.

A great question to ask myself today: In every area of life, am I creating value?

Think in terms of personal value to leave a legacy of impacting others.

When thinking about businesses, investments, even house purchases, we think in terms of increase in value. Positive return on investment.

Digital commerce is catching up, learning to track and think in terms of total business ROI. Prior to this ROI focus, the “trust me” logic was in control.

When I talk with private equity and venture capital firms today, there is heavy focus on profitability. They want to see that an increase in value is supported by the current profit and loss statement, not a bet on future profitability. In today’s market, profit on the current P&L is again king.

Just like in the business market today, to gain personal momentum, to get unstuck, to avoid burnout, think in terms of personal value.

Where am I uniquely adding value? Am I providing a positive ROI?

We are all paid a salary. Is the company getting a good ROI on me, personally?

Think not about what the company can do for you but what you can do for the company. If every person was providing significant value, it would stand to reason that the company would flourish. A flourishing company has a greater shot at offering personal fulfillment.

Culture and attitude are all naturally part of the value equation. Culture leaders offer great value to the organization. Great, positive attitudes drive unity. Again, great value to the organization.

Personal value is a great discussion to have with your manager. Where am I, or where can I uniquely add value?

Everyone goes through moments or seasons where they are not offering the value they can. Life gives us these seasons. Give great grace to others, but even greater grace to yourself.

Grace is a giant reset button. It’s a chance to start fresh, focusing on personal value.

One other area where value thinking pays dividends is in relationships. Add value to your relationships with your spouse, your friends, your community. Fulfillment will follow.

Thinking in terms of personal value removes focus from yourself to others.

And a legacy of impacting others is worth the pursuit.

The race is one’s journey in life.

And it truly is a race, as there is a designated amount of time to finish.

The race is personal. It is a unique gift to each individual.

One’s unique race is not known by others. It is seen only by the one on the journey, the one wearing the shoes.

The race captures the runner’s heart, good or bad. It completely engulfs all passions and desires, knowingly or unknowingly.

The race is an individual’s “why.” It is the purpose that will be written on the tombstone, good or bad.

The honorable race desires no glamour. In fact, glamour and honor risk removing one from the race.

The race is run individually but impacts others. The impact of the racer is felt by those journeying nearby.

The race never tells you exactly where it is going or where it will end. And this is the mysterious beauty of life — you can’t see the final fruit.

The right race is above materialism, individualism, or personal desire. For the journey is about others, lifting them up.

The race reflects what is important to the individual in life. And where one spends time reflects what one values.

Knowing one’s race is a key to life, as running with no direction leads to little or no fruit.

The finished race leaves a legacy. Any quitting removes the impact, as the race must be finished.

The race must be known to have a personally fulfilling life. So spend time clearly defining the run, the journey.

The goal is to pass the baton to another to continue the race, as any worthwhile race is never truly completed.

Make the race not about you, your dreams, your desires. Because in the end, the measure of your life will be how you impact others.

What race are you running?

The value of purpose is greater than wealth, power, and title.

Moses, quite possibly the greatest leader the world has ever known, had a singular, deep purpose for his life. Knowing his purpose made him “the most humble man on earth.”

In an interview the week before the Masters Tournament, pro golfer Scottie Scheffler was asked what defines him as a person. He said it wasn’t golf, as that is a “selfish sport.” Rather, Scheffler pointed to his purpose. He said he had been given a platform. He downplayed his talent and leaned into his purpose.

John Calipari, in his interview as the new coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team, said there was a reason he was at Arkansas, much greater than the game of basketball. There was a reason he was at Memphis, at Kentucky, every stop on his journey. There was always a greater plan and purpose than simply coaching the game.

The thread of purpose is consistent in the lives of the great ones. The purpose is greater than the task at hand. The task achieves the purpose.

Purpose in a life brings humility, a recognition that life is not about oneself. Purpose drives peace as the pressures of the world are relieved. Purpose brings commitment and contentment.

Remember your purpose on the difficult days. Return to your purpose when celebrating wins. It isn’t about you.

Reground yourself on your purpose today to impact others.

Unique to you but not defined by you.

This statement rings true as a husband and father.

After 22 yrs, I can say that I know my wife uniquely more than anyone else. No olives, beach over the mountains, simple over extravagant. I know what is going through her mind as she goes to bed. I understand the deep love she has for our kids. The same goes for each of my kids. I uniquely know each one of them. How they are woven, their unique gifts, strengths, and personalities. I know what brings them great joy and what causes them anxiety.

But I don’t define them. Not a chance. They are each different. They each are uniquely built by God. And the older they get, the more I am reminded that they each have a journey in life. I don’t define it, can’t define it. It is theirs to define.

Each member of my family is unique to me, but not defined by me. I sometimes want to define them, their life, but it is not mine to define. It is mine to uniquely know and love.

Unique to you but not defined by you.

The statement also rings true when I think of Jesus.

In the beginning of the book of Revelation, Jesus writes to seven churches. Each of these churches is unique. They each have different bodies of believers with strengths and weaknesses. Each of them is on a different journey with different people and different challenges.

And each letter is written uniquely to the specific church, diagnosing their faith, offering them insight into their belief. The diagnosis points out the positive and the negative. The letters serve as letters of love, hope, and a warning.

The opening statement of each letter defines Jesus for that specific church. The statement paints a picture of a unique characteristic of Jesus and serves as the foundation for the words, the diagnosis of the church, He is about to give. As Jesus speaks uniquely to the church, He does so through the definition of Himself just given.

For example, Revelation 2:12, the beginning of the letter at Pergamum, Jesus is defined as him who “has the sharp, double-edged sword” using language from Hebrews 4:12 that describes the word of God as “sharper than any double-edged sword.” From this opening, we see Jesus defined as truth. His words are truth. He is truth.

With truth as the foundation, the diagnosis for the church at Pergamum is that they were allowing false teaching within their walls. Idol worship was in their midst causing them to leave the truth. Jesus calls them back to truth.

Over and over, we see the churches uniquely met with a word from Jesus. He uses a definition of Himself to point out strengths and weaknesses, then gives path to recovery, a path to freedom, a

path to Him.

These seven letters in Revelation paint a picture of who Jesus is to us today. He is unique to us, but He is not defined by us.

We don’t define Jesus. Although we try, we can’t mold Him into a God of our choice. The tendency is to over-state one quality and under-state another. Our opinions are just that, opinions. The only true definition of Jesus is found in the word of God. And this definition is unchanging. This is who He is.

That being said, as with the seven churches, He is unique to each one of us. As with the seven churches in Revelation, Jesus meets us where we are with open arms. Whatever your needs, He is uniquely there for you.

Need grace from past mistakes? Jesus is grace. He offers it as a free gift, not one that you have to work for. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Need hope? He tells you that nothing can separate you from His love, not death, life, angels, demons, height, depth, nothing can separate you from His love. (Romans 8:38-39)

Need love? He reminds you that there is no greater love than when a man lays down his life for another. He died for you. That is love. (John 15:13)

Need rest from the anxieties of life? Jesus calls you to give Him all of your burdens, He will carry them for you. His load is light. (1 Peter 5:7)

Confused with the ups and downs of life? He is an Anchor in the storm. (Hebrews 6:19)

Throughout my journey, in different seasons, I have found myself aligning with one of the seven churches in Revelation. The letters diagnose me as a believer. And I am thankful that He is defined in His Word, doesn’t change, and comes uniquely to me.

Jesus is unique to me, not defined by me.

“Working hard for something we do not care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.” Simon Sinek

A simple definition of “culture” is how a group acts, feels, does life.

No great culture exists without unity.

And unity is driven by the company’s “why.”

A company’s “why” ultimately creates a culture, a feel of the team. The group acts a certain way and is motivated and inspired by the “why.” The team rallies around the collective mission.

However, when personal “why’s” are at conflict with the team’s “why,” political environments exist. Power hungry cultures exist. Stress is greater than passion. Many of us have been part of those cultures.

Consider the University of Georgia football team. When a transfer or recruit joins the team, he walks into a certain feel in the locker room. The players act a certain way. They care about the details of the program, and they have major expectations. It takes a bit for a new player to acclimate into the culture.

The reason for the culture is that Georgia’s “why” is crystal clear: “to win a national championship.” This creates unity, alignment, and a winning culture. This is why an individual signs up at Georgia.

All other individual “why’s” are secondary to the team “why,” or you don’t fit at Georgia.

Assume a Georgia recruit arrives on campus with a personal “why” of a large NIL deal or a mission of becoming the number one draft pick in the NFL. There is nothing wrong with those admirable “why’s.” However, if the recruit’s personal “why” becomes the driving force, greater than Georgia’s “why” of winning a national championship, the recruit will not last long. Motivations are different, and unity will fall apart.

For unity, the individual mission must be secondary to the team mission. The “why’s” can’t be at conflict.

If one focuses on his individual “why” above all else, the team or culture doesn’t matter. This person can exist anywhere. Unity is secondary. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the individual has great clarity. He understands his personal mission.

However, when an individual’s “why” sits under a team’s “why,” unity is created, fulfillment happens, and great cultures exist. The alignment of “why’s” drives passion, motivation, care.

To find fulfillment, play on a team where your “why” can be secondary to the team’s “why.” Then fight to protect the culture.

Ultimately, your “why” impacts others. A conflicting “why” erodes culture and unity. An aligned “why” drives culture and unity.

Is your “why” at conflict?

If your “why” doesn’t humble you, find a new “why.”

I have the privilege of talking to many entrepreneurs, founders, and companies. I learn the origin stories, what drives people to go after a mission, despite all odds.

I consistently discover that their “why” is what gets them up each morning. Their “why” tells the heart behind the brand, the company, the person.

The “why” of the company isn’t always a predictor of success, of course.

However, I believe a “why” is a predictor of fulfillment. And fulfillment drives passion, stickiness, and excellence.

The greatest “why” humbles because of the impact it has on other people.

When an endeavor is so great that it humbles one to have the honor of serving, that is a great “why.” This one is worth the ride.

When the “why” stirs emotions by the impact it will have on others, the company is guaranteed to have passion and excellence in its DNA.

When the “why” is greater than the individual working on the “why,” work turns into a privilege.

If a company or team struggles with passion, stickiness, or humility, a great place to check is the “why” meter. A great “why” not only impacts others but draws others in who want to get behind the “why.”

By the way, an individual “why” trumps the “why” of a company.

Ultimate fulfillment comes from your personal “why.” A personal “why” that humbles because of the impact it will have on other people will, no doubt, fulfill.

If your personal “why” joins seamlessly with the company “why,” you have struck gold.

Thanks for the inspiration, Simon Sinek.

Stewardship of the small things in life delivers the big things.

But, the risk is being enamored with what one defines as the big things robbing focus and stewardship.

The promotion or leadership position is desired, but the details of the job have not been managed with excellence.

The platform is desired, but the work in the dark, the work no one sees, has not been done to prepare for the moment.

The successful marriage is desired, but the daily details, acts of love, are skipped.

The friendship is desired, but the focus is on one’s own glory and personal fulfillment.

Unhealthy ambition causes one to miss the entrusted small things.

And all have failed with the small things. The pull for the big things is too strong, the desire is too great.

But, there is grace. The small things haven’t moved but remain, waiting on stewardship.

It starts with the next conversation, the next task on your list, the phone call you have been avoiding, the time you need to spend in the dark doing the work no one will ever notice, the encouraging words that need to be said, the stewardship of your marriage, the list is never-ending.

Some of the best advice I ever received is when I walked in my boss’s office as a young account manager to talk about a job that I desired. He said, “don’t worry about that move, just do your job with excellence, and all the other things will come.”

Great coaching.

Being faithful with the small things builds the desired legacy.

The countdown begins when the business, new segment, or innovation is launched.

The copy, the knockoff, the slightly tweaked innovation, the repeated strategy will soon arrive.

The only thing that remains differentiated is your heart and soul: who you are as a company, your brand, your values, your culture.

As a founder told me, “Start the building with the culture.” When he said this, the surrounding team at the table turned to the CEO and smiled. They had created sustainable differentiation.

This culture mindset flips the script to a focus on people, how one positively impacts others.

People are always the difference.

Appreciate those difference makers today.

“Even when you don’t feel like it, do the things that are going to produce the outcomes you desire.” Nick Saban, former Alabama football head coach

The outcome. What you want your future to be. How you see your life play out. How you desire to see yourself when you turn around and look at the journey that you have been on. How you want to be perceived by others. The qualities that you would have your friends, family, those who know you best list about you. The faith you hope to display to the world.

When you think about the outcome desired, the future is bright, the possibilities are endless. Faith is grasped and one finds hope, desire, and motivation when they focus on the outcome. Obstacles fade when one focuses on the outcome. Negativity is erased and positivity abounds. Focusing on the desired outcome increases confidence and self-esteem.

But if you are like me, the tendency is to focus on past failures or present hardships, the obstacles that seem insurmountable. It is here that our minds are full of the impossibilities of life. Our feelings drive us to despair, to lose energy, hope, and confidence.

But feelings are shallow. In fact, Adrian Rogers called our feelings “the shallowest part of our beings.” Feelings will not drive consistent outcomes.

In his book Clear Thinking, Shane Parrish details ways that our mind pulls us away from focusing on desired outcomes.

Self-Accountability. We avoid self-accountability. The tendency is for us to put our lives on auto- pilot, become complacent, maybe measure our lives against others. Situations that have happened may be out of your control, but you do control the next move.

Self-Knowledge. The author says that “knowing just what it is that you know is the most practical skill you can have.” The tendency may be to stop listening, check out, immediately think you know the answers or have the correct point-of-view. Knowing our boundaries provides humility, cultivates a team, and allows room for dependance on others.

Self-Control. Self-control is defined as “the ability to master your fears, desires, and other emotions.” So many times, we allow our emotions to dictate our moves. Pause and learn to control this emotional force within you.

Self-Confidence. Parrish defines self-confidence as “trusting in your abilities and your value to others.” The natural thought is to look at others, compare, and miss who you uniquely are, how you are gifted. Negative self-talk begins and your self-perceived abilities shrink. Remember the tough times that you have been through, as this gives you the confidence to know that you can take on the future. A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

So many business and life principles have their origin in Scripture. This is true of outcomes.

The Bible is a book that focuses one on outcomes. Faith calls us to turn from the past, lay aside what

burdens us, and focus on the outcome, the work of Jesus. The faith of the Bible calls us to put our life, our dreams, our hope in Christ. This requires a daily, almost constant, focus. And this focus provides great peace, as we are certain of the outcome.

*Faith is being sure of what you hope for, certain of what you cannot see. *Hebrews 11:1

As the old hymn says, Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in his wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of his glory and grace.

It is true. When we turn from the chaos of the world and look to the face of Christ, He calms the soul with the certain outcome that is in His hands.

Today, focus on your next move that will drive the outcome that is desired. No wonder Saban was arguably the best coach in the history of the game.

“Closing time. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” Semisonic, Closing Time

Many singers and poets have used similar lines to Semisonic. Winona Judd sings Every Ending (is a new beginning). Noah Cyrus sings Every Beginning Ends. And, the Grateful Dead refer to the phrase in the lyrics of Terrapin Station.

We all know this to be true - everything will end and, when they do, new things will begin.

But, we certainly don’t live like it.

We miss the blessing of the current. Each day is lived with impatience and efficiency, full of meetings and errands. The chaos of today makes us miss the blessing of the current. We end up missing the conversation with the kids taking them to school, the conversation at the coffee pot, the opportunity to lift another’s spirits. I worked with a CEO once that got it. Every time we walked into a meeting at Walmart’s Home Office, he would say, “it is such a blessing to walk through these doors and do business w ith the world’s largest retailer.”

We fight to hold on. When the end is near and very apparent, we kick and scream to continue. For some reason, we try to force the journey to continue rather than looking to the horizon. We demand that there is no end because we believe that there is no beginning to something else, or, at a minimum, we have fooled ourselves into thinking that the next thing will not be near as good as the thing that is ending.

We pretend that this, whatever this is, in its current state will always be. We fool ourselves into thinking that the bliss, the peace, the joy of the current situation is perpetual. The journey, as it is, will continue forever. No storms exist that could potentially rock the boat.

Then, the end comes, and we ask what happened or where did the time go or what could I have done differently.

But, the truth is, in many cases, the end was supposed to come. It is part of God’s plan.

I heard a mentor say once that the journey of life is like walking a path holding a lantern. You can only see about two feet in front of you. However, when you turn around, the entire path is illuminated.

When you turn around in life, you clearly see the beginnings and endings. You recognize how God was in control when you thought things were out of control. The past gives you hope for the future.

So, if it is true, that we can only see about two feet in front of us, walk those two feet well. Be present. Relish the conversations. Take the opportunities to serve others, as this is where joy is found.

Play today knowing there will be an ending. Today matters.

Let the knowledge that there will be an ending, drive joy in the present and hope for the future new beginning.

Life is a journey, and you can impact others at every stop.

If you could write your loved ones, the generations under you, one final letter, give them one bit of advice, one message for life, what would you write? What would be the one focus area that you believe they need to hear to live a fulfilled, joyful life?

That is a great question to ponder. It cuts through the busyness and mess of life, and gets to your individual purpose. It gets to what you believe is vital in life. It ultimately boils life down into the most important thing that you believe.

The New Testament details Paul’s three missionary journeys. On these journeys, he started 13+ churches. The churches are not the building we think of today. The churches are simply groups of people that bind together under the belief in Jesus. These groups of people included all races, radically different backgrounds, all genders. Paul especially cared for those that would be deemed less in society.

These churches were Paul’s “why” in life. He traveled on these missionary journeys to testify to Christ, the One who had changed his life. Many listened and believed and became part of the church. He deeply cared for these people, and he knew what they were up against.

In that day, if one believed in Jesus as the Messiah, one faced extreme persecution, as in potential death. So Paul’s heart was probably heavy as he left the town and his church to the next town. He knew the road before them was going to be extremely difficult.

So this is why we see 10 books in the Bible written by Paul to these various churches. He wrote to encourage, direct, make sure the churches stayed devoted and committed to what they first believed.

The first letter that Paul wrote was to his friends in Galatia, or modern day Turkey. We learn about Paul’s journey through this region in Acts 14, in the cities of Iconium and Lystra.

*“But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.” *Acts 14:19- 20

Paul was stoned in Lystra, almost killed, for the message he believed and was delivering. And Paul knew that he was leaving the people with this same life of extreme persecution. So Paul wrote the letter of Galatians.

Paul’s letter to the people could have began in any number of ways. He could have talked about what a life of obedience to Christ looks like. Or, he could have jumped into deep spiritual truths that they needed to know.

Apparently, some people in the city had started to spread a message contrary to what Paul had shared. They had presented a different Gospel. So Paul begins the letter by emphasizing the foundational truth that their life must be built on. All else in life stems from this truth. He points to

the key to handling the persecution, doubt, fear, anything they may face in life.

*&**#x201**C;I** am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be **accursed.**&**#x201D; Galatians Galatians 1:6-9*

His message to the church, the people that he loved? There is only one gospel. It is plain, it is clear. One gospel that Paul shared and anything else is not true. He states the gospel in the first sentence, “the grace of Christ.”

Paul knew the grace of Christ. He once murdered followers of Jesus. Then Christ himself approached him, changed his life, and gave him a new mission. Jesus had died a sinless life, rose again, for Paul. This is the grace of Christ, and Paul knew that this is the foundation of everything else in life.

This is the message that Paul started his letter with to the people in Galatia. Nothing was more important than this foundational truth. All else comes from this gospel, as this gospel changes everything.

So if you had a letter, one message to deliver to your loved ones, how would it begin? What is the most important word to get to them?

Many of us will never write a letter, a book, a message to our loved ones. But the truth is, we are writing those letters every day through our actions. Our life is an open book to those closest to us. They know what the most important thing in our life is.

Make sure your message matters. Let the grace of Christ be on the tip of your tongue. That message changes everything.

*“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.*

*“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. **Instead** they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others**, that** they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. *Matthew 5:13-16

Talking to His closest friends, Jesus implores them to keep their faith, impact the world.

The danger was that the men would “lose their saltiness.” Pride and selfishness would inevitably take over. The things of the world would become more important than their faith in Jesus. Their passion would follow popularity, money, and power.

Or, the men could be the “light of the world.” In a culture of darkness, their faith could stand out as the light of the world, impacting generations. Their mission would be to love others.

We, too, have this same choice. But the cards are stacked against us.

The world calls us to glorify ourselves. The call is constant to lift oneself up over others. The call is constant to measure self-worth with popularity. The call is constant to forsake faith to fit in culture.

But remaining consistently a light in a dark work, impacts others, offers fulfillment of the soul, and brings peace.

Don’t worry about the past, what happened yesterday. God is a God of grace. He is a present God who focuses on today, not the future.

Allow Jesus to shine through today. Let your attitude, your words, your actions be a light to your friends and the world. Shine.

A paraphrase of the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 5 thru 7, a quick guide for a great day.

Be the light of the world. Let others see you and look up.

Forgive others. Let forgiveness be at the tip of your tongue.

Do not be angry at others, it does no good.

Keep your word. Simply do what you say you will do.

Love all, even your enemies.

Do good acts in private, not for the world to see.

Give in private, do not announce it with trumpets.

Start your prayers by thanking God. He is the reason.

Be generous. Don’t love money.

Don’t worry about (fill in the blank) but pray.

Do not judge others but be a friend. You have no idea what is going on in their life.

Pray. God loves you.

The words of the Bible are profitable.

*Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:*

*“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,*

*the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles —*

*the people dwelling in darkness*

*have seen a great light,*

*and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,*

*on them a light has dawned.”*

*From that time Jesus began to preach, saying**, ”Repent**, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”*

*While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them**, ”Follow** me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with **Zebedee** their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.*

*And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. **So** his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. Matthew 4:12-25*

Life will let you down. Friends will let you down. Family will let you down. We are all human.

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

Jesus is consistent. His Word, the Bible, is consistent.

Jesus begins his ministry with the same message of John the Baptist, “repent,” a simple message sometimes made complex.

The message is not about anything that one must do. The message is not a set of rules and regulations. The message is simply Jesus.

And the message does not change.

Jesus is the only anchor in the world.

Swing thoughts for a Saturday.

Magnify God. Said differently, glorify God. This is the call, the purpose, the main objective of life for any believer of Christ.

How does one magnify God?

How we speak.

*My lips will glorify you. Psalm 63:3*

*Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6*

*Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. James 3:5,6*

How we act.

*In the same way, let your light shine before others**, that** they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16*

*So** whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God — even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33*

By living your faith.

We magnify God when we see the faith of others. When we see someone with strong faith walking through difficult times, we naturally magnify God. Questions are asked, like “how did they make it through that” or “how are they dealing with that situation?” When the answer is faith, God is magnified, as He is the giver of faith. Faith magnifies God and has a domino effect as others begin to magnify Him. And the faith of one that lives by faith strengthens his own faith.

*No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God. Romans 4:20*

*They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me. Galatians 1:23, 24*

Who do you magnify with your life?

I believe there are only 2 answers, oneself or God.

The goal is to speed to the desired outcome. The desire is the fast, maybe the easy, route. And, the speed increases with the pressure of competing with others.

Make the video, get the followers, rise to fame. Move to the leadership position fast. Get playing time immediately or move until it happens. When obstacles arise, pivot, sprint a different direction. Demand the higher salary or the bigger title that match the personal timeline.

Take the pressure off. Realize that God has a unique plan for you.

When you know God’s plan for your life, everything that happens to you along the way is Him working out the plan.

So what is God’s plan for your life?

God does tells us constantly.

*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 29:11*

*Do not conform to the behavior of this world, but let God transform the way you think, then you will come to know His will which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2*

*And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28*

*For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10*

Over and over and over, Scripture tells us that He has a plan. Sure, maybe we don’t know the ultimate plan, few do, but we do know who is doing the planning.

The ultimate plan is in the hands of the Master, and where ever He has you today is part of that broader plan.

The obstacle prepares for future battles, the victory relieves needed pressure on the journey, the rest energizes one for the future, the mundane task teaches, the present grind creates character needed for the path ahead.

There is great freedom and peace knowing that today is part of God’s unique plan for your life.

So, today matters.

Today is a gift. Today prepares. Today demands excellence. Today is part of the plan for your future self. Today demands obedience as He continues to work out the plan for your life.

Today ultimately has purpose.

Joseph had been through an unimaginable life journey, from being sold into slavery by his brothers to imprisoned in Egypt to reaching the pinnacle as the key leader of Egypt behind Pharaoh. Reflecting on his life, he recognizes that it was all meant for good. God had a greater purpose through his life. It wasn’t about him.

What if this is true for my life? What if this is true for your life?

The truth is that, just like Joseph, the journey that I am on is not actually for me. My journey, my story, all the wins, all the loses, all the trials, the wilderness, every season has a greater purpose that has nothing to do with me. The valleys that I have gone through serve a role of bringing that greater purpose to fruition. The wins are not to put me on a pedestal but to achieve something greater.

The purpose is other people. God’s purpose for Joseph’s life, His purpose for my life, is for others.

This is the thread of Scripture. The life of Jesus had a purpose. The wins, the losses, were all part of the plan. The purpose was about others. Mary, Peter, Mary Magdalene, Paul, their life purpose was not about them. The purpose was about others.

This is us.

The issue with me, and maybe you, is that I am fooled into making life all about me. I might say it is about others. However, in truth, the battle always rages within the mind, showing up in so many ways, so many conversations, driven by pride and always causing inner turmoil. When life is about me, I inevitably find myself flat, unfilled, fighting the present, and, eventually, full of remorse.

But, that isn’t the plan. The plan is for me to realize that the gift of life is much, much bigger than me.

The author of the journey is the key. The journey, the wins, the losses, the wilderness, require daily submission to the greater purpose. Because His purpose for your life is greater, is better, is pleasing, is perfect.

And, ultimately, His purpose for your life is to radically impact others through you – your spouse, your kids, your family, your friends, your co-workers, everyone in your sphere.

When I realize this truth, my journey has much at stake. It becomes solely about impacting others. That purpose is worth leaving it all on the field.

A friend once told me why he couldn’t believe the Bible. He said that he couldn’t put his faith or belief in a religion where there is no penalty for wrong-doings.

It made no sense to my friend. He said that he had to pay some type of penalty for his disobedience. “If there is no penalty, I know me, and I will not give it a second thought, I will not change.”

My friend implied that if there was no price to be paid for disobedience, there would be indifference to obedience. There would be no reason to obey. There would be no fear of doing wrong.

I get it. My friend was so right. What we were talking about in the Bible was counterintuitive, opposite the way the world works.

In the Old Testament, when the visible God was leading the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, His power, His Sovereignty, His control of nature and events brought fear among the people. God sent 10 plagues in plain sight of the people, from swarms of locusts to hail to rivers turning to blood. Then as they traveled in the desert, there was the parting of the Red Sea, and there was the constant pillar of fire leading the people. God sent plagues among the people, at one time killing 24,000 people for their disobedience. In another instance, the ground swallowed entire families.

He had hardly finished speaking the words when the ground suddenly split open beneath them. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel. All the people around them fled when they heard their screams.

*“The earth will swallow us, too!” they cried. Then fire blazed forth from the Lord and burned up the 250 men who were offering incense. *Numbers 16:31-35

If this was happening before our eyes, there would be great fear. And this fear would drive obedience. Prior to the Israelites entering the Promised Land, God repeatedly made the connection between fear and obedience.

Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever. Deut. 5:29

“These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. Deut. 6:1-2

Where there was no fear, there would be no obedience. God was visible, he was a Judge, and a price would be paid for disobedience.

Fast forward 3,000 years, and the promised Messiah arrives in the New Testament. Jeremiah had prophesied about it in the Old Testament about 600 years before.

*“The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord. *Jeremiah 31:31-32

Jesus brought a new covenant. Under this covenant, Christ once and for all paid the penalty for our sins when He died on the cross. His blood was a ransom, the currency of heaven, for His followers. Under this covenant, I put my faith in Him, turn away from my wrongdoing, and my sins are forgiven. He paid the price on the cross.

Startling difference between the payment of wrong doings between the Israelites in the desert and the believers in the New Testament. Disobedience 3,000years ago was met with the fury of a visible God. Today, God is seemingly not visible and disobedience is a wide, grey area. There is no immediate repercussion for disobedience, and there is no fear of God.

There is a type of fear that causes one to run away. The Mike’s Hard Lemonade commercial illustrates this perfectly. A young couple is standing by a cooler of Mike’s Lemonade at a party. The guy grabs a cold one, turns to the girl, and asks who is providing the drinks. She tells him they are from Mike. The guy looks across the pool to see Mike Tyson staring at him with an intimidating look. The once relaxed guy is overtaken by fear and immediately looks away from Mike’s penetrating stare. Immediate fear looking into Tyson’s eyes. Such a great commercial. Such a great illustration of the exact fear that would cause me to run away.

There is another type of fear that causes one to run toward, not away. A fear driven by respect, love, and adoration. The easiest, but lacking, comparison for me was to my dad. Did I fear? Oh, yes. I met the belt many times. Did I love? More than you can imagine. Tim Keller said, “In the original language, “Fear the Lord” doesn’t mean to be afraid. It means sustaining a joyful, astonished awe, and wonder before Him.” Fearing God compels one to follow.

So back to the conversation with my friend. I completely understand where he is coming from. It seems too good to be true. The fact that we are not required to pay a penalty for our disobedience doesn’t make sense. There has to be some type of payment for our wrong-doings, as this is the way the world

works. But this is grace. When you understand it, this grace compels you to be obedient. Perfect, never. Disobedient, always. But repentance follows the disobedience.

*“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” *John 15:13

Grace compels one to fear and follow.

At some point today or this week, we will face fear or doubt. The inevitable battle between our ears.

Paul knew fear well. He inflicted it greatly against followers of Jesus. Read his own words below.

*For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. *Galatians 1:13

*Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. *1 Timothy 1:13

Paul violently brought fear to people. His mission was to put them in jail, destroy them. In fact, he was present watching the stoning of Stephen in Acts 6.

After his encounter with Christ in Acts 9, the one who persecuted, who caused fear, would be the one who was persecuted, who should have been full of fear.

*The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in **the stocks**. *Acts 16:22-24

Over and over, Paul entered cities to share about Jesus, and he was violently opposed, beaten, whipped, thrown in jail. He, too, faced fear.

*And **so** it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. *1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Paul feared, but any human fear that he had was extinguished by his fear of God. His fear of God was greater than his fear of man. He had a mission.

After the flogging and beating mentioned in Acts above, he was thrown in prison. Notice his resolve.

*About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. *Acts 16:25

No fear. No doubt. No dismay. Paul was promised that he would have to suffer for Christ’s name (Acts 9). He knew he would face obstacles. In the midst of the persecution, he was “praying and singing hymns.” Peace in the midst of the storm.

How? Paul wrote this later to his mentee, Timothy.

*for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. *2 Timothy 1:7

There is no way Paul faces the persecution, the abuse, the ridicule he faced in life without the Holy Spirit taking away the fear. The spirit of fear is opposite the Spirit of Christ. The spirit of fear wants to battle opposition with fighting, losing control. The Spirit of Christ battles with love and self- control. The Spirit of Christ removes fear and replaces it with love and self-control.

Jesus had this to say about the Holy Spirit.

*Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. *John 16:7

The Helper, The Holy Spirit. He helps.

Jesus is crucified. The Helper comes in Acts 2. Paul is changed in Acts from a murderer to a follower of Christ. Then he gives us a picture of what it looks like to deal with fear. Complete dependence on God.

Fear and doubt are inevitable. But the anchor exists within us to deal with it. We can’t take matters into our own heads or our own hands, responding with cowering or aggression. We must put fear and doubt in His hands that allow us to respond with love and self-control.

The ever-present Holy Spirit can remove fear and doubt. Let Him guide your life (Galatians 5:16).

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah41:10

The conversation that ensues when God calls Moses to lead the Israelites emphasizes our innermost thoughts when we are faced with a challenge or a difficult task.

When confronted, Moses presented three obstacles explaining why he was not the right person for the job.

Obstacle one: Who am I?

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11).

Moses was a very humble man.

Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3)

When we look at his past, a murderer running from the king of Egypt, moving from living in the king’s palace to life as a shepherd, it is easy to see why he might be humble. But dig deeper, and you learn the reason for his humility.

Moses was humbled because he confronted a holy God.

Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God (Exodus 3:6)

When we’re confronted by a holy God, there is only one response. God humbles. It is the response of Isaiah, as he screams “woe is me” when facing God. Everyone in Scripture who comes face to face with God cowers in fear, bows down, and is humbled.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up (James 4:10).

God’s response to Moses’s initial question was, “I will be with you.” With God leading, Moses was the right person for the job. In his own power, Moses could not lead the people.

And so it is with us. Our initial response when God calls should be, “Who am I?” We should be humbled by God being uniquely called.

Whatever the call, we should be humbled that we are deemed worthy to be given the opportunity.

Then we must recognize that He is with us. This is His promise to us in Matthew 28:20: “And I am with you always even unto the end of the world.”

Obstacle two: What if I fail?

Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say …?” (Exodus 4:10).

Naturally, Moses felt that when he approached the Israelites, they would not believe him. Think about it. Moses walks up to the elders of the Israelites and says, “Hey, God told me to lead you out of Egypt from slavery.”

“Yeah, right, Moses. You, a murderer, a shepherd. Go back to your fields.”

That they would believe Moses was sent from God is unbelievable. But God reminded Moses of His power. He performed a couple of astounding miracles in front of Moses, showing He was the God of the impossible.

When God calls you to a task, it will absolutely seem impossible to be done by you. If not, go back to Moses’s first question on humility.

When faced with the impossible task, remember how God has worked in your past. No doubt, if you look at your journey, you will see evidence of God. Whether by miracles or events orchestrated or situations that happened or salvation, God has been working in your life. Let the fact that He has been with you on the journey give you faith for the future.

You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me (Psalm 139:5).

Obstacle three: I have gaps.

“I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exodus 4:10)

After saying this, Moses begged God to send someone else, and the “anger of the Lord was kindled” at this response. You get a picture of God shaking his head saying, “Moses, you just don’t get it.”

God responded with patience, love, and understanding. He gave him Aaron, a man “that can speak well,” as his partner. God heard and responded to his request.

We all have gaps. If you don’t think you do, refer back to Moses’s first question on humility. Notice how Moses talked to God. This is prayer, a conversation with our Father. Put your gaps in front of God, and let Him fill them.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

We will all ask the questions Moses asked. We will all go through battles of inadequacy, obstacles that seem impossible to overcome, and self-identified performance gaps.

The key is to rely on God, overcome the obstacles, and go. Moses went, God was with him, and he led millions out of slavery in Egypt.

But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved (Hebrews 10:39).

Let us not shrink back from our call.

I roll out of bed and, immediately, thoughts overwhelm me…….. my to-do list, work, what does the future look like, failures, marriage, father weaknesses, things I am behind on, savings, money, how I failed yesterday, how I failed the last 10 years, etc. I suddenly have all these Mike-made hurdles to overcome before I begin my day. Defeated, worried, stressed, I grab a cup of coffee and sit down with the book that has transformed me.

In Luke 7, God tells us the story of the"sinful"woman who brings the alabaster jar of perfume and wipes Jesus' feet with her tears and the oil. She heard that the Savior was at the house, abruptly entered the house, and fell at His feet. Nothing could stop her from pursuing Jesus. Remember, this event took place at the house of a Pharisee, among a dinner table full of Pharisees. A table of self- made critics looking for a reason to needle a person. Not an easy place to fall on your knees and worship Him.

Jesus' response to the lady,"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."(Luke 7:50)

You have read the story, but, did you catch what Jesus pointed out? He essentially said that her actions displayed her faith. If she had a"he might be the Savior"kind of faith, she would not have laid everything on the line. However, she believed in Jesus so much that she would do anything. Complete embarrassment and ridicule, not a problem. Those around her had no doubt that she had a different relationship with Him, a different passion for Christ. She viewed Jesus in a different way. She altered her life, risked her life, made a mockery of herself to pursue Him.

The Bible says she lived a"sinful life."Think she had any hurdles to overcome? Yep. Not sure exactly what the hurdles were, but we only know she was viewed as a"sinner."She was an overcomer all right. Enough to barge in on a room full of men, Pharisee men, critical men, fall on her face to Jesus, and weep. That is busting through hurdles with reckless abandon.

*So** you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. *James 2:17

The hurdles that I woke up with concerning my failures, weaknesses, stresses, have the potential of keeping me from pursuing my Savior with reckless abandon like the woman. These hurdles cloud my day. I wake up in a fog of stress. With all these hurdles in front of me, Jesus is small and my issues are big. I guess I have faith, but, I certainly have no action. Are you kidding me? Look what stands in front of me. My mind is in a fog.

I am like a runner standing in his lane. Between me and the finish line are hurdles. The gun sounds, and, like everyone else, I take off. The track is extremely wide, full of a lot of people running to the hurdles. At this point, I can barrel into the hurdles pursuing"success,"clearing some, running over some, taking no prisoners because I am strong. I am going to be a great Dad, an awesome husband, a great leader, an incredible worker. I am going to make it happen. I can do it because I have done it before. The next morning, I can do the same thing. On and on and on and on. Day after day. Season after season. Year after year.

Or, there is a different approach. As the gun sounded, I notice a man standing there watching me with arms wide open. I stop. Everyone else takes off, busting through hurdles. However, I notice a narrow path to the man. I lock eyes with Jesus. I walk to Him and fall at His feet, as He embraces me. But, what about my hurdles? Remember, this is the Savior that calmed the sea with 3 words. He calmed mine."Your faith has saved you go in peace."I give him my hurdles and enter the day with a clean slate. One of the other runner's saw me and my"different approach."I had a different relationship with Jesus than Him. I had genuine faith! He followed me down that narrow path too.

Many days, I never clear the hurdles that I wake up with. The stress of life wins. But, I must remember there is a different approach. An approach given to me by a"sinful"woman 2000 years again. In this scary, often unsettling approach, there is peace. All I have to do is stop and run to Him. He is there.

I know the stress you have on your plate today. It can eat you up. Choose a different path today. Walk down the narrow path to Him. You will have peace, and people will notice.

*Do not conform to the behaviors and customs of this **world, but** let God transform you by changing the way you think, then you will learn to know God's will which is good and pleasing and perfect. *Romans 12:2

Lesson 8: Fear is a trigger for action, a sign to move forward, to follow God and push through. Never let fear stop you from doing. In fact, if you fear something, go after it hard. When you do, doors will open and you will see the wofdrld differently. God will lead you to places you never imagined. When you feel fear, recognize it and follow it.

At the end of my book The Anchor, I included nine lessons for life that I wrote for my kids. Number 8 is written above.

Has fear ever paralyzed you, kept you from action?

If we are honest with ourselves, the answer is “yes” for us all.

Sometimes the fear is straight-forward, easy to recognize. For example, I will not take that job or accept that role, because I don’t have the talent. Or, the decision not to go on a trip because of potential danger. Or, the decision not to lead a group, start a business, take the job, start exercising, because of fear of failure. If you think about your life right now, there is something looming in front of you that you are avoiding because of fear. In these examples, the fear is right in front of us. We see it, are able to define it, and we shrink back. We choose to live in our comfort zone.

More often though, the fear is a bit more disguised, hidden. For example, that discussion that you know you need to have, but don’t. There is a hidden fear of what might be said or become known. Or, using the words “let me pray or think about it” when faced with a decision. Sometimes, I suppose people do go back, lock themselves in a closet, and pray or think about the situation. For me though, more often than not, the delay gives my fear time to quench the action. Suddenly, it doesn’t make sense or isn’t the right timing.

The Bible is a book of action. Incredible leaders, men and women who lived proactively, fill the pages. Individuals act, over and over again. And the fuel for their action was their faith in God. There are no dormant believers in the Bible. They are live wires, ready for action.

From beginning to end, these active souls are embedded in the story. Abraham moved his family to a land he had never seen because of a promise from God.

Noah built the ark before it started raining. When faced with a flooded river, the priests were told to step in the water and the river would recede. They moved to action. They stepped in the water, and the river stopped. Esther stepped in the gap for her people, denied tradition and custom, approached the king, and saved the lives of thousands. Mary believed that she was pregnant, obeying the instructions from God. Peter stood up in front of thousands to preach, facing the exact people who had just killed his best friend. Over and over, beginning to end, people act.

The actions don’t bring them closer to God. After all, faith is a gift from God. However, the action proves their faith. The action is a picture of belief in God.

The action is done humbly, out of obedience, never to keep score or for show. Their action is a barometer of their faith.

We live in a world that pushes fear. In your news feed this morning, you will receive article and article of paralyzing news. News about the bad economy, job loss, inflation, war, disease, death, and the constant things that cause division. This news is important to understand, but it no doubt causes fear. And fear can paralyze.

I read a great statement this morning from an article by Brain Food that said, “a large part of expertise is knowing where to place your attention.” I love this thought in a different context.

The way to manage fear is knowing where to place your attention. This is the answer. Fear is inevitable, perpetually around us. We can either place our attention on the fear which paralyzes or focus on the One who controls all. The best way I know to do this is to read the Bible, God’s words. Put your focus here, on the One who overcomes fear.

Jesus calmed the waters with three words, “Peace be still.” The raging seas stopped. Fear subsided.

Remember lesson eight. Fear is a trigger for action, a sign to move forward, to follow God and push through. Never let fear stop you from doing. In fact, if you fear something, go after it hard. When you do, doors will open and you will see the world differently. God will lead you to places you never imagined. When you feel fear, recognize it and follow it.

Fear paralyzes. The mind builds obstacles, impossibilities that, seemingly, can’t be overcome, and the body parks, stays in neutral, does not move. Fear stops any movement from happening. And fear is one thing we all have in common.

So why do we fear? I suppose for each one of us there is a different answer, ranging from your job to your kids to college to health to money to all of the fears that constantly flood our ears from the media. The list goes on and on, as our lives are full of places to put our anxiety. It seems as if the cards are stacked against. Fear is inevitable as you journey through life.

As you read about the life of Jesus, from day one, He had enemies. Be it the Pharisees who did not want Him to change their way of life, their traditions, to those that felt He was interfering with their business, He constantly had adversaries. Jesus knew that this would always be the case, and He knew that anyone that followed Him would be in the same boat. If there was anything that could cause His followers to stop spreading His words, it was fear of these enemies.

After recruiting the 12 disciples, Jesus is preparing to send them out into the world on their first trip without Him. His detailed instructions are completely opposite what one would think about and prepare for as they embarked on a journey. The packing list was nonexistent, as Jesus said to only bring the shirt on their back, no change of clothes. And He told them not to bring any money, no gold or silver or coins. So no clothing or money.

Then He told them to prepare for the storm they would face everywhere they go. Jesus said that he was sending them out like “sheep among wolves.” He goes on to tell them that they would be flogged with whips in synagogues and that they would stand trial before governors and kings. Some would even be arrested. The road would be difficult, the journey hard.

At this point, imagine what must have been going through the minds of the disciples as they listened to these instructions. No doubt that they were full of questions, concerns, wondering what could happen. Jesus had not painted the most rosy picture of the journey. The obstacles before them were great and, He would not be with them.

As the leader, Jesus knew the one thing that could hold them back. Fear. He knew the risk of some turning away, shrinking back in fear, refusing to go. Christ knew the mountain that is created in one’s mind when anxiety grabs hold. And this imaginary mountain has the potential to stop all action. Fear was the elephant in the room that day among the disciples as they looked in each other’s eyes.

Jesus addressed the elephant.

After the detailed instructions, Christ tells the disciples three times, “do not fear.” But I am sure they needed more. Sure, they would have each other, but they needed some type of assurance that things would be okay. The obstacles that they faced where seemingly insurmountable. They needed an Anchor.

I believe Jesus changed the emotions in the room with four words, “you are valuable to God.” Jesus put it this way.

*What is the price of two sparrows — one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your **Father** knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. *Matthew 10:29-21

If God was in their midst, on the journey with them, then all fear could be handed to the Creator of the world. They were valued by the Creator of the sparrows, of humanity. Everything changed in the room that day.

The same is trues of us. When one feels valued and loved by another human, the world is bit brighter, there is a bit of hope. But when the God of the universe values you, the God that controls nature and life itself, the God that is ever-present always on, the hope is magnified, the possibilities and potential grow. You can’t move to a place where He is not. He is with you always, and He values you.

When fear and anxiety rain, when the journey is difficult, when the road is dark and confusing, remember that you are valued, you are loved. God does not want us to shrink back in fear.

*Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. *1 Peter 5:7

Place the fear in His hands, and let Him lead, direct, handle the details.

And if you have felt a bit distant from Him, simply return. He is always with you.

*Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. *Revelation 3:20

When fear rains, which it certainly will, remember, He values you, and He is always near.

Do not fear; just return.

*He does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. *Romans 9:16

God’s mercy. Tough to comprehend. The thought that one is simply accepted does not fit into our mindsets, especially in the United States.

The easiest way for me to understand this is to look at the relationship I have with my kids. My children don’t need to earn my love. It is, and it will always be.

There is a deep love that they will never understand until they have children.

But we aren’t programmed to think like this. We keep score. We naturally compare ourselves to others. In our youth, we are taught to measure up as we compete in athletics, education, or simply world-defined beauty. As we grow up, we compete with money, material possessions, power, experiences, and much more. We have created great comparison tools, such as social media from Facebook to LinkedIn, to help make the comparisons a bit easier.

Today, remove the pressure. Take the weight off your shoulders. Revel in the truth that God accepts. His mercy is new every day. You don’t have to run the race. You don’t have to keep score. You don’t have to compare yourself to others. Just look up.

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

“ Don’t forget in the dark what God showed you in the light.” Pastor Adrian Rogers

Ever lose heart? That feeling you have when the journey becomes dark and uncertain.

Tariffs, consumer headwinds, steep hills to climb, the unknown of the economy, inflation. The obstacles mount, and, before you know it, you lose heart.

If you lose heart, you lose hope.

Hope provides fuel for the journey, momentum to build, run, pursue, to be all in after a common goal.

Without hope, you have no passion, and you settle for complacency, indifference, and ordinary.

How does one recapture his heart, his hope?

Remember. Look backward at the journey, how God cared, how the team rallied, how the values were lived despite the obstacles.

The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is a run to remember the date of the terrorist attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995 that killed 168 people.

Before the race, the runners gather around the Survivor Tree, an elm tree that survived the blast and stands healthy and tall today. The crowd sings, prays, and remembers. The tree provides hope for the future.

The inscription around the tree reads, “The spirit of this city and this nation will not be defeated; our deeply rooted faith sustains us.”

That moving morning, the runners are reminded that the obstacles presented in life cannot remove their hope for the future. Hope comes from the heart.

Don’t forget in the dark what God showed you in the light.

*And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. **So** they sat down in groups, by hundreds and fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of **the fish**. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. *Mark 6:35-44

Jesus taught active faith, not passive. He taught his disciples to have compassion on people as He did, to serve, to minister, to teach. As you read about his life, you get the picture that Jesus was in constant serve mode, caring and ministering to people.

Jesus led the disciples by example. As they walked with Him, they learned to minister, to serve, to love. The disciples were to carry the responsibility of serving the people. They weren’t to leave them, push them away, let someone else do it. People were their responsibility.

So when the disciples came to Jesus and asked for him to send the people away to get something to eat, Jesus immediately said, you give them something to eat. Jesus turned it around, put the responsibility back on the disciples. You do it. Don’t pass the buck.

The disciples were asked to do something impossible. It didn’t make sense. They didn’t have enough food to give the people or money to purchase more. But, the disciples followed the plan of Christ, He provided, and the people walked away nourished. The disciples were given a clear picture of what dependence on Jesus looked like. They were not to provide the food themselves. They were to act and depend on Jesus.

Active faith isn’t void of dependence on Jesus. Jesus is actually the fuel for active faith.

First, the knowledge that Jesus died for us, drives us to active faith. We are compelled to love because He first loved us. When you are humbled by what He did for you on the cross, you are driven to active faith.

Second, He directs our path. When you read about the life of Paul, arguably the greatest missionary that ever lived, he fully depended on God on where he traveled. At one point, he mentioned God preventing him from going to Rome. Today, as you move through life, no doubt you will cross paths with someone that needs help, needs encouragement, needs love. God directs your path.

Finally, active faith depends on Jesus. In the verse above, the disciples were faced with the impossible task of feeding the people. We don’t see them devising a plan on their own, outside of Christ. Jesus made a way. So many times, our tendency is to depend on our own efforts, our own strength. With this mindset, we become defeated before we begin. Ever have the thought, “what

would I say?” Or, the idea that you haven’t done something or acted a certain way in a long time. That never works, so why try it now. This is a mindset void of dependence on God. Throw yourself into the uncomfortable and depend on Christ.

Active faith grows active faith. When your faith is active, living, moving, serving, you see God’s presence, the way He works through you, and your faith grows.

With passive faith, if there is such a thing, there is no growth.

The Bible teaches an active faith. There was nothing passive about those that followed God. Their lives impacted others.

*The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. *Psalm 18:2

The words of King David above are believed to have been written when he was young. Looking back, he rightly described God as “my deliverer.” Throughout his life, facing many enemies and living roughly twenty years as a fugitive, David was saved by God.

God’s deliverance of his people is a consistent picture throughout the Bible.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers when he was about seventeen. By age thirty, he was “over all the land of Egypt,” a position created by Pharaoh. Throughout the period, Joseph was known as a man close to God, blessed by God, given great knowledge and insight by God.

Moses was born during a time that the king of Egypt had given an edict that every newborn Hebrew boy must be killed, thrown into the Nile River. Through a series of events, his life was saved, he was raised in the house of the king, and he ended up leading millions of Israelites out of slavery in Egypt.

Hannah was unable to have children, a sign of blessings of God. She felt shame, as “her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.” Hannah poured out her soul to God at the place of worship, so much so, that the priest thought she was drunk. Hannah gave birth to Samuel, a great prophet, and five additional children.

Esther was a Jewish girl who lost her mother and father and was raised by her cousin. Through a series of events, she became Queen of Persia. The King of Persia gave an edict to destroy all the Jews in the land. Because of her role, she was in a position to have the law reversed and save her people.

When you read about Paul’s life in the New Testament, you learn that he was delivered from a life of destroying the church. “Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.” Matthew was delivered from a life of deceit to a life of ministry. Job, who lost everything, was delivered and blessed late in life.

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

The God who delivered those in the Bible delivers today.

Consider your life’s journey. Recognize and praise the Deliverer who carried you through. Let this build your faith and trust in God.

And praise the Deliverer who will take care of you today. Approach the throne of grace knowing He is with you and will care for you.

And rest, trusting and knowing that the Deliverer has you in His hand forever. Trust in the Deliverer, not the things of this world. The story has already been written.

*God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. *Psalm 47:8

*And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and **live.”** And he went with him. *Mark 5:21- 24

The little girl was 12 years old. The dad was desperate. He literally fell at the feet of Jesus crying, begging. Jesus went with him to see his daughter.

When times are good, when there doesn’t seem to be any storm in life, when the world seems like a bright place, when the business is going great, when friends and relationships are smooth, when the marriage is in a great place, when our health is good, when our future is seemingly certain, when money is plentiful, our savings accounts are full, faith tends to come easy.

When in this situation, praise God. Know that all blessings flow from Him. Grow and build your faith through spiritual disciplines. Help those that need help.

Live in the world of ministry to others. Sit with others as the rain, thunder, and lightning crashes in on someone’s life. Humbly, know that at some point you will need someone to sit with you. Use the gift of peace in your life to serve others.

Because, at some point in life, the script will flip. Like the scene with the dad in the story above, the storm will arise. Adrian Rogers used to say at all times, we each find ourselves in one of three places in life. Either we are in a storm, headed to a storm, or coming out of a storm.

Some in storms may find themselves saying that faith just doesn’t work for them. Understandable. In the story above, Jesus leaves with the young ruler and heals his daughter. But what if he doesn’t. No words can heal. No eloquent speech can bring sense to the situation. And we will all be there. All peace will begone.

The writer of Psalm 73 found himself here.

When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.

*Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive **me to** glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. *Psalm 73:21-26

In fact, many times in Psalms, we find a writer emotionally unloading their heart to God, then they use a phrase like “nevertheless” to still the storm, as if to say, “regardless of the situation, I know who you are, God. I will put my heart, eyes, and prayer to you, God.” The storms subsides as the writing continues after the “nevertheless.”

In the storms in my life, I regularly go back to a couple of different places in Scripture.

And Romans 8:38-39, that backs this verse up saying that nothing can separate us from Him.

*For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. *Romans 8:38-39

Everyone will find themselves in a place where they question God, if He is real or not. There will be many “why’s” with no answer. As a friend, our job isn’t to answer the “why.” Our job is to sit in the rain with them, knowing that we, too, will be under the storm at some point in our life.

And when we find ourselves there, let the words after “nevertheless” sooth the soul as we depend on Him.

Sit with someone in the rain today.

*So** he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” *Acts 9:6

The “road to Damascus” is a very well-known story of Saul. After the death of Jesus on the cross, Saul was threatening and murdering followers of Christ. On his journey to Damascus, looking to arrest those that were following “the Way,” Jesus approaches him in a light. Saul, apparently astounded by what is happening, falls to the ground.

A brief conversation ensues, not even really long enough to be called a conversation. Jesus asks Saul why he is persecuting Him and reveals himself by saying, “I am Jesus who you are persecuting.”

That’s it. A small exchange, but notice the response of Saul.

“Lord, what do you want me to do?” Acts 9:6.

When coming face-to-face with a Holy God, there is only one response – obedience. Fully obedient, fully volunteering.

This is the consistent picture throughout Scripture of those that encounter God.

Isaiah is completely obedient, volunteering with an exclamation point.

A holy God demands obedience. If this is true, a question that should ring in all of our minds is, “obedient to what” or “where do I find these instructions that require obedience?”

Moses found his instructions in a burning bush. Saul found his instructions in a light. God can speak any way He chooses, often through other people. Never discount this, because He is sovereign.

But we live in a confusing world. New “truths” are coming at us every day. Our emotions can play tricks on us. Our hearts are “deceitfully wicked.” There is only one place for pure, absolute truth – God’s Word. The Bible is called God’s Word for a reason. It is a book, an instruction manual, for man.

So rather than constantly looking and wondering what God’s will for your life is, read His Word. His will for your life is in this book. What he is asking of you is in this book. The Bible brings clarity to a confusing world.

Read God’s Word, then do life. His truth will guide you in conversations, in decisions, in understanding. Submerse yourself in His Word, and, when you hear that message, you’ll know it is from Him.

And there is only one response. Obedience.

The land was promised to the Israelites by God. Joshua valiantly believed and led the one million- plus people into the land. The blessing of the land was theirs to be taken.

There were three responses by the people.

Proactiveness. Caleb was proactive, extremely positive, and full of faith. He went to Joshua, replayed the promise of God, and boldly claimed his portion of the land.

Doubt in abilities. Another group went to Joshua and told him the Canaanites were too strong for the Israelites to claim their land. They didn’t believe they could do it. Joshua built their faith and sent them on their way.

Hesitation. Some people were reactive, waited, watched. They simply followed, never acting, until Joshua asked them, “Why are you waiting?”

We all have people in our families, in our circle, on our teams battling these three choices: Build up those who doubt their abilities, offer clarity for those hesitating, and cheer on those proactively going after it.

We each have this choice for our own journeys. Shake off the doubt and hesitation.

Go.

The Bible is a book of action, not passivity.

*Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. *Matthew 14:15-21

The disciples came to Jesus with a problem. They had no food to feed the 5,000-plus people in the crowd. The disciples’recommendation was to send them away, let them go buy food, let them solve the issue for themselves. They thought there was nothing they could do. It wasn’t their responsibility.

Jesus pointed the issue back at them, saying, “You give them something to eat.” He clearly put the ball back in their court with an impossible task. They must have been dumbfounded at Jesus, knowing they could do nothing to feed the people. They could not, but He could, if they depended on Him.

Notice that the story is not teaching passivity. The problem was put squarely into the laps of the disciples. Jesus ultimately performed the miracle, but first He put the issue to the disciples. He asked them to be active, not passive, pushing the people away to solve the problem for themselves. Go, but depend on Me.

The amazing consistency of the Bible.

The next story finds the disciples in a boat in the middle of a storm on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus came to their rescue, walking on water. Catching eyes with Jesus, Peter asked the impossible.

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Matthew 14:28-32 When Peter acted, getting out of the boat and walking on water, he was completely dependent on Jesus. Like Jesus, he began walking on water. However, when his dependence left Jesus, he sank. Again, Jesus taught to go but depend on Him.

Many, many Bible stories illustrate this principle.

When Jesus sent the disciples on their first missionary trip, they were to taking nothing. Go, but depend on Me. After Jesus left earth, His followers were full of action, depending on Him. There was no passivity. Go, but depend on me.

Jesus taught to go in accordance with God’s will, not selfish desire or motive. Going, acting, for selfish gain is not His will. We always have to check our motives, and God has given us two good

tools to do this: the Bible and prayer. If I am going to make my name greater, making it all about me, this is not God’s will. If I am going to make His name greater, this is God’s will.

Practically, what could “going” look like today? Maybe sit with or call the one who needs a friend, someone to talk to, to listen. Does that make you uncomfortable? Maybe, but God doesn’t aim for us to live a life of comfort. Jesus was about people, getting into their lives. Maybe your action today is directed at helping a person on your mind. Maybe it is taking that risk you believe to be God’s will for your life.

So go, but depend on God. There is great joy and freedom in acting according to His will. He has a plan to use you for His glory, and He is with you.

*I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. *Psalm 16:8

*And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. *Matthew 28:20

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, being brutally mistreated. God selects and calls Moses to be the instrument of deliverance to lead the people to a promised land.

*Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. *Exodus 3:7-8

At this moment in time, God’s promise was improbable and unbelievable. There was seemingly no way the Israelites would be allowed to leave Egypt.

Greatly summarizing the story, Moses finally agrees with God, delivers the message to the Israelites, confronts the evil King of Egypt, and God delivers 10astounding plagues on the land. From locusts to frogs to turning the river to blood, amazing miracles were performed before the king and all the people, until Pharoah surrendered and let the people go.

Obstacle after obstacle continued to present itself before the Israelites as they left Egypt. With the Egyptians bearing down on them, the Israelites were hemmed in between the Red Sea and their enemy. God parts the Red Sea, the Israelites walk through on dry ground, then, when the Egyptians follow, the sea swallows them up. For food, God delivered wafers called manna, appearing like dew each morning. When water was short, God literally brought water out of a rock when they needed drink. All the while, God was leading them by a cloud in the day and a fire at night.

On several occasions, the Israelites wanted to turn back, but the miracles, seeing God overcome obstacles, kept them on pace. Travel distance is said to be an 11 day journey in Deuteronomy 1:2. Tough travel, no doubt, but all the while the Israelites had been seeing the presence of God and obstacles ripped down miraculously in front of their eyes. They were following the promise of God, a land flowing with milk and honey, and He was a visible presence leading them.

They arrive at the border of the promised land. The land that God had promised was now before them. Moses sends in 12 spies to check out the land, and the reports come back.

*And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who **dwell in** the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. **And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.” *Numbers 13:27-29

Ten of the spies come back with the above report. The land indeed “flows with milk and honey,” but the people in the land are strong. God had already told the people who inhabited the land, so this should not have been a surprise. The ten spies expand a bit on what they saw.

*Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” **So** they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they*

*had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” *Numbers 13:31-33

The strength of the people living there was an insurmountable. The obstacle was too great to overcome, fear swept the people, and, before you know it, all of the Israelites “raised up a loud cry and wept all night.” In fact, they wanted to elect a different leader and head back to Egypt to slavery.

The Israelites completely ignored the promise of God. Although they had seen miracle and miracle from God, they viewed the obstacle in front of them too great to overcome.

In the middle of all the negativity, there were two men that hung on to the promise of God, Caleb and Joshua.

*And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” *Numbers 14:6-9

Joshua and Caleb declared the promise of God, acknowledging that He would give them the land. God had promised them the land flowing with milk and honey, and He would fight their battles and give it to them. Caleb and Joshua saw through the obstacle to the promise of God. This promise was enough to overcome fear and give them confidence. Unfortunately for the people, their call to believe the promise of God was drowned out by the negative report of the ten spies.

The path is always full of obstacles. The road is never easy. The Bible is crystal clear on the difficulty of the journey that we are all on. There will inevitably be suffering that requires endurance.

*Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. *Numbers 5:3-5

The key to journeying well is to hang on to the promise of God. Like Caleb and Joshua, if we hold to His promises, every obstacle is surmountable. The obstacle may not be cleared like we think it should, but we have His promises to hold onto. Without God’s promise, fear and insecurity reign. The Bible is a book of His promises.

Let the promises of God found in His Word be your strength on the journey.

“I was waiting for something extraordinary to happen, but as the years wasted on, nothing ever did unless I caused it.” American poet and novelist Charles Bukowski.

Take a close look at your life. Regardless of your age or stage of life, you can find open doors of opportunity. When you look at your life through the lens of opportunity, the view changes.

But …

The tendency is to insert a “but” behind the opportunity.

Writing the book is an opportunity, but there is no time. The exercise program is a wide open door before me, but the gym is too far away to be practical. The opportunity at your job exists, but political climate and adversaries won’t allow it. The door of opportunity is wide open to run that 10K this year, but winter is not a good time to start the running program. The list could go on and on.

Change the but to an and. Affirm the obstacle and take action.

Ands allow us to take a step toward achievement; buts paralyze us, stop the journey.

Every open door of opportunity has an obstacle. The obstacles make the opportunity worth achieving.

Rarely talked about but inevitable. Some know the season well. Some have yet to experience it, but the season awaits.

The wilderness. A lonely place full of fear, seemingly no direction to safety. Nothing makes sense. You look for stability, a safety net, an anchor, but the world offers no peace. The wilderness causes pain, anxiety, and overwhelming thoughts. And the wilderness comes swiftly.

You will not see the wilderness coming. If you did, you would change course. But as you journey through life, you are blind to the upcoming darkness.

Paul certainly knew the wilderness. In his own words:

*Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with a rod. Once I received a stoning. Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent adrift in the open sea. I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers, in hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing. *2 Corinthians 11:24-27

Wisdom comes with age. By the time Paul wrote the above, he had been a follower of Jesus for over ten years. He could look back at the journey of life and see the storms, the seasons of wilderness. They were inevitable, and, for Paul, they were expected. Jesus had told him how much he would have to suffer in Acts 9.

But Paul also knew another truth, found in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus had promised his followers that he would always be with them.

This truth allowed Paul to walk through the wilderness, to face upcoming storms, with a surety that he had a “steadfast anchor.”

As Paul is done with his last missionary journey, he is headed back to Jerusalem. On the journey back, he faces two warnings, prophecies about what would happen to him there.

*After we located the disciples, we stayed there seven days. They repeatedly told Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem. *Acts 21:4

*He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it, and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” *Acts 21:11

Later in chapter 21, the Bible says that “the local people begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.”

The Holy Spirit told the prophets what awaited Paul but never told him not to go to Jerusalem. Paul knew what was coming, and forward he went, steadfast on his journey.

How did he find the strength, the fortitude to keep going?

Paul knew God was with him, always. God had always shown up for Paul, and he knew that He always would. For example, when Paul was in Corinth.

*The Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent, because I am with you, and no one will assault you to harm you, because I have many people in this city.” **So** he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. *Acts 18:9-11

So when Paul finds himself in hot water after showing up in Jerusalem, God makes Himself known.

*The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Have courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” *Acts 23:11

“The Lord stood near.” What a comforting truth to carry through life.

The promise that Jesus is with us is as true today as it was during the time of Paul. The way to grasp this reality is to read His Word daily. This daily intake of Scripture builds the foundation to weather the upcoming storm. This daily intake of Scripture cements the truth in your heart that He is with you, in the joy-filled seasons and the seasons that require perseverance.

He is with us. A simple, powerful truth that sustains during the wilderness.

As I am reading through the Bible in a year, I find myself at the end of Jesus’ life on earth. He is headed toward a great storm in his life. He is about to be brutally beaten and hung on a cross, and, he knows the storm is coming.

Although we fight to protect and control every aspect of our lives, our kid’s lives, and our future journey, deep down we all know that storms are coming in our lives as well. The unforecasted, unpredictable twists and turns of our journey will happen. Adrian Rogers said we are either “in a storm, headed to a storm, or coming out of a storm” at any point in our lives. It is inevitable.

Since this is true, when we look around, we see all kind of storms in people’s lives. We tend to dodge the rain so that our clothes don’t get wet. We may offer prayer, but we don’t head into the eye of the storm.

Jesus implores us to head into the eye of the storm.

A few days before his brutal death, the message of Jesus to the world was to serve others in the midst of their storms. In Matthew 25, days before his death, Jesus gave a picture of those that helped in the middle of storms. They gave food to the poor, quenched the thirst of the thirsty, invited strangers in, clothed the less fortunate, visited the sick, and visited those in prison. Those storms are all around us today.

Additionally, 2 days before his death, we see Jesus reclining at the table with Simon the Leper. Think a leper in that day was in the middle of a storm? There was no cure for the disease, which gradually left a person disfigured through loss of fingers, toes and eventually limbs. Jesus is having dinner at his house.

Also at the dinner, we see Lazarus and Mary. Earlier in the story, we saw Mary come to Jesus weeping at the death of her brother, Lazarus. Jesus jumped in the middle of their storm, bringing Lazarus back to life.

The point is that the life of Christ was a life lived in the middle of other’s storms. His entire walk on earth was about others. And as we find him headed to the greatest storm of his life, he was in the middle of other’s storms, helping them fight the battle.

This week, I am willing to bet we will see a storm, an interruption, in another’s life. I encourage us all to see these storms as an opportunity to serve, to help, to jump in the middle of the rain. Head into the eye. After all, our storm is coming, too.

I believe any person that can run a mile can run a marathon. It simply requires running a long way. If one has time to train, trains regularly for a long time, eats reasonably well, and commits, a marathon can be achieved.

I read that a marathon doesn’t start until mile 20. After running one, I get it. The difficulty that kicks in the late miles of the race are essentially THE race. This portion of the run is when the body begins to shut down. The mind attempts to convince the body to stop. At this point in the run, it is 99% a mental battle.

Sure the body feels pain, but it is the mind that puts the brakes on the body, if there isn’t an injury of course. When I was training, I knew the pain was inevitable, so I expected it. It was as if I was running into the gauntlet.

I remind you again, I believe anyone that can run a mile can run a marathon. It doesn’t take talent, only commitment and a will to make it happen.

This commitment to run a marathon is a great comparison to the commitment of a follower of Jesus. The life of the Apostle Paul in the Bible illustrates the commitment.

In Acts 9, we read that Paul comes face-to-face with the risen Jesus and receives a new mission in life. Paul is a “chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and children of Israel.” (Acts 9:15)

Jesus says one other thing about the mission of Paul. He says, “For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” (Acts 9:16)

Paul knew suffering would happen. But despite the certain difficulties to come, Paul immediately, acts out of obedience and commitment.

*And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” *Acts 9:21

The Bible illustrates Paul’s further commitment as he travels through modern day Turkey, Macedonia, Greece, and Asia, sharing about Jesus. He started no less than 13 churches on his journeys.

And Jesus’ promise of suffering came to fruition. At virtually every stop, Paul is persecuted. He is imprisoned, beaten, whipped, and stoned. But he never stopped his mission. In fact, he would carry the mission to his death. He was committed.

Toward the end of Paul’s journey, in Acts 21, Paul is led by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem. On his way back to Jerusalem, as he is traveling through all the towns that he knew well, he is warned repeatedly by his friends not to go to Jerusalem. But Paul would never let this stop him. He had been walking with God too long. He went to Jerusalem, shared all that God had done on his journeys, ended up being imprisoned, and, ultimately, martyred.

As I read about Paul in the Bible, I am challenged, convicted, sometimes defeated, as I ponder how Paul had this commitment. I am not talking about Paul’s salvation, as Jesus clearly told him that he was a “chosen instrument.” Paul was previously a murderer, a persecutor of those that followed Jesus. In no way did he earn favor from God. It was granted to him as a free gift of grace. When I say that I am challenged, I am talking about Paul’s commitment as a follower of Jesus.

Paul was not a robot. He had to make a decision, a commitment to follow Christ. He knew the difficulty, but, in his mind, in didn’t matter. The reward was greater. Paul was willing to lose his life for the sake of achieving his mission. In fact, Paul was willing to lose his life if only others would give their life to Jesus.

This type of commitment is difficult, but it is a decision. Just like a marathon, commitment is completely under our control. One has to decide to commit. In the Bible, Galatians 5:16 and following clearly spell this out for us.

In Galatians 5:16, Paul writes to “let the Spirit guide your life.” Through this statement, we know that allowing the Spirit to guide our life is a choice, a commitment. After this statement, Paul compares what a life lived by the Spirit looks like versus one that isn’t. It is clearly a choice. We are not robots.

So terrible comparison I know, but there are many similarities between the journey of running a marathon and the journey of following Jesus. But perhaps the greatest similarity is how I started that anyone that can run a mile can run a marathon. Anyone. The same is true for following Jesus. It is open to anyone (John 3:16). Believe.

And just like a marathon, to run the race, one has to be radically committed. Difficulty is inevitable, but one has to stay committed. There is no other way to finish the race well.

Commitment is a daily choice. This is true for anything worthwhile in life by the way (marriage, parenting, job, etc.).

There are a thousand reasons I can’t start. It makes no sense. It is too risky, too much is at stake. I don’t have it in me. It doesn’t really matter. Who do I think I am?

These are the thoughts that litter my mind when I consider starting.

But the truth is simple, yet impactful.

All great endeavors or movements or plans or businesses or ministries or churches or life changes have a starting point. Behind any of these actions, there is starting point, a person with the faith, the belief, the passion, the gumption to take the step.

While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the for work for which I have called them.” Acts13:2

The verse above set off an explosion of travel and ministry, taking the message of Jesus to the world. Saul (Paul) visited 50 plus cities after this verse. A movement began.

How did the Holy Spirit speak? Was He audible? How did Paul and Barnabas know for sure that the Holy Spirit was leading? Awesome questions to consider but ponder too much on these great questions and one misses the point. Paul acted.

The questions above, asked personally about something in your life, and they have the potential of quenching flames, stopping potentially great starts. The tendency is to think about it, pray about it, sit on it, and pause. The tendency is to wait until the timing is “right,” the vision crystal clear, and the world makes sense. The pause never stops. The start never comes.

The Bible is not a passive book. One doesn’t read Scripture and see the passiveness of people. Instead, one reads and sees action, active participants in the will of God. Consider these individuals:

Abraham – he took a step, moving his family to a foreign land, experiencing a faithful God like no other.

Moses – he started a movement that brought millions out of slavery seeing God move in amazing ways.

Noah – he built an ark prior to the rain, as he was being mocked and ridiculed, finding God to be true to His Word.

Mary – as a teenager, she took the step of faith, believing that God granted her favor.

Peter – he left the family business, all he knew, taking a step to join the ministry of Jesus.

Hebrews 11 is often called “the faith hall of fame.” The chapter mentions seventeen starters, seventeen people, that started. How did they start? Each and every action is preceded by the words “by faith.”

The Bible is full of starters. People that took a step of faith to start. People that found the energy, the passion, the gumption, the willingness, the belief to take the step.

And things changed.

Two start quenchers.

Waiting for the perfect time.

“Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.” Ecclesiastes 11:4 NLT

There was no waiting for the perfect time for those starters in the Bible. If they would have waited until the stars aligned and things seemed perfect, there would have been no movement.

Planning to perfection.

Planning is wise, but perfect planning stops the starting.

“Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog — it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.” James 4:13-16 NLT

Life is described as morning fog, only lasting a little while. Start today. Submit to God’s will. Let faith be the energy that propels the start.

As you read this, there is no doubt something that God wants you to uniquely start. Maybe the start is about a person, a friend, a family member. Maybe the start is about personal growth, a life change, reading His Word. Maybe the start is a ministry, a mission, a business, a direction, an attitude. The starts that

God calls us too are unlimited. But there is no doubt that there is a start uniquely made for you. A start waiting on you.

As Paul told Timothy, “fan the flame that is in you.”

Start!

The journey of life is tough, never easy.

As the late Adrian Rogers said, “you are either headed for a storm, in a storm, or coming out of a storm,” as he referred to the journey of life. One can’t avoid difficult journeys, hard things, the uncomfortable. Sickness, death, severed relationships, etc. will happen. These are unavoidable. God wants to be an anchor in these storms.

But outside of uncontrollables like the ones mentioned above, we are each faced with difficult, hard things where we have a choice, run or stay.

The tendency in all of us is to run. But isn’t it motivating to see those who go against culture, those who stay? Those who have the resilience, the desire, to power through the difficult seasons. Those that have the passion, the drive to stay.

How do they do it? They understand their mission, why they are in the game.

Paul is a picture of a man that knew his mission and remained solidly focused on his goal.

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Acts 9:15, 16

Paul had a very clear mission. Proclaim the name of Christ to the Gentiles, their kings, and the people of Israel.

And Jesus also let Paul know what he would face. A word we do everything to avoid. Suffering.

Christ promised Paul that hard things would come his way, and, arguably more than anyone in the Bible, Paul repeatedly faced extreme persecution.

Out of the gate, on his first journey, we see Paul ran out of Iconium and stoned until the people thought he was dead in Lystra. Paul describes his moments of suffering in a letter to the church in Corinth.

*Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death **again and again**. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. *1 Corinthians 11:23-28

Despite the suffering, the difficulties, Paul stayed true to his mission. Relentlessly.

How opposite Paul’s approach is to our culture today. We avoid hard things at all costs.

If the going gets hard, we run. The evidence is in severed marriages, job-hopping, friendships, you name it, and we teach, through our actions, run from the hard. Find someone that stays, that endures, and you find an exception.

We see this playing out with the college transfer portal. There are great reasons to transfer from one team to another, maybe. For example, an NIL deal. I get it. But I sometimes wonder if we teach kids that when the going gets tough, you transfer?

One quality fights the “run” mentality. Loyalty.

Loyalty to a spouse. Loyalty to a friend. Loyalty to a company. Loyalty to a team.

And the deepest form of loyalty occurs when someone recognizes the grace of God.

Paul was a murderer of anyone that followed Jesus. In Acts 9, in an instant, he was changed. The God of the universe came to Paul, granted him grace and forgiveness for his past actions, and gave him a mission. This grace created loyalty, giving him staying power. Because of the undeserved grace given to Paul, he loved God much.

The same is true for us. When one recognizes the grace of God in their life, the fact that there is no greater love than if a man lays down his life for another, a change occurs. The recognition of this grace creates extreme loyalty.

And loyalty creates staying power.

Facing something hard today? Go to the one who gives grace. Let Him guide you.

Friday night lights (football season in the South):

Late in the first half, down by ten points, the star high school quarterback with the golden arm goes down. Out for the season. Doomsday strikes. The people in the stands create a “sky has fallen” atmosphere. All the usual sayings.

“I knew this would happen.”

“It’s over. There goes the season.”

“I thought we had a shot at the state championship this year.”

The negative energy can be cut with a knife.

Human nature causes us to focus on what one doesn’t have or what has been lost.

When we compare ourselves to others, we see gaps. We miss our individual secret power.

When we look at the economy, we see risk. When we see the sales target, we see the impossibility of the hill. When we look at the business, we see the strengths of the competition. When we have the bad meeting, all is lost. When we make the error, the career is ruined. When our child has a bad game, day, test, the end is near. You get the idea.

The negative naturally, relentlessly, daily hits every one of us in the face.

Back to Friday night lights.

Number 2 laces’ em up. The kid who played on the scout team his whole career. The kid who many said had a talent gap compared to the starter. The kid who was not ready for the situation.

Number 2 jogs onto the field with half the stands grumbling. But number 2 stares down the giant.

He proceeds to throw three touchdown passes, the final one a 20-yard strike as time expires. Game over. Legend born.

Those same people who turned the stands negative were now running around the field in celebration, tears coming down faces (football in the South). Number 2’s personal confidence and belief in his ability swung the momentum.

Monumental obstacles will exist with any good endeavor.

A key person will leave the company, the expense will come out of nowhere, the injury will happen, the meeting will not go as planned, the sickness will appear, the uncontrollables are unlimited.

Be the number 2 who stares the giant in the face and believes.

Be the one who forces momentum to change.

The reality is that the momentum may not change. Things may not go well. The interception may be thrown.

However, it is much better to go down positive than negative, right? I guess that is up for debate.

The negative is coming today. Swing the momentum. Others will follow.

We live in a world of negatives.

When you wake up, before your feet hit the ground, your mind is bombarded with anxiety, things that aren’t right, economy uncertainties, company challenges, fires at work, personal gaps, team chemistry issues, problems with children, family struggles.

The negativity is there for the taking. Pick your issue. This spark of negativity creates momentum the wrong way. And it builds, it spreads, it sucks others in. Before you know it, the team, the family, or the company is moving in the wrong direction.

One act can flip the momentum switch.

Momentum begins with an individual. The word of encouragement is delivered, the play is made, the deal is closed, the job is done excellently. The quarterback walks into the huddle, looks into the eyes of his teammates, and confidently says, “We’ve got this.” The attitudes flip. The hope, the possibilities come back into sight. The mountain doesn’t seem as tall. The spark erupts into a fire. The domino falls.

We will all fail. This is where we learn, grow, and teach. We will all have losses, gaps, and issues. There will be obstacles. If we allow it, our minds, our team, our company, our family will naturally live in negativity. The team becomes fearful, takes fewer risks, moves into self-preservation mode.

But an individual has the power to flip the switch, change the direction. The family, the team, the company, the world, needs that one domino who creates the positive energy, the spark who flips the momentum switch, the one that has faith.

You jump in the ocean, swim for a few minutes, turn around to look at your family and friends, and they have moved! In reality, you’re the one who moved, and you didn’t even realize it. Slowly the current moved you down the beach.

Just like the subtle movement in the ocean, has our recognition of the need for God subtly left? Have we subtly lost our dependence on God without recognition?

My grandfather lived in rural Mississippi on a cotton farm. He was fully dependent on God for everything, and I mean everything. Sure, they worked hard in the fields, but, at the end of the day, their success was dependent on God. If they did not receive good weather, they struggled for a year. Their occupation, location, and situation drove the need for God. They could depend on nothing else.

Today, dependence seems to be pointed toward our own abilities, government, maybe an organization that believes as we do, our money, etc. Subtly, we place our hope, our dependence, away from God, in fact, we fight dependence on God. If you support an issue or group of people, you are welcomed, celebrated, maybe even recognized as a thought leader. However, bring in the name of God as the answer, and the discussion changes. We naturally seem to fight dependence on God. Take in these words of David written about 3,000 years ago:

*Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from **the human race**. Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts. May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue — those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us — who is lord over us?” *Psalm 12:1-2

Jesus taught complete dependence on God. As He gave instructions to the twelve disciples before sending them out, Jesus clearly emphasized where their dependence should reside.

“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts - no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep” (Matthew 10:9-10).

Jesus told them to take no money, no protection, no change of clothing. Dependence was to be completely on God.

Lest we begin pointing fingers at others, we are all in the same boat, guilty as charged. We read the news of the day, and, without recognizing it, place our passions, our hope, our future, our dependence on one group or another. We give our all, mainly through our voices on social media and from politicians to issues to manmade beliefs. Many times, the One we are to be dependent on is left out of the discussion.

David’s words steady the soul.

*“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them.” And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times. You, Lord, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever** **from the wicked* (Psalm 12:5-7).

He will rise and keep the needy safe, protecting us forever.

We all want to be glorified.

There is an innate desire to be first, to be recognized for one’s accomplishments. I see it in my own life. I see it in my son’s life. In his mind, he is Michael Jordan. One should glorify his talents. In reality he is, well, Grif.

Any story or description of oneself can be silently twisted into self-glorification. Your introduction to the stranger, your role at the company, the accomplishments of your children, even your personal disciplines or habits.

But the recognition of grace on one’s life removes self-glorification.

Grace helps me understand that what I have, I don’t deserve. Grace helps me understand that it isn’t personal grit or talent that helped me achieve success. Grace sheds light on the impact of others on my own life.

Grace humbles. Grace creates thankfulness. Grace creates a servant’s heart. Grace delivers peace. Grace removes pressure.

Grace is undeserved, complete forgiveness.

The thing about grace is that you can’t make it happen. It just is. It is delivered as a free gift when you recognize your true self.

And it is fresh each morning.

Grace given and received creates a binding unity in families, friendships, and companies that removes self-glory.

The single greatest danger to any business, team, culture, or life is man’s desire for glory.

The desire for glory robs the unity of a company, team, marriage.

The desire to glorify oneself can hide within profits, sales numbers, team victories, titles, money, children, performance, posts, faith, you name it.

And the results are catastrophic.

Lack of peace and contentment reign, as glory is addictive. Others are torn down, as one does anything to lift themselves up or look better. And any unity that existed is destroyed.

The cure is to forcefully remove yourself from the picture.

As a practice of my faith, a way to get myself out of the picture is to glorify God. Anything good is from Him. Undeserved.

Just as important: Love others. Build others up. Let others be at the tip of your tongue. If one continually puts others on a pedestal, it is impossible to put one’s own name in lights.

Lay your life down for others this week.

Drive unity, and peace will follow.

Glory as defined by the Oxford dictionary is “high renown or honor won by notable achievements” or “magnificence or great beauty.”

The battle of life is the battle for glory.

Society glorifies people. The measure of a man is measured by how one is glorified by culture.

The world is set up this way. Position or title receives glory. Athleticism receives glory. Wealth receives glory. Talent, wisdom, material possessions, all receive glory from the world.

And the battle for glory becomes a competition, a race. We all crave this glory for ourselves, or we desire to claim this glory for our kids. We believe that we or our child should receive glory for our work, our talent, our wealth. We should not be over-looked. We need the high honor from society, so, we post and magnify our lives, striving for this glory. Our child needs honor and esteem, so we push for it.

And glory blinds. We don’t recognize it. Glory from culture creates a false sense of security, lack of humility, and a feeling of being invincible. For the spiritual, glory can create a superficial religion, checking the boxes but depending on oneself. Consider how many of fame and fortune, those in athletics, politics, pastors, or any other area of life, have been blinded by glory, only to fall. And the fall cripples as a sense of oneself has been lost.

To win the battle, and I quote Eminem, one must lose yourself.

The opposite of individual glory is humility. And only one thing humbles. Submission to God.

God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God. James 4:6,7

Paul was receiving glory in his prime. He was the leader. He had power, great wisdom. People cowered in fear in his presence. He received “high renown” and “honor.” Paul was glorified in society.

Then in a moment, he was humbled. Paul came face-to-face with a holy God. Jesus came before him in Acts 9, calling him out for his life of driving persecution against others. Paul’s only reaction, immediate submission.

The glory was no more his. In Galatians 1, Paul explains that after this conversion, he went away to Arabia, the desert, for three years. He approached no man, but spent time with God. After three years, he consults with Peter for 15 days. Then approximately 14 years later, he is called by a friend, Barnabas, to help lead the church in Antioch. There was no glory for Paul during these 14 years. His stature, position, title, respect from others, was gone. He was stripped of his personal world glory, no longer recognized for his power and achievements.

Paul had a new goal in life. His life was now about God’s glory. Paul writes the below.

*They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once** **tried to destroy.” And they praised God because of me.* Galatians 1:23, 24

Now, every action, every speech was pointed to glorifying God. At times, we read about the world trying to glorify Paul (see Acts 14 at Lystra), but every time he vehemently deflects the fame, pointing to God.

We are not Paul. Amazing conversion, amazing life submitted to God. However, as difficult as it may seem, we are called to the same thing. Remove world glory and submit to God. Let God’s name be glorified through any achievement, any work, any talent, any victory.

The Bible repeats this call over and over.

*In the same way, let your light shine before others**, that** they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. *Matthew 5:16

*Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship. *Romans 12:1

*for you were bought with a price. **So** glorify God in your body. *1 Corinthians 6:20

The great missionary Jim Elliot said, “Lord, make my way prosperous, not that I achieve high station, but that my life may be an exhibit to the value of knowing God.”

In a court of law, we would all stand guilty taking glory, craving the glory, the worship of our fellow man.

But this was the reason for the cross. We are guilty, so we are to give glory to the only one who can remove the guilt.

Is something causing you strife or unrest in your life? Could it be that you are demanding glory from the world? This demand, this call for glory, will never bring peace.

Don’t let the desire for glory rob your joy.

Today, before we post, act, speak, or take glory for ourselves, let us pause and remember Him who should glorified.

Ever wake up feeling defeated? Empty. This is me as soon as I wake up. Before I open my eyes, before my feet hit the floor, my mind races, flooded with issues, gaps, fears, shortcomings, failures, problems, all that is wrong in the world, in my life.

I go through the list in mind. My marriage. All good here? How about my children? Are each of them flourishing? And work. Is it going great? Any issues? My extended family. Everyone okay? How are my friends, my church, you name the area, it comes to mind.

My mind is racing, and I am examining each area. I want each to receive the “all good” checkmark.

And this is never the case.

So as I always do, I grab my morning cup of coffee and sit down to read God’s Word. My reading plan brings me to 1 Corinthians 13. The topic this morning is “love.”

Perfect. This is what I need. I grab my journal, ready to create my list of how I can love perfectly. I shall be fulfilled by how well I love today! Let’s go!!

First, I read 13:1 through 13:3.

*If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.*

Ok. Got it. Faith, giving, service, without love, is nothing, empty. I must love well.

Next, verse 4.

*Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.*

Well. Need to work on patience for sure. I give myself a B on others. Okay. Patience goes on my list. I’ll be patient to others today. On to verse 5.

*It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.*

I don’t think I am rude? I do have some issues with giving grace maybe. Put it on the list. No records of being wrong today. I’ll work on patience and grace.

This is going great! I can do this.

Now, verse 6.

*Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.*

Nailed these. I hate injustice, don’t we all. And I love truth.

Then verse 7.

*It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.*

“ALWAYS.”

I put my pen down. The list stops. No check marks. Only gaps flood my mind. This is where I realize, this is impossible. I can’t. “Always” isn’t happening. “Always” never happens. No manmade list can achieve “always.”

The best developed plan to accomplish love is doomed for failure. No list exists that can be accomplished daily to obtain perfect love. A list is like Groundhog Day, the movie. I wake up, make my list, fail, and think “I’ll do better tomorrow.” Tomorrow comes, same result.

There is only one answer.

*Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. *John 15:13

There was One that laid His life down for us. To purely love others, I must receive the love from Him. I am then like a prism, reflecting Him. The only way I can love is if He does it through me. My man-made list needs to turn to focus on Him. Only then will I truly love.

I can’t, He can. I must decrease, and He must increase. Stop trying, start trusting.

Pressure off. Put down the list and look to Him.

*And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. *1 Corinthians 13:13

In the midst of the persecution of the church, soon after Paul had been forced to leave Thessalonica, he pens these words to his friends.

“Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 ESV

The church was being radically persecuted. People were being imprisoned, killed for what they believed. They needed a game plan, a strategy for what they should do, how they would win the war.

Paul’s answer was to depend on God.

Notice how he begins each sentence.

• Verse 11, “May our God and Father” – direct our way • Verse 12, “May they Lord” – increase your love for others • Verse 13, “He May” – establish or strengthen your hearts

Paul’s life had been one of complete dependency on God. In and out of prisons, stoned, forced to leave cities, ship-wrecked, Paul had lived a true life on the run. He bounced from city to city facing hardship everywhere he went as he shared the Gospel.

From the time he met Jesus, Paul knew know other way to do life other than completely trusting God. He was lifeless, powerless, hopeless without this dependency.

The same is true of us; however, we don’t recognize the need to depend on God.

The parable of the sower in Matthew 13 cites one of our main problems, “the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches.”

The things of this world naturally pull us away. Be it money, material possessions, worry over work, concern about health, anxiety over wondering if one is good enough, over and over we are pulled to depend on ourselves. So much is out of our control, but we take over the steering wheel without even noticing.

So how do we get in the habit of naturally depending on God?

Live a life that revolves around Scripture. Biblical truth must permeate your mind, your soul.

*“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”* Hebrews 4:12 ESV

“but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:2-3 ESV

Through His Word, God provides strength, clarity, and peace. Through His Word, God communicates, encourages, directs, and gives hope. Through His Word, God calls us to depend on Him.

And only when we depend on Him do we find true, everlasting peace.

*“**Peace** I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”* John 14:27 ESV

Just run to Him.

Within the year of leaving Egypt, the people arrive on the outskirts of the promised land. They had seen God work in incredibly powerful ways. He parted the Red Sea so that the people could escape certain death by the Egyptians. God led the people with a “pillar of cloud” during the day and a “pillar of fire” by night. He provided food and water through miracles, as the people camped in the desert. God was permanent and visible to the people.

The band of Israelites arrive at the border of Canaan, the land that God had promised them. Imagine the excitement, the anticipation of arriving. Sure, the previous journey had been hard, but God had been with them, led them, supported them. Now, He was giving them the promised land.

Moses told the people, “See, the Lord is giving you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

The stage is set. The victory is theirs for the taking.

Twelve spies, one from each tribe, were sent ahead to check out the land. Moses gave them a checklist to keep top of mind. See what the land is like, who are the people, what kind of towns do they have, is the soil good, are there trees, and “do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” The spies left excited, trusting God. Imagine the anticipation. They couldn’t wait to see the land that God had promised them.

After 40 days, they returned. As Moses had requested, they came carrying fruit from the land. The fruit was unlike any they had ever seen. In fact, it was too big to carry, so they carried it on a pole between them. I imagine the people watching the 12 men come from the distance, carrying the fruit. I vision a celebration breaking out in anticipation of the land they were about to enter.

The men began giving an account of land, starting with the fruit. “The land did flow with milk and honey,” they exclaimed. They showed the fruit as exhibit A.

BUT …

The message turned. The Israelites listened, as the spies told them about the inhabitants of the land. They were powerful. “We are like grasshoppers” to these people. There is no way we can take the land from these people. And the towns are fortified, very large, virtually impossible for us to capture. The spies called for a change of plans. As God is left out of the picture, hurdles are magnified.

Joshua and Caleb, 2 of the 12 spies, did not agree. Sure, the people were powerful, but Joshua and Caleb pointed to God. “We can certainly take the land, as God is with us.”

In their eyes, God was greater than the hurdle.

The hurdle you face today, the one that has caused worry, fear, prayer, can be insurmountable without God. But He can change your perspective, gives you hope, and peace. And that change in perspective changes others.

Depend on Him, not your abilities.

*“And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” *Mark 8:31-38

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

A follower of Jesus must submit to the authority of God, and His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8- 9). Often times, this means that we don’t understand how He is working. It doesn’t make sense to us.

Peter left his job as a fisherman and began following Jesus. As a friend of Jesus, Peter was in a very small, inner circle. He had a front row seat to the Jesus, he boldly recognized Jesus as the “Messiah,” the Christ.

Being the passionate follower of Jesus, Peter could not handle the prophecy that Jesus would be killed by the chief priests, elders, and teachers of the law. Peter would not have it. It did not make sense. Peter would defend Jesus at all costs.

Jesus rebuked him. Peter wanted his will over God’s plan, but he had to learn that God’s ways are not our ways.

God’s plan was for Jesus to die and after 3 days rise again, thereby saving multitudes. God’s plan was perfect.

Romans 12:2 says to “let God transform your mind, so that you learn to know His will, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Even when we don’t understand, submit to God. He has the best plan for your life.

Efficiency is the enemy.

Yes, I ripped that sentence from Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday, one of my all time favorite books. I always thought that ego was the greatest enemy, but I have now found a rival.

This morning, I read that Thomas Merton was asked to diagnose the leading spiritual disease of our time. His answer stopped me. Efficiency.

Everywhere I turn in the Bible, the opposite of efficiency is true. The Bible seems to teach inefficiency. The people in God’s Word seem inefficient.

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1,2

Walk in the way of love. As my pastor shared, “you can’t love while you run.” Nope. You have to slow down.

*As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”*

*“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered**, ”you** are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed — or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” *Luke 10:38-42

Mary had things in perspective. She slowed down. She moved at God’s pace.

The same speed is mirrored in the life of Jesus. Imagine this situation as a dad.

*Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. *Luke 8:41-42

The dad was desperate. Hurry, Jesus. Come save my daughter. Jesus went with the man.

*As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.*

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, ”Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” Luke 8:42-44, 47-48

On the journey to see the dying little girl, Jesus stopped in the midst of the crowd, ministered to the woman, changed her life, commended her faith. And, afterwards, he arrived at the sick girl’s house seemingly too late as she had died. But Jesus healed, as the 12-year-old girl rose from life to death.

Jesus walked everywhere. Never running. Never in a hurry.

*David wrote, “Be still and know that I am God.” *Psalm 46:10

When God was directing the life of Paul, He promised that he would be going to Rome. Well, 7 years later, after jail, a shipwreck, fighting for his life through 6 court defenses, he arrives. What happens when he arrives? Acts 28 tells us that the people flock to him to hear his message, “day and night.” Over that 7 years, through all those events, Paul sprinkled the message of Jesus to different people. Then in Rome, he is given audience after audience. God’s pace.

Those are just a few examples, but we could go on-and-on. In fact, I would go as far as saying that time is irrelevant in the Bible. The Bible says that, “with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (2 Peter 3:8)

This may be the greatest news that some of us could hear today.

Maybe you are in the 4th quarter of life. God works in that quarter. God came to Paul in the 4th quarter of his life to go to Rome to deliver the message of Christ. God wasn’t worried about his age, He just knew he had an obedient warrior. Same could be said of Moses, as he was called to save the Jewish slaves at age 80. He was obedient.

Maybe you are in the 1st quarter, wondering what to do with your life.

*Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. *1 Timothy 4:12

David was about 13 when he was uniquely selected by God to fight Goliath. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a teenager when she was selected.

Time (and age) are irrelevant to God.

Exemplifying God’s pace impacts others.

A mentee of Adrian Rogers shared a story once about this incredible man of faith. Although Dr. Rogers passed away in 2005, his ministry is still reaching people today. The mentee was asked the most remarkable thing about Dr. Rogers. Surprisingly, his response was nothing about his ministry, but, rather, he talked about how he moved slowly through the room. He shared a story about Dr. Rogers and him being at an event, trying to leave, as they were late for another appointment. Well, as they walked through the crowd, people constantly stopped Dr. Rogers, came up to shake his hand, and say a few words. As the mentee looked at his watch, with every person, Pastor Rogers stopped, looked them in the eye, made a new friend, and loved. He could have cared less about time. God’s pace.

I was once in southern Colombia, in the Amazon Jungle. Life was slow here. Conversations were long, lunches were longer, and dinners, well, pack a lunch. I have a picture engrained in my mind of an elderly man with his Bible on the front screened porch at the hotel where I stayed. Mid-morning, every day, the man would sit with his Bible spread before him and a cup of coffee. Day after day, this was the man’s life. It was hot, humid, muggy, and, midday each day, the man was hunched over, digging in to Scripture. This man was there, focused, at the throne of grace, every day. Time had stopped for him. Time was irrelevant. He was living his best life.

He impacted my life. As I rush, efficiently through each day, I want to be a bit like this man. Attentive, obedient, moving at God’s pace. I want my kids to see me moving at this pace.

But I can’t, because technology has made me more efficient. I have everything, every bit of information, every person I need to get in contact with, at the tip of my finger. I can make things happen quick. I can activate.

But there is a voice in the wilderness.

Be still and know that I am God.

Move at God’s pace.

Don’t trust the process. Trust God. The process is in His hands.

*Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for your life in Christ Jesus. *1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

Recognize that God controls the circumstances. The circumstances are God’s will for you, His plan for your life. Don’t look at your circumstances, look at God.

And while we travel, we have a guide, a friend, a counselor, the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the disciples that it was good for him to leave because then they would receive the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16 says to “let the Holy Spirit guide your life.”

But we naturally try to control the circumstances. We push, pull, fight, not trusting, not believing that God has you in His hands in the midst of the process. We lose our focus on Jesus.

Peter found himself on a rough sea, scared to death. He looks out at the choppy water and sees Christ who tells him to walk to him. Fully trusting Him, Peter leaps out of the boat, locks eyes with Christ, and starts walking toward Him. But when Peter looks down and sees the chaotic water around him, he begins to sink. He lost focus on Jesus and began to sink. His focus on the wrong thing, the circumstances, caused him to sink.

This is us. We focus on the wrong thing. We focus on the circumstances, which many times are the standards that the world has placed upon us. Culture has a way of making one believe that a certain path needs to be traveled, that one has to change into a different person to be accepted, reach certain milestones by a specific age, be accepted by certain people, or even act a certain way. When we follow the world’s standards, we don’t trust that God has the best plan, we lose trust in God, and we quit or try to make it happen on our own.

The battle begins. The battle takes place in the mind. Bitterness, regret, jealousy, anger, an emotional roller coaster.

But God can steady the ship. He literally did this with Peter. As the storm raged, he quieted the waters with three simple words, “peace be still.”

The battle has been won. It is over, finished on the Cross. No need to keep fighting and controlling. God has the circumstances.

When He controls, there is an outpouring of love. All the internal emotions turn to an outpouring of love toward others, loving our neighbor as ourself, the second greatest command from Christ.

*Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. *1 Corinthians 13:4-8

When one takes the urge to control and turns it to love for others, people notice and God is glorified. We impact others.

*In the same way, let your light shine before others**, that** they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. *Matthew 5:16

You become a light in the midst of the process. You bring God into the middle of the process. And in the middle of the process, you find joy.

Let go!

This week, I heard a man tell the story of a construction manager who was hired to build the foundation of the tallest building in Oklahoma City. The foundation took 4 years to build.

The foundation of a skyscraper can range from 65 to 165 feet, with some reaching 325 feet. Imagine a football field of construction under a building.

A solid foundation requires depth. Only then can a tall building securely stand.

This is true of any area of our life.

If we want to go higher, we must go deeper.

Any relationship requires depth to go higher. A solid marriage has a deep foundation. A strong marriage requires time. Years of marriage, years of time spent together through thick and thin, strengthens the core.

Success at work requires depth, consistent learning, consistent hunger. Otherwise, one plateaus. If one wants to elevate their position, spend time on the foundation. The foundation isn’t built over night.

To grow faith, it requires one to spend time going deep, time spent alone with God. A shallow foundation will never serve as an anchor needed on the journey.

A marathon runner runs 40 to 70+ miles a week for months to run the 26.2 miles in the race. The race requires a strong foundation. The foundation gives one the strength to keep going when the mind wants to quit.

The desire is to get the glory without the foundation. Praise without depth, the work done in the dark, results in lack of humility. When one knows the work that has been put in, one is humbled by the process. Ask any entrepreneur.

Foundational work is done in the dark, when no one sees. There is no glory in building the foundation. The spotlight is not on the person building in the trenches.

Foundations take time. Foundations prepare one to leave a meaningful legacy. Strong foundations impact others. Depth naturally builds confidence, preparing one for the journey ahead.

If you are struggling in any area, if you want to go higher in life, go deeper. Spend time doing the deep work.

Day by day, out of the spotlight, build the foundation. Others will be impacted.

Jacob was the grandson of Abraham, the son of Isaac, a man who received the covenant directly from God. As you read about the life of Jacob, you see that God consistently surrounds him.

In Genesis 32, we find Jacob in a state of fear over his life. He ran to his Anchor in prayer. Toward the beginning of his prayer, Jacob made this statement to God:

I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant (Genesis 32:11).

Jacob told God he was not worthy of the mercy he had received. If you know the story of Jacob, you can understand why he would make this statement.

One word describes his early life: deception. He deceived his dad, his brother, and his father-in-law for personal gain. He cheated and lied his way to wealth.

Jacob confronted God, knowing his past, full of humility, knowing that he did not deserve mercy.

Jacob’s life is a picture of the way followers approached God in the Bible, full of humility. Without fail, all felt the same as Jacob: “I am not worthy.”

Take Moses. When first approached by God, the Bible says, “At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.” When God told him what he wanted him to do, Moses said, “Who am I that I should go?” Why would Moses say this? Because he knew his past. He had murdered a man.

How about Paul? He was miraculously approached by God, changing his life. Here’s what Paul said about his life:

“‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him’” (Acts 22:19-20).

When God came to Paul, knowing his past, Paul was bewildered. He was insinuating, “Who am I to go tell others about God?”

Perhaps the greatest picture of this humility can be found in Isaiah 6:5-8, where we see Isaiah approaching the throne of God.

*“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”*

*Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”*

*And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”*

Isaiah approached God full of humility, finding himself unworthy. God forgave his sin, took away his guilt. At this, Isaiah was compelled to follow Him, to go on God’s behalf. In a few verses, Isaiah flipped from “I am not worthy” to “Here I am. Send me.”

When you understand who you are as a human, there is only one response when approaching a holy God: “Who am I?”

When you understand the grace of God in your life, there is only one response when approaching a holy God: “Here I am. Send me.”

The desire is for consistent victory. The desire is for the graph of our life to be up and to the right.

And according to Mr. Enneagram, I am the world’s worst. I crave consistent “w’s.” In fact, I keep 5 regrettable losses from this year front and center in my notebook.

But a great truth of life is that growth and faith are found in the depths of the losses.

Were life to be on easy street, there would be little faith, little growth, and no humility.

And humility is a key quality when serving others.

It is impossible for arrogance to serve. Humble hearts serve.

So reflect on the losses. Ultimately, they are a gift. Let the losses help us remember to serve others.

As Kirby Smart said, “we are always a week away from being humbled.”

A wise saying to always carry with you.

If you look around today, someone you know is carrying a loss. Serve them.

Impact others.

*Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”*

*“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”*

*“Which ones?” he inquired.*

*Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”*

*“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”*

*Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”*

*When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. *Matthew 19:16-22

The rich young man approached Jesus looking for a formula to earn his way to eternal life. He wanted to have a list, check the boxes, find security in the things he had done. He wanted his works to save him. When given the commandments, he proudly exclaimed he had kept all those rules. Anything else, Jesus?

Notice how the man’s dependency on works drove his lack of humility. The rich man was so focused on his actions that he had a significant blind spot. He lacked the ability to see his shortcomings.

This is the thing about works. They make one proud, arrogant, and demanding of respect.

Our lives are built around works. We work hard to do well in school or make athletic teams. Our works help us climb the corporate ladder.

Works are magnified in the public eye, as they should be. People are recognized for works. Naturally, the by-product of works is the lack of humility.

And humility is where it falls apart with faith. To approach Jesus requires deep humility. You can’t work your way to being humble toward God.

*Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. *James 4:10

Humility toward God comes from understanding the grace given to you, personally. A scene in Isaiah gives us a great picture of humility and grace. Isaiah comes face to face with a holy God. Notice the impact.

*“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”*

*Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from*

*the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”*

*Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”*

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:5-8.

When seeing God, Isaiah immediately recognized his shortfalls. He looked at the gap between his life and God, and cried, “Woe is me!” This is a picture of humility before God, an understanding that you can’t measure up. Nothing you can do, no work, can fill this gap.

Isaiah then had his guilt taken away. Suddenly, his “sin is atoned for.” All of the gaps, the wrongs, the things that separated him from a holy God were immediately gone. This recognition causes great humility toward God.

And the result: works. Isaiah exclaimed, “Send me to do that job!” Notice the exclamation point.

The rich young ruler wanted his works to improve his position with God. He lacked humility.

Isaiah’s works were driven by the fact that God freely forgave him. His humility before God compelled him to do works.

*This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because **Joseph** her **husband** was faithful to the **law, and** yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.*

*But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”*

*All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).*

*When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. *Matthew 1:18-25

God is a God of miracles.

From the beginning in Genesis, to the end in Revelation, He works miracles.

The birth of Jesus is the miracle above all miracles. The virgin birth was told about, prophesied, many times in the Old Testament (i.e., Isaiah 7:14) and now it happened.

The Bible doesn’t tell us a lot about Jesus’ parents. Mary was a teenager, and Joseph was a carpenter. And to believe the angel, Mary and Joseph had great faith, like astounding faith. Faith that the prophecies written about for thousands of years was about to happen. It seems we should celebrate their faith!

But Mary and Joseph are not the focus of the story. Jesus is the focus. God came to earth. The earthly parents move to the background. The focus is squarely on Christ.

This is true for the entirety of the Bible. The focus of the Bible was, is, and always will be on Jesus. Every story, every scene, has a purpose, to point us to Christ.

Let the same be true of us today. Let us move to the background and allow the focus of our lives also be about Christ, the miracle that came to earth.

John the Baptist, a man that walked with Jesus, said, “I must decrease, and He must increase.”

May we say the same thing today.

We can never serve others wells by putting ourselves on a pedestal. Move to the background.

“I am not worthy.”

“I feel safe.”

“There is so much more I can do.”

“I am thankful.”

Last night, one by one, the recipients of our company value awards said a few words. And one-by-one, each of the individual gave all in the room a picture of what it means to live an others-centric life.

For those lucky enough to be in the room last night, we walk away compelled to put our heart and soul into living the values in service to others. This night changes the game. It is a picture of why we do what we do. The values aren’t just words on paper, but who we are.

As our attentions wander, we become connected to the less meaningful. Connected digitally. Connected to people on screens. Connected to things, material possessions that define us. But perhaps, most of all, we become connected to personal glory.

Momentum, joy, inspiration, and motivation occur when we remove glory from ourselves to impact others. When we shine the light and serve others, when we fade to the background, when we magnify the lives of others, we are deeply fulfilled.

Last night, I was reminded that others-centric people create others-centric cultures.

Impact others by emptying yourself.

Leviticus. I feel I need to give you some insight into why I am writing about Leviticus. I am reading through the Bible in a year. Part of my reading today Leviticus. I know what you’re thinking. Grab the coffee before you read Leviticus. I get it, but I have found if you take your time, read slowly, God speaks through every part of His Word. My challenge is slowing down in a frantic world to read slowly.

Leviticus was written about 3,000 years ago, give or take 500 years. Not important for this blog, but, the point is that it was written a long time ago. Moses writes in Leviticus 4 and 5 about sins committed against a holy God and how the people were to correct their wrong doing, make atonement, through sacrificial ceremonies.

The people had very detailed offering ceremonies depending on the situation. Over and over, Moses lays out a situation, then talks through the sacrificial ceremony. God is holy, expected holiness from his people, if not, they were to make atonement for the sins through the shedding of innocent animal blood, the sacrificial ceremonies.

*“If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the Lord’s commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them, if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the Lord for a sin offering.” *Leviticus 4:2

The word “unintentional” caught my eye this morning. Each situation in Leviticus 4 and 5 describes unintentional actions. Repeatedly, we see the word unintentional. It is as if Moses is telling the people that they are going to go through life and sin will happen unintentionally. Moses was saying it was inevitable. But when the unintentional, inevitable did happen, God gave them a plan for correcting the wrong doing.

Reading Leviticus, for me at least, it is easy to get lost in the ceremonies and drift into a high school baseball game, thinking about the ground ball I bobbled and how I should have made that play. That is a very true statement.

Although the offering ceremonies in Leviticus can lose us at times, it is a crystal clear picture of the Bible and the Gospel. The thread, the offering of atonement that we read about in Leviticus is the thread through the entire Bible. The Bible’s message is amazingly consistent.

The idea of unintentional, inevitable wrong doing in each of our lives is as true today as it was 3,000 years ago. It happens. Daily.

Fast forward to the New Testament. Jesus has begun his ministry among the people. In Mark 2, he asks Levi (Matthew) to join his ministry.

*And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. *Mark 2:14-15

Matthew was a tax collector. That profession was known to be one where the people were deceived, treated wrong, and the collectors made a lot of money.

The heart of Jesus shines through in this story. He was found with “the sinners,” the people that the “religious” of that day shunned. Jesus was in the middle of this crowd, loving, laughing, sharing.

As Jesus moved through life, he was always among sinners, some aware of their wrong doing, some unaware or unintentionally doing wrong. The commonality of the people is that they were sinning against a holy God, the same God mentioned in the Old Testament. Only in this picture, they were not going through the sacrificial ceremony for forgiveness or atonement, making themselves right with God. There was no innocent blood shed. Little did they know, the atonement was dining at the table with them. The God man sitting at the table with them would pay the ultimate price for them.

This is the core message of the Bible. I share a few verses, but there are many.

*But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. *Romans 5:8

*He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. *1 John 2:2

*“**for** you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God” *Revelation 5:9

The innocent blood, the sacrifice in Leviticus is a picture of what Jesus did for us. He is our sacrifice for our inevitable, unintentional (or intentional) sins. The Bible is amazingly consistent.

Thank God for Leviticus that points us to Christ.

*Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. *John 15:13

*Also** a dispute arose among them as to which of them **was considered to be** the greatest.* Luke 2:24

The scene was the Last Supper. A dinner with Jesus and his 12 disciples. Those that he had walked closely with over the last 3 years. Those that had witnessed his service to humankind. Those that were eyewitness to the miracles, the healing of the blind, the paralyzed, even the dead.

At the dinner, Jesus cements a picture of service in their minds. He washes their feet to show them what they are to do for mankind. Serve others.

Once, I was with a small group headed to the Amazon Jungle to visit an orphanage. The night before we left, the leader of the trip held a prayer meeting, and he washed everyone’s feet. The room was quiet and still as he worked his way around the circle. We all looked at each other with tears in our eyes. This act of humility prepared us to completely lay our individual lives down to serve others in unity.

I imagine the room was quiet and still at the Last Supper. I imagine the lights were dim, and the men had tears in their eyes as they watched their leader humbly bow before them and wash their feet. I imagine that this event caused them to be unified that evening.

But something startling happened. Luke 22:24 says that “a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be the greatest.”

Unbelievable. After the most humbling of events, the disciples argued over who was the greatest.

And the argument has never ended among mankind. We strive to be the greatest among whoever we compare ourselves to in life. Even in service, we want to be the greatest. Even in faith, we want to be the greatest. Our kids, we want them to be the greatest. Our jobs, we want to be the greatest. It is never-ending.

It is so fitting, then, that later in the story, Jesus prays for future believers. He could have prayed for many things, like protection from persecution. But he didn’t. In John 17, Jesus prays for unity among the believers, something we still battle today.

Let me decrease and God increase.

Michael Jordan is the GOAT, of course. Not worth the debate.

“Who is the greatest,” a debate the disciples were having as they were walking down the road. The argument is not surprising. After all, this is the great debate that goes on in our minds each day without us knowing it. And this debate naturally creates division.

We are born with this deficiency.

You really see it playing out with a group of young boys. Sit in a car very long with them, and you will hear random information of arrogance spewing out.

You’ll hear about the incredible vacation they took, their sports prowess, the shot they made, the house they live in, the deer they killed, their famil y’s new car, how much their shoes cost, where they are going to college, what girl likes them, how good they are at the video game, etc. It is as if their brain goes into over-drive coming up with information that will make them look good in front of their peers. If it pops in their mind, out it comes. The most humble child turns into a conceited human worried about nothing but numero uno. And the car is raging with division.

Now, the above description is about a group of young boys, call it 12-year-olds. But this debate never ends in our life. It is as if the world has taken our deficiency and amplified a way for us to debate the question, “who is the greatest?”

Social media is a great place to carry the debate forward. Facebook and Instagram offer us a great pedestal. Scroll through the message feed. What do you see? Ever thought about why some post these messages (me included)?

Put social media in the hands of teenage girls, and the debate really rages. From sleepovers to trips to boyfriends to cars. Is it any wonder we have a mental health crisis on our hands? The quest to become the greatest makes it happen. Division rages.

Back to the disciples. They are debating the same question that is still debated today. But the interesting thing is what transpired right before the debate.

*“When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly.*

He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.” Matthew 17:14-18 NIV

The disciples had just witnessed Jesus pull a demon out of a young boy. An astounding miracle, right before their very eyes. A miracle that demanded one to be amazed, astounded, worshipful. I imagine the boy’s dad leaping for joy, falling at the feet of Christ. No doubt an emotional moment for all around.

But at some point, the disciples begin arguing about who is the greatest.

“An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.” Luke 9:46-48 NIV

The last statement of Jesus changes the debate. “For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”

When you read about the life of Jesus, you see a servant, one who was about other people. From feeding the multitudes to healing the sick to death on the cross, He was focused on others. He modeled a servant.

Imagine a young boy in the car, in the middle of the debate that flips his script to others. Congratulating, thanking, and complimenting others. Imagine that person that puts post after post on social media spotlighting others. Imagine a teenage girl out there living and serving others. We have seen it play out, and the people are a light in the darkness. In the words of Jesus, I think of these people as the greatest, the ones to be modeled. The servants of society. And for the servant, their humility breeds unity, not division.

What if for one day we were 100% about others? Every conversation, every post, every act was done with others in mind. For that one day, maybe the debate would stop. Just as arrogance gains momentum, humility does also. And humility creates unity.

Be the joy, not the burden.

Be the unifier, not the divider.

Be the light, not the point of frustration.

Be the positive, not the negative.

Be the one who binds, not the one who slanders.

Be the one who considers the weight that the leader bears, and work to lighten the load.

Never confuse submission with weakness.

The one who submits manages his emotions well. The one who submits thinks clearly. The one who submits controls the cultural current of the company. The one who submits impacts others.

Submission fuels the soul. Submission brings peace. Submission builds character and trust. Submission drives stewardship. Submission gives others a voice to emulate.

And submission is done mostly in the quiet, outside of the public eye, at the water cooler, in the hallway conversation. Submission done only on a stage is called politics.

This is rarely a message we hear, but perhaps there is no greater career and life advice, as everyone is called to submit to another authority. No one flies solo.

*“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you”* (Hebrews 13:17).

Many things cloud our vision from God. We easily become enamored with assets or issues, inadvertently changing our views, our actions, maybe even our beliefs.

Our focus moves from God to the things of this world.

“There is nothing new under the sun.” These are the words of King Solomon, whom the Bible calls the wisest person on earth. In his biography, the book of Ecclesiastes, he details what he means as he reflects on his life. His story is that of a man trying to find joy and peace from things of this world. He had no material needs in life and describes life as “meaningless,” as his quest for joy and peace ends up empty. His vision was clouded.

One thing in life immediately clears our vision. When we recognize that we have a need that can be met only by God, we see Him clearly.

Illustrated throughout the Bible, people who had a great need had clear vision. Take Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue. His twelve-year-old daughter was dying. This was a monumental need that had no worldly solution. Jairus had a laser focus on Jesus, saying, “Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” Nothing else mattered or clouded his vision. He was focused on the One who could heal. In the midst of the story of Jairus, we read about a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. She fought through the crowd to touch Jesus, saying, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”

Story after story of people with great need and great faith who came to Christ.

Then there is this story of a group of friends bringing a paralytic to Jesus. They, too, had a need.

*And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to **themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk**’ ?** But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — he then said to the paralytic —” Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. *Mark 9:2-7

Jesus clearly illustrates that we all have a need, the forgiveness of sin, and we all have it. The recognition of this need humbles and clears vision.

At one time in my life, things were clicking on all cylinders. My job was great. My family was growing, and we were in a terrific spot. It seemed that I was winning in life, and all was well. As I was gathered with a group of friends, someone asked if I had any prayer requests. I confidently exclaimed that I didn’t; life was awesome. Life was so awesome that it clouded my vision. I didn’t feel that I had any needs. Such arrogance.

Do you have cloudy vision today? Join the club, as it is a daily battle. The good news is that the recognition of your need for Jesus will clear your vision.

Turn your eyes to the One who offers clarity. Practically, just talk to him.

As we gathered in the room, about 20 of us, the leader asked everyone to give him critical feedback about his leadership. One-by-one everyone offered constructive criticism, pointing out gaps in his leadership style from their point of view. The room was focused on this individual’s negative tendencies. Great training on being comfortable with uncomfortableness, leaning into difficult conversations

The discussion emphasized the power of focus. Take the best leader, the best person, the best friend, the best spouse, the best job, the best church, and focus on the things that are wrong, the things that need improvement, the negative things, and you will quickly come up with a laundry list of issues.

While the recognition of issues, to know blind spots, is paramount to a successful business, in one’s personal life, consistently accentuating the gaps, the issues, the negatives, can destroy a family, a marriage, mental well being, and rob one’s joy in life. Recognition of blind spots by a trusted friend is a gift, but we can’t live there.

Culture calls us to consistently focus on the issues, on the negative, on the things that are not right. We do not have to try to focus on the negative, as it happens naturally to all of us.

Ever wake up and immediately feel anxiety, a feeling of being overwhelmed, maybe overcome by your failures in life, or any array of negative feelings? You put these thoughts on your back and march into the events of the day, which include kids to school, a day full of zoom meetings, decisions that need to be made, a list that needs to be checked off, then you arrive back home to hit the reset button and do it all over again.

Is there anything that points out the gaps in your life like social media? If you have teenagers that grow up in social media, you know what I mean. Any post that they read has the potential of revealing a gap in their own life. In fact, any post that any of us reads has the potential of stressing gaps in our lives.

We are constantly pulled to the negative in our life.

How do we change our focus? Perhaps there are many different ways to make it happen in the short-term, quick fixes that the world offers. But there is one sustainable, long-term, certain way to change your focus.

Approach a holy God. Coming face-to-face with a holy God, changes your focus from you to Him.

Isaiah’s focus changed in an instant as he came before God.

*In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and **lifted up**; and the train of his robe filled the temple. *Isaiah 6:1

*Immediately, Isaiah recognizes he is standing before God, and his perspective changes. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell **in the midst of** a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” *Isaiah 6:5

Isaiah’s response is the only response when standing before a holy God. And God offers grace.

*And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” *Isaiah 6:7

Isaiah’s focus changes.

*And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” *Isaiah 6:8

He receives grace, he is no longer focused on personal gaps, and he has a new purpose.

Paul had a similar experience to Isaiah.

He was an angry, violent man. Listen to this description of his life.

*But Saul (Paul), still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. *Acts 9:1-2

Then Paul came face-to-face with a holy God.

*And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him,” Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said,” I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. *Acts 9:4-5

After this experience, the rest of Paul’s life was lived on mission, telling others that the prophesied Messiah had come. Paul received grace, and his focus changed.

And Peter, he was a fisherman. He came face-to-face with Jesus during his ministry on earth, his focus changed. After meeting Christ, he had a greater purpose on this earth than catching fish. When you come face-to-face with a holy God, your focus naturally changes. His ways become your ways. His perspective becomes your perspective. His eyes become your eyes. You realize how small you are.

Does your mind ever pull you to negative things about others, maybe something that they have done or not done to you? The thoughts cause a perceived gap and the relationship suffers. I read a quote in a book by Tyler Staton that said “when our trust in God erodes, so does our intimacy with others.” If we trust God, relationships can be healed. Recognize He is in control. The shift in focus, shifts our thoughts.

We each have the opportunity to approach the holy God consistently throughout each day. To change your focus from the world to God, open His Word. The Bible will take your eyes off the negative, the gaps, and yourself, to a focus on Him. When this happens, grace is received, fear subsides, perspective changes, and gratitude arrives.

Or, simply approach God, talk to Him. There is no right or wrong way to pray. Like any friend, just talk to Him. Matthew 28:20 promises us that He is with us always. Every hour, every minute. Just ask God to change your focus.

God changed people’s focus throughout the Bible. Whenever they approached God, things changed. And God still changes focus today.

Focused on fear, a strained relationship? Feeling lack of hope or focused on past failures?

Open His Word and change your focus. Talk to Him and change your focus. Give Him an opportunity.

In her book The Unthinkable, Amanda Riley writes about how people survive in emergencies.

In the middle of the situation, people go through three stages: denial, deliberation, and action. The ones who survive move through these stages with wisdom and efficiency. Too long in the denial, and deliberation stages can cause one to miss the needed action. Bad thinking causes one to act too soon.

Awareness of the three stages can offer great insight as we make decisions in our personal and professional lives.

In our daily lives, we each have a tendency to spend too much time in a stage. Some deny too long, some get stuck in deliberation, and there are those, like me, who jump to action too soon.

I heard a wise speaker say that “the journey of life is like walking down a path at night holding a lantern. You can only see a few feet in front of you as you walk. However, when you turn around, the entire journey is illuminated.”

When one turns around to look at life’s journey, it is easy to see where too much time was taken in a particular stage, preventing action, missing the opportunity, or causing more harm than good.

We can do nothing about the past, but maybe awareness of the three stages can offer us a bit of insight into today’s decisions, both professionally and personally.

A great gift is a spouse, a friend, or a co-worker who can offer a view that shakes you, helps move you along, or helps you sit in one stage a bit longer to do the deep work. Transparency is key.

*“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate**, that** the outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. **So** you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” *Matthew 23:25-28

Jesus is speaking to the scribes and Pharisees, but he also speaking to us today.

The scribes and Pharisees were the religious ones of the day. They knew the commandments, and they were great at pointing out when others broke God’s law. Jesus said, on many occasions, how they glorified themselves among man. They wanted others to recognize and bow down to them.

They took the best seats at the banquet, said long prayers in public, and tried their best to appear worthy of man’s praise. Jesus counseled people not to mirror their lives.

I write the following in first person, as I don’t want any perception of being immune. I have the desire to appear buttoned up. In fact, as I shared my story, written in my book The Anchor, with one of my teenage daughters, she said, “Dad, you always seem so buttoned up.” Exact quote.

This is true. I want others to see that I have it all together, figured out. When people look at me, my life, my marriage, my kids, anything about me, I desire them to see a life that should be followed, admired, modeled, glorified. I think my daughter nailed it. Well, surprise: None of that is true. If you read The Anchor, you know this about me. But that doesn’t stop me from packing my briefcase this morning, heading out the door, putting on my best buttoned-up self, and greeting the world with the words, “I have it all together. Life is perfect.”

No doubt, we live in a buttoned-up society.

Social media feeds the buttoned-up ego. I constantly see my teenage daughters having to face everyone’s best on social media. The intense pressure of comparing their lives to the made-up lives they see online is constant. They must appear as buttoned up as everyone else. Who can blame them?

Why wouldn’t you publish the best stories, the coolest pictures, the greatest times for the world to see?

As social media goes, so goes every area of life.

For example: church. We want others to recognize us. We desire to be knowledgeable, always present (every time the church doors are open), and constantly serving. A buttoned-up churchgoer.

And work: We desire to be crazy busy, always winning, better than our fellow man, and we want everyone to notice our accomplishments. A buttoned-up employee.

Or parenting: We want to be known as the best, acknowledged for how we manage our family, our kids, our house, our material possessions. A buttoned-up parent.

Reread the words of Jesus to the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23. See the similarities? It’s okay. We are all in the same boat.

But also notice how Jesus showed compassion:

*“How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” *Matthew 23:37

He loves. Jesus was willing, but they were not willing to turn to Him. It was as if the pressures of their society calling them to be buttoned-up were greater than the realization they had gaps in their lives and needed a Savior.

Real, transparent lives make others feel secure enough to be real and transparent. Buttoned-up lives put pressure on others to be buttoned up. It is a choice.

Lose the buttons.

The girl at the coffee shop was wearing green tinted contacts, turning her eyes into a deep, unreal color. She had veiled her eyes, masked the real color, changing the appearance.

Shakespeare called the eyes the “windows to your soul.”

Just like the girl at the coffee shop, we mask these “windows to our souls” so that our lives appear pain free. We desire to live behind a false curtain of joy, excitement, offering the world a picture of the perfect life.

But if we could see behind the curtain, we would see the complete journey. The scars, the pain, the self-doubt, the insecurity, the imperfections. We all have these flaws in our life, but we strive, desire, and fight hard to keep them hidden.

Like the girl at the coffee shop, it is as if we must put a lens over the window of our soul. Because, the world will not accept the less than perfect. The world will not glorify the real life. The world will magnify the flaws. So we hide the shame, the wounds, the self-doubt, the battles we have fought.

But what if the curtains were open for all the world to see? What if it was okay? What if the pressure of the life hidden behind the curtain was relieved? What if you could step in the theater of life blemished versus the facade of unblemished?

We could then find joy, hope, and peace. We would look around and realize we are all the same. We are all struggling, fighting to find peace and happiness.

We all have a hole that can’t be filled.

Peter was on the beach with veiled eyes. The One who created the eyes looked in his eyes. The One who knows the past, present, and future looks into Peter’s eyes. Veiled eyes do not exist with Christ. He sees and knows all.

In Peter, he sees a man that is full of passion, jumping into conclusions and action without thought. A man that is going to deny ever knowing Him as he is being led to His death. Jesus knows that Peter will silently watch as He is being hung on the cross.

Despite all the flaws and future disobedience, Jesus calls Peter a “rock” of the church. He selects Peter and calls him to a new life as a “fisher of men.”

Grace. Jesus overlooked all the imperfections, the flaws, and accepted Peter as he was.

As we walk through life with veiled eyes, hiding our short-comings from the world, announcing our best selves, our best lives, to the social media world each day, there is One with grace with His arms wide open watching. One that understands the veiled eyes, calling us to open the curtain, to let Him in.

And when you do, the veil will be removed, the pressure will be relieved, and the hole will be filled.

Praise God that he looks through our veiled eyes and offers unending, unimaginable acceptance, undeserved grace.

Emotions are lightning bolts of energy.

Consider the negative emotions you will face every day of your life. The frustration when things don’t go as planned. The disappointment when someone lets you down, a spouse, child, friend, co- worker. The negative emotions that come with comparisons to other people. Negative emotions mean we are human.

Externally, negative emotions act as a magnet. They pull others in.

Internally, negative emotions rob joy and peace. They quietly eat at the soul, always present.

Psychological flexibility: “You acknowledge and accept your emotions, but they don’t control you.” Author Dan Sullivan

There may be no greater impact to your life, your family, your marriage, your career than psychological flexibility.

The lightning bolts of negative emotions come in suddenly. There’s n othing we can do about it.

What protects one against lightning? Staying grounded. Grounding provides “a safe and stable path for electricity to escape.”

Faith grounds negative emotions. Faith provides a stable path for negative emotions to escape.

“Faith allows you to trust the direction without needing to understand it.” Record producer Rick Rubin

It has been said that emotions are the shallowest part of our beings.

Faith is a deep river that grounds us when the negative emotions come.

Companies, families, spouses, and children need leaders who draw on faith to steady the ship, to provide stability when the storm comes, to trust when the path is uncertain.

Impact others by staying grounded.

The underdog team playing at home begins the game on fire. Emotions propel them until they run out of gas. The game goes to the one that has the strength below the emotions.

Emotions are powerful but cannot sustain us on the journey of life.

Each day, the journey will be filled with good and bad, wins and losses. If we allow our emotions to lead, we will have a roller coaster life.

Losses pull one into a negative state, sucking confidence and performance. Wins lead one to excessive celebrations leading to complacency, not fully capitalizing on the momentum. Like a sailboat without a sail, the emotions of life will toss one to and fro.

Emotions are not a solo sport. They never act in a vacuum. They radically impact others, possibly more than anything else in life. If one panics, everyone panics. If one is negative, everyone in the room is pulled down.

To create long-term, sustained performance, one needs a source deeper than emotions, an anchor below the wins and losses. The emotions will come and go as the current changes, but the anchor will hold the ship steady.

Today, each of us may be racking up wins, riding the high of positive emotions. Or we may be on the wrong end of some battles, dealing with the negative emotions. But odds are, when we look at our professional and personal lives in totality, there are highs and lows all over the field of play. This will most always be true.

Remember that emotions are temporary.

Hang onto your anchor. You need it, and others do, too.

Ever have those negative emotions well up inside you that make you feel down, disgusted, ashamed, and wondering “what is wrong?”

Those emotions that come out of nowhere, like anger, jealousy, frustration, fear, cynicism, or disgust.

This just means you’re human. Everyone has these emotions.

The important thing is what you do with the feelings.

A wise man once told me that “emotions are the shallowest part of your being.”

So true.

How many times have you been sky-high from a victory, only to have it vanish in an instant when you receive negative news?

Emotions are fickle.

Since emotions are shallow, we can control and redirect.

The key is to focus on others.

When one flips the view to impacting others positively, emotions are forced to change until momentum takes over.

Today, let the negative emotion be a trigger to impact others positively.

This will take the weight off your shoulders, build others up, and unify.

Everyone has a mask, how one wants to be perceived in society.

Our ego feeds one to maintain the mask, dress up our identity, make sure we are the head of the class, hide shame.

But every mask carries a weight. The further ones moves from reality, the heavier the weight. One must work, keep up the pace, to wear the mask, the identity created.

Remove the mask and remove the weight. You need it, others need it, and you will find rest.

The result is transparency, and this will have a domino effect. The removal of the mask will inspire others to do the same.

Live a life of complete transparency.

I had just shared my story, full of regrets, when I was asked this question:

How do you carry the burden of regrets of the past?

The answer for me: transparency.

At Harvest Group, an integrated commerce agency, we claim a Brene Brown quote: “Clear is kind.” We do our best to practice transparency in conversation. Clear communication of truth delivered with kindness.

And when applied to one’s own life, “clear is kind” or transparency can lift burdens.

Transparency of one’s life can remove the weight of regrets. Lifting the veil shows that one is human.

Attempting to display the perfect life, hide flaws, regrets, and struggles, builds a consuming weight on one’s shoulders.

A transparent leader removes the burden of regrets and struggles, giving others the freedom to follow.

“Character is more than just having principles. It’s a learned capacity to live by your principles.” Adam Grant, Hidden Potential

Having a list of core values is one thing, living by them differentiates.

Character is born by actions.

Living out values show one’s authenticity, which is in the DNA of a great leader.

Articulation of values can make a crowd admire. However, the practice of living out the values moves the crowd.

At Harvest Group, we have five core values that guide the way we do business. To us, these values aren’t words on paper but principles that we must put into practice.

As a visible display of our values, at our annual Big Meeting, we give five awards to individuals whose lives have demonstrated each principle.

To feel the energy in the room at the awards ceremony, to see the emotions on display, the celebrations by teammates, one understands the difference in just stating values and living by the underlying principles.

When a company, a brand, or a person lives by the values they articulate, character is developed, equity is built, and people follow.

Great character moves people.

But to live out the stated vales 100% of the time is impossible.

This is why we need grace. Grace for ourselves and for others.

In fact, grace may be the value that impacts others the most.

“ Character is often confused with personality, but they’re not the same. Personality is your predisposition, your basic instincts for how to think, feel, and act. Character is your capacity to prioritize your values over your instincts.” Adam Grant in Hidden Potential

It is a gift to recognize the seasons of weather.

We prepare for the change. We know the season will come, when it will come, how long it will last. We look forward with eagerness and optimism.

The stability of predictable weather seasons provides time for preparation.

But the seasons of life aren’t quite as predictable.

Businesses will go through seasons. There will be times of profit, times of scarcity, times that require endurance.

Teams will go through periods of winning seasons that seem like they will last forever. But the valleys will come. Change is inevitable.

Marriages will go through green pastures and difficult storms. Personal health will have a high tide and a low tide. A career will be a roller coaster of high seasons and low seasons.

The emotions of each season can wreak havoc.

The winning season leads to the idea that it will last forever. The profits will continue. The perfect team will never change. The performance will remain at the peak. The joy and peace of mind that I feel today will be perpetual. Complacency sets in.

The tough season can lead to fear and anxiety. It can lead to regret and remorse, the idea that you caused the season. Difficult seasons can lead to desperation, thoughts that you have lost control.

But emotions are the shallowest part of our being.

Through each season, let values be your north star.

Your values are what you stand for at your core, who you are in the quiet of the room.

Values can be a guide through the seasons.

During the seasons of plenty, values can keep you grounded. During seasons of scarcity, values can give you room for optimism. Values can give you purpose in the middle of the storm. Values can help you capitalize on the times of peace, avoiding complacency.

Although we never know when the seasons will come and go in life, just like for the weather seasons, we can prepare. We can know our values. We can have our values settled in our souls prior to the journey.

Because, ultimately, values will produce a consistency of life that leaves a legacy.

Reset your emotions; remember your values. A daily battle.

*And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. *Mark 6:5-6

As Jesus was preaching, teaching, and healing, he came to his hometown. They questioned his validity and refused Him. He marveled at their lack of faith.

Immediately following this story, the Bible gives a picture of the opposite end of the spectrum. Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs to teach, preach, and heal. Notice his instructions for the mission.

He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff — no bread, no bag, no money in their belts — but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. Mark 6:8,9

Jesus implied to put all their trust, their faith in God. Take no food, no luggage, no money, and no change of clothes. Take nothing, just complete faith. The result?

*And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. *Mark 6:13

God does work through those who have faith in Him.

Not that God cannot work through anyone to make His plans come to fruition, but, as in the story above, the Bible is clear that God works through faith-filled people.

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from hereto there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20.

Before he passed away, my dad and I used to talk about faith. Genesis 1:1, blew his mind. Me, too. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Adrian Rogers used to say that if you can get past this verse, you have the rest of the Bible licked.

Our discussions would normally lead us to Hebrews 11, called “the faith hall of fame.” A week after Dad passed, I went for a long jog through the woods, and found a crumpled piece of paper with these words on it.

*And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. *Hebrews 11:6

The framed piece of paper sits on my desk today. This verse says you don’t please God without faith. It is impossible. I wonder how many times I go through life without faith making it impossible to please my Father?

Continue reading in Hebrews 11, and some of the greatest people of Bible are listed. Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, etc., but the emphasis is not on the individual. The emphasis in on their faith, as each description of the person begins with “by faith.” The implication is that without

faith, none of the works would have happened.

But faith can easily be twisted into a works based, legalistic religion. For example, people may try to out-perform one another through their work, showing “great faith.” Or, out teach another. Or, have the deepest knowledge of the Bible. Maybe, long, dramatic prayers in public to show great faith. Or, Bible reading each morning to check the box. Or, giving. Give the most with the motive of proving your faith. All of the above can be great works of faith, done with the right motive, the right heart.

The right heart is driven by the recognition that faith is a free gift of God. Faith is given, completely free. It isn’t earned by anything we do.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians2:8-9

Think about the calling of the first disciples, for example, Matthew and Peter. Jesus chose each individual, walk up them, and said “follow me.” They followed.

Matthew was a tax collector, no doubt had plenty of money, and followed. Peter was a fisherman. He left his job to follow. They were given faith to follow.

Faith is mysterious. Faith is given as a free gift, and, it is through this faith that God does amazing works. And with faith, dangers exist on both ends of the spectrum. Is my life void of any great works? Then I have a right to question my faith. Am I comparing my great works to others? Then I have a to question my heart.

There is no such thing as arrogant faith.

Faith should humble. The thought that a holy God would give one the free gift of faith should compel one to work for Him, to serve.

Humility in the heart, humbled by a holy God, ignites faith.

As a dad of three kids, to say my first trip to Colombia freaked me out is an understatement. The thought of leaving my family behind, headed to the middle of the Amazon Jungle for a week, made me quite uneasy. I wrote about my mindset prior to leaving for that trip in my book, The Anchor.

The day before my trip, I went to Walmart to pick up some suggested items: a flashlight, insect repellant, sunscreen, and snacks. After I pulled into the parking lot, I sat in my car and began to pray. I soon found myself crying as I told God that I felt alone, I was scared, and I needed him. My fear was driven by the fact that I did not believe that I would see my family again.

I prayed for each member of my family, starting with my wife, then the kids. In my mind, I handed my kids over to God. I told him, “They are yours.” I vividly remember a thought of his saying to me, “Finally! I can handle your kids much better than you.” I told God that I needed some encouragement. I literally felt like I was going insane, talking to myself, crying, desperate for hope.

I finished my prayer by praying more specifically for a person to encourage me. Then I stepped out of my car, fully expecting to bump into someone from my Bible class. I just knew God would help me. Instead, as I was walking into Walmart, a guy walked right in front of me, cutting me off and stopping me in my tracks, and acted as if he didn’t see me. How rude. I went in the store, gathered the recommended items for my trip, and found my place in a long checkout line.

I was shaken and empty.

While I was standing there, a guy standing a few people in front of me turned around and called out, “Where are you headed?” I thought he was crazy. I quietly responded that I was going on a trip, all the while thinking, Settle down, brother. Stop being so loud!

Well, the guy apparently didn’t get enough information from my response. He stepped out of line and moved back in line beside me. He said that he saw my insect repellant and was wondering where I was going. I should buy the clip-on version, he said. It worked great.

Is this really happening? I thought. Please just leave me alone.

He continued asking me about my trip, and I told him that I was going on a mission trip. He asked, “Where?” When I told him Colombia, his eyes lit up.

I, then, recognized the strange guy. He was the one who had walked in front of me when I was entering the store.

He went on to tell me that he had been going on mission trips to Venezuela, a country neighboring Colombia. He told me all of the remarkable ways he had seen God working. He was an optometrist who took glasses to the poor, literally changing people’s lives giving the gift of clear vision. As he told me the story about this one little girl who had not been able to see prior to receiving glasses, he began to tear up. Listening, I began to tear up too.

By the time we arrived at the register, we were both so shaken that I am not sure who paid for

what. I heard a few more stories before we parted ways, and I told him that God had sent him to encourage me.

That exchange was one of the most amazing ways I have seen God immediately answer a prayer in my life. After that visit, I was all in. I now knew the truth of Matthew 28:20, where Jesus says that he is always with us, and I knew what Job meant in verse 42:5 when he says, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”

I thought that God had literally sent an angel to minister to me, but years later, I would bump into this same man, around the same place in that same Walmart.

On that day I stopped him and asked him if he was an optometrist who took mission trips to South America. He affirmed my guess. When I told him how he had blessed me, however, he was perplexed. He doesn’t remember that conversation a bit. God works in mysterious ways.

I try not to get overly spiritual when I talk about that moment. All I can say is the events happened just as I wrote them above. And I do cling to the promise of Him being able to care for my kids better than me. He has them.

As the story above illustrates, sometimes I do think God is speaking to me. Maybe in prayer or maybe through another person or event. However, to be completely honest though, I am never 100% certain that it is actually God speaking. I would say I am more like 50% certain. But when I read the Bible, I am100% certain. In fact, He has spoken the words in Scripture. And perhaps the most comforting thing about God is that His words, His promises always come to fruition. If He speaks it, “it” happens.

For example, back in Genesis 12, God made a promise to Abram / Abraham.

*The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 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 12:1-3

*God promises a forever blessing on Abraham’s family. Later, in 2 Kings 13, long after Abraham had passed away, his extended family, the nation of Israel, is being severely oppressed by Syria. God does not **completely destroy** Israel, pointing to His promise. But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence. *2 Kings 13:23

God always protected a remnant of Abraham’s family because of His promise in Genesis 12.

The same holds true today. His promises always come to fruition. The security, the anchor of His promises are a treasure to behold.

As I mentioned, I am about 50% certain of God speaking through events or people or situations in my life, but, when I read the Bible, I am 100% certain. The words in the book are promises to me. The Bible is full of promises from God that will come to fruition, 100% certain. These promises are

an anchor in the storms of life. They are practical, useful to carry us each day. For example, a simple yet profound promise that I cling to daily follows

*“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” *Matthew 28:20

A simple, profound promise. God is with me always. And with my wife and my kids. Knowing this truth, as David says, I will not be shaken.

*I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him **at** my right hand, I will not be shaken. *Psalm 16:8

The Bible is full of promises like this to you, to me, to my kids, to the world. As truth in the world becomes more and more mirky and grey each day, we have a book of promises that will come to fruition from God. Personal, practical promises to carry you through each day.

His Words are an anchor in the storm.

If you had one message to give to the world, what would it be?

Tattoos are a message to the world. Some are carefree, like the Greek symbols that I saw prominently displayed on an older man’s ankle last night. Oops, wish I would have held off on that one. Some are beautiful art, amazing portraits displayed on the skin. Dennis Rodman comes to mind.

But sometimes tattoos seem to carry a message to the world, almost a deep writing of the soul. Deeply held beliefs are displayed on the skin for the world to see. Look closely and one can pick up the latest cultural movements, thoughts that have gained momentum in society, from some tattoos.

A few years ago, I saw a billboard prominently displayed across an individual’s back that read, “there is no such thing as absolute truth.” I suppose that if you asked many people today if truth is relative, you would get a very high percent of head nods in agreement. In society today, truth depends on the situation, there is no black and white. Man makes up the truth, redefining old cultural norms that are outdated. No doubt, this particular tattoo screamed what was happening in culture.

This week, I saw a more personal reflection on a lady’s forearm.

“I am enough.”

The tattoo, stamped on the forearm of the lady, screamed at me. A personal statement, a seemingly motivating statement for the individual. I wondered what had happened in her life to proclaim this reminder to herself and the world. Maybe she had traveled a tough road, made it through some difficult trials. Maybe she has low self-esteem, and this is a reminder for her of who she is. Maybe this thought gave her motivation to make it through another day. A glance at her forearm, and the words give her strength.

With the world’s worship of beauty and brawn, I do love the thought of “I am enough.” As I reflect on my kids, I want them to know that they are enough.

Especially concerning my daughters, I don’t want social media to define them. They are enough.

But there is more to the story. In reality, when you think about it, I am never enough. When you focus on “I,” there is always a hole. Sure, one may have a short-term fix, a quick motivating thought to propel forward, but long-term there will always be a gap in your inner-most being. Jobs, popularity, money, material possessions, a spouse, a friend, health, strength, intelligence, talents, all of these are short-term fixes for an eternal problem.

Man was not created to “will” oneself to completeness. Sooner or later, every person will be alone with their thoughts, their view of the world, their unique situation. It is in these moments when we one realizes that they are not enough. The roller coaster of life, the highs and lows, the consistent inconsistencies will wear the strongest down.

Christ came with a message of completeness. A message that we alone are not enough.

Early in his ministry, we see Jesus stop in Samaria to get water at a well. He has an interaction with a Samarian (non-Israelite) woman, with her saying, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samarian woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” (John 4:9)

*Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal **life.”** *John 4:13-14

The woman was a Samaritan, and “Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” Jesus cut through that world view and strikes up a conversation. But dig deeper, and we learn a bit more about the woman. She had weathered the storms of life. She had five previous husbands, now working on her sixth. Certainly, there was great pain in the different relationships. The woman approached the well wearing the battle scars of life. None of her relationships had work. She had a hole, and, the relationships were not filling the gap.

The same is true of us. Alone, we are not enough. Nothing in the world will fill the gap. The world will make us believe we are enough, but, sooner or later, reality will hit as we realize nothing provides peace or satisfies the soul. All worldly fixes for peace are short-lived, never bringing rest.

*“He must increase, but I must decrease.” *John 3:30

This is a message from John the Baptist, as he met Jesus face-to-face for the first time, recognizing Him as the promised Messiah. The statements John made surrounding John 3:30 clearly paint the picture that he could do nothing without Jesus. John knew the key, the One that controlled all, the answer was Jesus. John’s tattoo might read, “I am not enough.”

Back to that opening question. If you had one message to give the world, what would it be? One thought that would solidify your legacy. One message to leave to those you loved most. This is why I wrote The Anchor.

“To be known” is a popular cry in our culture, catching momentum from the words of some of today’s popular authors and speakers. Everyone desires to be noticed, recognized, known, revered, respected, treated like they belong. This desire shows up everywhere in culture, from social media to business to sports teams. We all desire to be known.

But there is a deeper, foundational truth much greater than the desire to be known by our fellow man. A truth independent of mankind. A truth that, if recognized, changes your mindset, your soul, the trajectory of your life.

God knows you.

From beginning to end, this is the story of the Bible. God does not live independently from man. God created, knows, and lives with man.

David said this about God.

*O Lord, you have **searched** me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I **rise up**; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. *Psalm 139:1-10

*“And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.” *Mark 8:27-30

Jesus turned His attention from the crowds, looking the disciples in the eyes, with a very direct question.

But what about you? Who do you say I am?

For the first time, Peter calls Jesus the Christ, the Messiah. Not a prophet, a teacher, a miracle worker, but the One prophesied in the Old Testament. Peter believed that Jesus was the Son of God. This changed Peter’s life.

Jesus always asked direct questions. He had a way of quieting the commotion around, cutting through the shallows to the deep heart issues. The one-on-one questions we see throughout the Bible were penetrating, like the rich young ruler or the woman caught in adultery or any of the conversations with the Pharisees.

There was always purpose in His words.

And for Peter that day, the question was asked to make sure that Peter fully understood who He was. He was the Messiah that had been prophesied since the beginning of time.

Those same penetrating conversations happen with us. Jesus cuts through the shallow to address our deep heartfelt concerns, questions, and fears. Most often He will do this through His Word.

The call for us is to get alone, quiet the noise, sit at His feet, and read the Bible.

When we do, belief will get personal. One never returns from the conversation without being changed.

How do you introduce yourself when meeting someone?

Maybe job title, accomplishments, or even honors you have received. We all have something in that intro that we use to draw immediate equity, honor, respect.

Our self-worth can get tied up in that introduction. That becomes our identity. If we lose that identity, we struggle.

It was different for Mary Magdalene about 2,000 years ago.

She had an identity she wanted to lose. Her identity was not one that brings pride. She had no background to share, no accomplishments. She had lived a life of torment, no peace. Hope, joy, and happiness had been destroyed by the demons of life.

But Jesus miraculously cleansed her. He gave her new life. His compassion ran through her veins.

Mary Magdalene’s identity changed immediately. I imagine that when a person met Mary after that experience, she beamed with grace and compassion as she told her background. All credit to Jesus.

And she never left his side, forever compelled to follow Him, caring for Him as He changed the world.

On that Friday before Easter, Mary Magdalene watched in horror as Jesus cried in agony and pain. The one who had given her a new identity, who had brought her peace, who had literally changed her life was left to die on the cross.

And after that death, she had nothing. There was no hope, nothing to do, nowhere to go.

She connected with Mary, Jesus’s mother, and went to anoint his body in the tomb early that Sunday morning. When she arrived, the smile must have spread across her face. Tears must have welled up in her eyes. He was alive!

Mary Magdalene’s identity was back. And her legacy impacts others today.

Make sure your identity matches the legacy you want to leave.

Leave a legacy that makes a difference in others’ lives.

Ultimately, my writing is for my kids. I wrote my book The Anchor for my kids. I started my blog, “Impact Others,” for my kids. Following is a letter that I wrote to them years ago, reflecting on their future.

My prayer for you is that you would have a biblical worldview, that the Bible is your source of truth.

When society, culture, teachers, religious leaders, the leader of our country, or friends make statements as “truth,” you filter the words through what you know in God’s Word. Laws of the land aren’t truth, changing with the next leader. Social media is not truth. The news media is not truth. The Bible is the only source of truth.

*Do not conform to the behaviors and customs of this **world, but** let God transform you by changing the way you think, then you will learn to know God’s will, which is good and pleasing and perfect. *Romans 12:2

When posed with the question, “What is truth?” I pray that you immediately point to the Bible. If truth is viewed from a worldly standpoint, the water will be cloudy, the gray areas will be wide, but, viewed through God’s Word, it is crystal clear. Man’s customs or beliefs aren’t truth. “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Jesus quoting Isaiah in Matthew 15:8-9).

As truth becomes more relative in our culture, depending on one’s background or the circumstances, hang on to the absolute truth of the Bible. Don’t depend on people’s views or “faith.” Look to God’s Word. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12).

As you read the news of the day, don’t be full of fear or hopelessness. Just remember God’s words. He is on his throne, in control. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Don’t look for comfort in the world, but go to God’s Word for the settling of the soul. Looking for comfort in the world will end in despair and regret. Author C. S. Lewis said, “If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.”

Let the words of Psalm 1 be true of your life:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

There is only one way to have a Biblical worldview, and that is to know the Bible. To know the Bible, you must read the Bible. There is no time better spent than learning truth. *“Your word is a** **lamp to my feet and a light to my path”* (Psalm 119:105)

Long after I am gone, the truth will stand. By knowing the truth of the Bible, you will know the One who saved you, out of whom all blessings flow.

I love you,

Dad

My dad was an extremely private person. He fought to keep any failure or gap hidden, unknown. The chains of pride kept him locked up. When he had Parkinson’s disease, he removed himself from the public’s eye, as Dad did not want to let the world see him shaking. Of course, this was uncontrollable, but, to him, it was a weakness. He took shame to the grave.

Make no mistake, my dad was one of my heroes. He is a reason I am who I am. But he was human, just like every one of us. I learn from my dad now as I did when he was alive.

We are all born with threads, those innate characteristics, traits, and tendencies that are in our blood, unique to the family. Some threads are positive, and some are negative.

I have come to understand that lack of transparency is one of my negative threads. But I also now understand that transparency in life provides fuel for the journey.

Transparency is a key to personal growth. Growth is stunted by shame.

Transparency removes chains. The hidden has no power if it is revealed.

Transparency displays humility. Publicly recognizing that you don’t have it all together is magnetic.

Transparency creates trust. Deep relationships are created when one is an open book.

Transparency impacts other people. One is approachable when transparency is present.

Transparency is a domino. One who freely shares mistakes, faults, gaps, fosters openness.

Transparency makes a great leader. One who openly shows gaps creates a unified team, marriage, family, friendship.

I transparently wrote my life story in great detail for my kids — wins, losses, mistakes, faults, gaps. It was a way for me to fight this thread. It was a way for me to be completely transparent with my past. I wanted those I cherish the most to realize that it is okay to have gaps, mess up, make mistakes. Life happens, even with their dad.

The thing about negative threads is that they never completely go away. They are part of you. The key is to control the weave. It is a regular, daily battle.

And the first step is to recognize the negative thread, the tendency. We all have them.

Then daily doing business with that thread provides great clarity for why you do certain things, great power because the thread doesn’t hold you back, and great freedom to be who you are.

Ultimately, for me, transparency removes obstacles and creates fuel for the journey.

But I have to control the weave daily.

Rain for forty days and forty nights. The ark. The flood. The earth destroyed. Most people know the story, but behind the drama is a man deeply committed to God.

Among a sea of people who were “corrupt before God,” the Bible says in Genesis 6:9 that “Noah walked with God.” Furthermore, in Genesis 7:1, God says, “I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” Noah is selected to build and man the vessel that keeps humanity going.

Noah walked with God. This exact phrase is used to describe Enoch. The Bible says Enoch walked with God. We aren’t told exactly what walking with God means, but from Noah’s life we can pick up a few qualities.

First, Noah was obedient. Very simply, God called Noah for a job, and he trusted and fulfilled his mission. It took more than twenty years to build the ark. Don’t you know that he faced ridicule and doubt, but he completed the complex task.

For Noah to have this obedience, he had to trust God. The Bible shows no evidence of wavering, just complete trust. This trust drove Noah’s commitment. His faith was on display for all to see.

Lastly, Noah was a humble man before God. Certainly the way he tackled building the ark was as a humble servant, but notice the first thing Noah did as he left the ark after the flood. He built an altar to the Lord. Noah recognized the favor that was given to him. He recognized how he had been blessed, and he praised God. Noah lived knowing that it wasn’t anything remarkable that he had done; it was God who was at work. Noah lived to give God glory.

Three qualities — obedience, trust, and humility — of a man who walked with God, and three qualities for believers of God to emulate today. What if you tackled your life with obedience, trust, and humility in God? What if you tackled your job, recognizing it as a gift from God, with obedience, trust, and humility? Marriage? Parenting? Friendship?

If you emulate the qualities found in Noah, no doubt your life will be different and others will be impacted. Battle indifference, as every conversation, every action impacts others.

“The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you.... we are in charge of our attitudes.” Speaker and Author Charles Swindoll

We are in charge of our attitudes.

Attitude radically changes your life, your performance, your career, marriage, friendship, work, team, company.

It seems that rather than changing our attitude, which changes our perspective, we lean into changing our scenery, our job, our team, our marriage.

I am convinced a great attitude with commitment brings newfound joy in life.

And we control both.

It was 7:45 on a Friday evening, and I found myself walking by my favorite coffee shop (coffee at 8:00 is another story). This particular shop is a meaningful spot for me, as I drop in a couple of times a month to hide for deep work. I made it just in time, 15 minutes before they closed. As I walked in, the workers were cleaning, chairs on the table, mopping started. My first step in the door and the eyes started rolling, I could hear the deep sighs. I asked for a latte, and they had just cleaned the steamer.

After this initial exchange, the person behind the counter politely smiled and said, “Did have you had a good day?” We had a great discussion, but, I can’t remember what was said. This happened months ago, and all I remember is the first 5 seconds of the exchange.

I don’t point fingers, as I fail daily. We all fail in the first 5 seconds.

Ever walked up to a person and said, “can I grab a few minutes?” They hurriedly look up from their computer and say, “yep, but make it quick. I have a meeting in 3 minutes.” Everything that is said in the conversation that follows feels diminished.

You’ve had a busy day, it is late, and the teammate or client needs help. We greet them with a smile, but the internal deep sigh shines through. The servant attitude was over before it got started.

My son walks in to talk about something on his mind, but I say, “let me get through with this project.” When I circle back, he comments “I am good.” My spouse calls in the middle of a busy day and I answer the phone with a “gotta make this quick.”

Every exchange, every conversation, every meeting is an opportunity to set the tone in the first 5 seconds. It is why Mr. Sam had the 10 foot rule at Walmart and why great businesses like Chick-fil-A focus on the initial exchange, “greet with a smile.”

Welcome the opportunity to serve another.

The initial look and words of any person serving another sets the tone for the engagement, the relationship.

Contrast the above scenarios with a situation where the initial exchange is off the charts positive.

My wife and I went to dinner a few months ago at a new restaurant. The place was dead, no bustling tables, and we entered sheepishly. Bad choice, until the server showed up. Out of the gate, she oozed positivity, making a quick connection with my wife. That initial exchange set the tone for the rest of dinner. By the end of the night, we were laughing together, telling stories, we had a new friend, and we will be back.

The first 5 seconds makes a difference.

We are all in the people service business. At work, at home, with friends, and just doing life in

general.

The service business is really just doing the small things great.

And, a small one is having an initial, eager to serve, attitude.

The tendency of mankind is to measure individuals by their actions. Of course. This measurement is logical, as it is what we see every day. Actions are the natural barometer used to measure, well, everything in life.

A child’s obedience comes down to their actions. Are they following the rules that have been laid out.

An employees performance is driven by their actions. Is the individual getting the job done, hitting their goals.

A football player is graded on their actions on the field. The player receives a score based on how they executed during the game.

The measure of society is based on actions.

Culture cuts deeper. Culture has a much different barometer.

Culture brings into play, not only actions, but thoughts and attitudes, things that come from the heart. The action driven individual may hurt the culture at home, in the company, on the team.

A child that has forced obedience, a forced rule follower, may please externally, but have major battles internally.

An employee that only focuses on actions is political.

A football player only focusing on performance destroys unity.

The goal is for our actions to match our attitudes. Pure thoughts and motives.

When actions match attitudes, individuals will drive unity and not destroy each other with their words behind closed doors.

When actions match attitudes, performance is important of course, but the attitude with performance is what creates an award winning culture.

When a group of people, be it a family, a company, or a team, operate with attitude driven actions, mountains are moved, joy fills the halls, and fulfillment follows.

And, attitude is the one thing that we have complete control over.

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.” Charles Swindoll

Thank God that we have a High Priest for gaps in our thoughts and attitudes.

As I was hustling through the airport, I bumped into a guy I had not seen in a while. As I spent maybe five minutes with him, I heard the regret of decisions in his voice. I saw the regret in his eyes.

I get it. Spend enough time with me, and you, too, will hear of regrets. It was on my mind so much that I wrote a book about it to get it out of my system.

For most of us, we don’t have to look too far for our minds to race to bad decisions, missed conversations, lack of love in a particular situation, or mistakes that have been made. And most, if not all, of the regrets have to do with other people.

Great coaches have a saying: “Play the next play.” The thinking is that you can’t do anything about the previous play or what the scoreboard says. All you can do is focus on what is in front of you, and play the next play with excellence

“Play the next play” is a reset of the mind.

Regardless of the time of year, each of us, inevitably, has a lot of negative history on his mind. Maybe the year isn’t going exactly as planned.

The bad decision that was made, the pitch that didn’t go as planned, the business that was lost, the lack of team continuity, the emotional checkout with your spouse, the undue pressure put on the child, the missed budget, and on and on and on.

All we can do is play the next play.

We tend to play the next play at the new year. We are trained to turn the page, start fresh, make it happen “this year.”

What if we start fresh today?

Make the pivot. Build the new strategy. Change course. Say, “I’m sorry.” Make the call. Build the bridge. Force positivity. Exercise. Write the note. Slow down. Reconnect.

Play the next play.

The young lady was struggling, but no one would ever know. It was a mirage.

On the outside, she had an incredible life, a flourishing business, an entrepreneur who had taken on a start-up and won. She was gifted. A great mind and perseverance. Her marriage was a model and her kids were on a pedestal. All was seemingly going her way. No faults, no cracks in the foundation, a life of pure happiness and joy.

But inside, there was turmoil. She was searching for something. There was a hole in her life. The world was tossing her truths to fill the gap, promising man-made thoughts, processes, and traditions that would lead her to peace. The world suggested subtle changes that would finally lead to joy and happiness.

Manifesting would enlighten her. New relationships would lead to love. She had been missing it all these years.

So this talented young woman chose to fill the holes in her life with dramatic changes. She made the decision that her marriage was holding her back, and her role as a mom should look different. Her children needed to learn the freedom of life, and she would show them. The offerings of the world filled the gaps in her life that were causing inner turmoil.

There is absolutely no judgment toward this young lady. There can’t be. As I look in the mirror, I see my own faults, my own shortcomings. Woe is me if I judge. We are all the same, full of faults. There is no judgment.

The truth is that we all have a hole in our life. We spend our days trying to fill that hole. And the world has a ton of solutions. Love, money, material possessions, friends, relationships, the perfect job, perfect kids, travel to exotic places, power, the world has many offerings.

Some of these solutions fill the hole for a short time. Life may have been hard with the family before that trip, but the week at the resort was exhilarating, bonding, unifying. All is now well. A break in the action of life is what was needed. But a month later, the thrill of that vacation is gone and the hole reappears.

Some of these solutions fill the hole for a longer time, maybe years. The marriage just wasn’t meant to be. The once budding love, new each day, is gone.

Both have changed and the world offers a solution, a path to more. Separation happens, a new relationship blossoms, the feeling reappears, and the gap is filled, maybe for years. But at some point, the hole will reappear.

The hole always reappears. It is like quicksand. The hole reappears, the internal struggle reappears, and the ground begins to swallow you up.

But to the outside world, all is well. There is no hole. A hole means there is weakness. We speak, post, and share pure joy and happiness. We need the world to know that we won, we found enlightenment, we are the victors.

The world sees no hole until an uncontrollable happens, which it will. At this moment, the world has no solution. Desperation sets in.

This is what happened throughout the Bible, many stories of people facing the uncontrollable. The father with the dying son. The four men with the paralyzed friend. The lady with the demon-possessed little girl. They all found themselves with a hole that the world couldn’t fill.

Solomon took a different approach. He ran after everything that the world had. Money, love, work, material possessions, food, wine, you name it, and he tried to fill the hole. It was only later in his years, when he reflected on his life, that he realized the hole could not be filled with the things of this world.

The unfortunate thing is that the world gives us regular, loud, clear pictures of ways to fill the hole. And they seemingly work. The illusive magic of the world creates a feeling that others have it figured out. They don’t. When alone in their thoughts, there remains a hole. Life is a mirage.

The inevitable hole in our lives can only be filled by Jesus. The world presents Him as a set of rules that need to be followed, a killjoy, a dull life. Not true. One has to know what the Bible says to refute those thoughts, those claims.

*“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30*

Not sure how or why I ended up with these words this morning. Maybe for someone out there?

But for me, as usual, I end up thinking about those closest to me, and I write for them. I want them to catch the truth of Christ daily. And, I must also remind myself daily, as I, like you, have a hole that must be filled daily.

Writers note: I feel compelled to tell you from time to time the main purpose of these writings. They are ultimately for my kids, to guide and teach them God’s Word. I want them to view life through the lens of the Bible. I desire for them to have a Biblical worldview. The writings follow along my reading of the Bible each morning, with the themes, the message coming directly from Scripture, not dad’s thoughts, but the Bible. Because of this, the messages can be hard-hitting at times, even crazy to consider. But the information comes from Scripture. So please know that if you do stumble upon these writings, ultimately, this is a gift to my family that I am sharing publicly. If it sounds “preachy” or too heavy, it is intended ultimately for them. It is impossible to write about the Bible without heavy messages, by the way. The Bible is not for passive, casual reading. It requires deep thought, consideration. To me, a stillness of the heart and soul to take it in. I know the pace and pressure of the life that my kids lead, that I led, as a teenager. I want to help them get some nuggets, encouragement each morning, ultimately learning the details of the Bible, not just the famous stories. If you do find enjoyment or any value from the writings, I am thankful for that, as this is the reason I share publicly.

*And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, “Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them by Moses.” Leviticus 10:8-10*

God gave the statutes, the laws, the procedures for the sacrifices and offerings to Moses. Moses then gave these to Aaron, a leader in the Tabernacle and the people. The Bible points out a few times, that Moses dug in to the work to make sure that everything was being followed exactly as the Lord had commanded. Why? Because people would literally die if the processes at the Tabernacle were not followed exactly, the minutiae, the details mattered. God is holy.

God explained to Aaron that there was to be a difference between the holy and the common. He was not to flippantly, casually work at the Tabernacle. And he was to teach the people the statutes that he had given to Moses. The people needed to know there was a difference between the holy and unholy. The Israelites were to be a different people.

When you read Leviticus and the work at the Tabernacle, it is extreme. There was a detailed process, with the garments, fires, offerings all being meticulously planned. The whole ceremony was different, a new way to worship. Imagine the outside world looking into the camp of the Israelites. Absolutely, they were witnessing a different way of doing life.

Consider life today. I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if followers of God were required to follow these guidelines. Simply said, it would not happen.

We would all be burned up immediately by a holy God. Harsh? It happened to some in the Bible. No way would we follow. Impossible.

Enter God’s grace to humanity. He gave His Son as a gift to us, the perpetual atonement. No longer needed were the complex ceremonies given in the Old Testament for atonement for the people. The blood of Jesus is the ransom, the currency of heaven.

If we have received this gift, just like the Israelites that Moses was leading, there should be a difference in our lives. We should be compelled to follow a God that would give us this gift. The difference should be a natural way of life if we have received God’s grace.

So practically, what does it look like to live differently? Are we to live in a silo cut off from the world, sitting in a circle singing kumbaya?

Sometimes we may have thoughts that being called to live a different life is some radical lifestyle, only taken on by the “super-religious.” In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Simply moving through life following Jesus with a Biblical worldview will look different. It has to. Otherwise, the words on the pages don’t mean anything, hold no water.

So practically, what does being different look like? Consider what happened to this guy in the Bible written about by Mark. He was filled with demons, cured by Jesus. He was in torment one moment, healed the next. This exchange between the guy and Jesus exemplifies exactly what being different looks like.

After all, if anybody was changed, a different person, this guy was.

*As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged Jesus that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. Mark 5:18-20*

Catch that? Jesus told the man to simply go home to your friends and tell them what happened, how Jesus had mercy on you. The man recognized the grace, the mercy he had been given, and told others.

This is how to be different. Pretty simple, no kumbaya in a circle.

There is a wilderness that each will go through, a dip, a valley both professionally and personally. And, when you bring your family into the equation, multiply the number valleys.

The valley is that lonely place full of fear, with no direction to safety. A place where all hope seems to vanish. Nothing makes sense. You look for stability, a safety net, an anchor, but the world offers no peace. The valley causes panic, anxiety, and overwhelming thoughts. And, the valley comes swiftly.

The thing about the valley is that you will not see it coming. If you did, you would change course. After all, we spend our lives doing everything to avoid this wilderness.

But, if one can gather their bearings in the valley, vision can be found. In fact, there is great wisdom to be gained in the valley.

Ryan Holiday says it this way, “the obstacle is the way.”

Years ago, in my own valley, my wife dropped me the following prayer from Arthur Bennett’s “Valley of Vision.”

*Lord, High and Holy, Meek and Lowly, **Thou** has brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.*

*Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear a crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision.*

*Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells, and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine; Let me find thy light in my darkness thy life in my death,*

*thy joy in my sorrow, thy grace in my sin, thy riches in my poverty thy glory in my valley.*

Regardless of one’s faith, I believe that prayer offers great insight for the valley. Although painful, the valley can be a place of vision and restoration.

As I survey the playing field around me today, I see many valleys that people are walking through. Each valley offers an opportunity to serve, listen, pray, support.

Great leaders recognize the valleys in the lives of others, personally and professionally.

If you want a great culture, be the one that thrives on helping others walk through the valleys, both personally and professionally.

Life doesn't happen in a silo. Don't make the mistake of leading that way.

Health, money issues, lack of friends, regrets over past mistakes, resentment or jealousy of another, cynicism toward people, worry over politics or grades or athletics, the fleeting desire to be liked or to be more popular or simply to be more, the thought of never being good enough.

Everyone has a burden. The burden occupies space in your mind, lives rent free.

When your environment quiets, stills, the burden rises in you head. The water can never be completely at peace.

We are all the same. Everyone has a burden.

The difference is …

who carries your burden.

If you carry it, you will always have a burden.

And eventually the burden breaks you.

But if you hand the burden to Jesus, freedom, relief, peace can be found.

The burden requires a daily surrender to the only One who can take it.

*“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”* Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

“Whew. Made it to the end of another week,” said a friend that I bumped into this week

Ever felt that way or said that? A feeling of survival.

If that is your feeling at the end of a long week, you are in great company. Everyone has been there.

Sometimes it is professionally, sometimes it is personally, but, whatever the case, the survival mode is not sustainable. Like a gauge on the dashboard of a car, when this light goes off, take notice.

Survival robs your life, your joy, your momentum, your hope. You are not at your best professionally or personally. You can’t compartmentalize the survival mode, as it bleeds into every area of life. Family is impacted because those thoughts carry over outside of work. I had the dreaded response from my daughter once when she said, “Dad, have you heard a word that I said?” That was 9-year-old voice.

Survival may be a season where you need to learn and endure. Growth comes in the difficulties of life, and, sometimes, the tendency is to run versus endure. “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”

But survival may be a sign that you need to make some adjustments. Maybe your life is not well- balanced. Maybe you are focusing on uncontrollables. Maybe your anchor points are things of this world.

Whatever the case, the moments and years fly by, so remaining in survival mode is not an option.

When this gauge flashes in my life, I lean on 3 anchor points: meditation, exercise, and my wife. I lean on God as my Anchor. I jog to clear my mind. And I process with the one that knows me best.

I know we each have different anchor points. The key is to pay attention to the “survival” gauge and don’t accept it as a way of life. Check yourself. Don’t accept it and move on.

Your company, your team, your family, your friends, all need the best you.

The journey of life is never consistently up and to the right.

Allie Garfinkle wrote a great piece in Fortune magazine about Larsen Jensen, an Olympic swimmer and former Navy SEAL. In the interview, Jensen painted a picture of the grind to get to the podium.

“It does feel surreal [on the podium],” Jensen said. “It does because you spend so many years and there are so many thankless moments. In my sport, at 5 a.m., you’re in the water, even in the freezing winter. And where I grew up, it was all outdoor pools, frost on the pool deck. The loneliness of doing that, where not even coaches showed up … that was misery. That was grit, it was determination, and my own worst enemy was myself. It’s hard, lonely, and not very glamorous.”

The journey is never what it seems.

There is a perception of the road. A glorified skip down the path to the podium.

But the actual road is never in agreement with the perception.

The road is paved with grit, determination, desire, hard work, all those qualities we admire. We almost glorify those qualities.

But under each of these qualities is perseverance, the uncomfortable quality.

The peaks and valleys, twists and turns, that life throws at us.

The unexpected happens, the road doglegs left, health or death strikes, the economy turns, future is uncertain.

“Life is a lot of suffering, with some highlights that come in between.” Larsen Jensen

Perseverance is never fun. It is never a goal written in January. In fact, rarely is it planned for in life.

The need for perseverance just happens. It arises without warning.

But perseverance is a gift. Were it not for perseverance, the ego would win.

The way one perseveres builds a legacy.

In a world where we glorify the lives of others, we tend to miss the perseverance that we all walk through.

Be an ear for someone today. Just an ear, not a problem solver. You’ll need it in return someday.

That builds a legacy.

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” Franklin Roosevelt

And a skilled sailor has a unified crew.

Perseverance drives togetherness for the future.

In the depths of perseverance, one builds character, hope, unity. The qualities developed during the rough sea will prepare one for the future storm.

When you are in the foxhole with someone, fighting, clawing, grinding, you leave the foxhole with a deep togetherness. You can look in each other’s eyes and know with confidence you have the will, the fortitude to handle the future.

Two people married for fifty years have withstood the test of time, infinite storms. When they look into each other’s eyes, they see something different from what the outside world sees. They see the battles, the pain, the celebration they experienced together. It is their perseverance through the rough sea that gives them deep unity and trust for the future.

The same is true for a company, a team, a friendship. The longer you persevere together through the storms, the greater the trust, the unity, the dependence, the will to win. The battle-tested ship is ready for the rough sea.

Is the hill you’re climbing steep? Does the sea look impossible to maneuver? Does it feel like the road is never-ending? The power to persevere can be found in the boat with you. The ones looking ahead saying, “Been there, done this.”

The togetherness built in perseverance sustains the ship.

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” Franklin Roosevelt

Every time I see the plaque, I am reminded of my own journey, but also the journey of my kids. Although I do not like to see them struggle going through difficult times, I know that great blessings come from hard journeys.

After Moses received the miraculous call of God through the burning bush, he resisted but finally trusted God and went on the mission with the goal of leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. He seemingly had overcome all of the seeds of doubt, had faith in the power of God, and knew that His plan would come to fruition. Moses would face Pharoah, and God’s plan would happen.

However, when Moses approached Pharoah the first time to deliver God’s plan, from Moses’s perspective the plan backfired. After hearing the words, Pharoah responded by denying Moses, then increasing the labor required of the Israelites in slavery. The Israelites responded to Moses, saying, “May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us” (Exodus 5:21).

Ouch. Moses’s worst fears were coming true. Pharoah denied his request, and the Israelites turned on Moses. Some leader he was. Moses was done.

He ran to God.

*Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” *Exodus 5:22-23

God again explained who He is, His power and His plan. He sent Moses back to the Israelites to tell them the plan again, only to be denied. Moses ran back to God.

*But Moses said to the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?” *Exodus 6:12

Later in the conversation with God, Moses again articulated his lack of faith in God and the mission.

*But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?” *Exodus 6:30

If God was in control, why didn’t He just call the Israelites out of Egypt as Moses envisioned would happen?

I am reminded of Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

God had a plan that did not seem logical to Moses, and God told Moses why He was doing what He

was doing.

*“But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.” *Exodus 7:3-5

Through the signs and wonders that God was about to perform with the plagues, the Egyptians would know He was Lord. God’s name was going to be glorified as Moses walked the difficult journey.

Romans 5:3-4 tells us perseverance brings character and hope. When people persevere, the dictionary says, they “continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success.” There is nothing easy implied in the word of perseverance.

It seems we work, maneuver, save, and manage our entire lives so that we will have easy lives lived in safe bubbles. This is especially true as we orchestrate the lives of our kids. We will do anything possible to remove any struggles or obstacles in the path of our children. But a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

God’s call on our lives (and our kids’), will be difficult. But there are great lessons and blessings through persevering. Great blessings await during hard journeys. Lock eyes with the One who controls the journey, and depend on Him.

There is an innate desire for the easy. We want and expect the smooth, storm-free route.

Imagine there are two paths.

The Valley Path is a short, straight 1 mile path, has sunshine, a very smooth road, beautiful trees lining the path, and a rainbow in the distance. The Path of Perseverance is 100 miles long, very curvy and rocky with storms brewing on each side of the pat h. You can’t see in the distance due to the terrain and darkness.

You have a choice for you life. Maybe, you are choosing for your child. Do you send them down The Valley or The Path of Perseverance?

Of course, we choose The Valley. We don’t naturally desire a path like The Path of Perseverance.

So, this is how we live. In fact, our expectations are The Valley. We push, pull, and fight to travel The Valley Path. We want to get to the rainbow fast. We want the success, the money, the title, the power, the prestige, quick, especially for our kids. We transfer and move our way through life trying to stay on The Valley Path. The desire is for life to be lived on easy street.

The reality of life is The Path of Perseverance. The road isn’t straight. In fact, there will be twists and turns and one day you will say, like David Byrne, “how did I get here?” The journey is rocky, messy, uncomfortable, and not necessarily fun. And, on the journey, storms are moving in and out. It seems that unforecasted storms consistently descend on the path. And, the future is unknown as too many uncontrollables exist.

The Path of Perseverance is reality and a journey like The Valley is unrealistic.

But, the truth is, we need The Path of Perseverance as this journey is where the joy is found.

If one does have a valley type journey, the rainbow is found to be a mirage. The world is full of these stories. In the end, there is no joy, no fulfillment, no peace.

But the hard, extremely difficult Path of Perseverance is where the treasure is found. The treasure is greater than money. The treasure is found in traversing life’s journey with others. People that have been through the storm together are a tight knit group. The treasure is found turning around and looking at the past journey, recognizing God’s plan, knowing that He was with you the whole time. The treasure is found recognizing that storms are but for a season. And, seasons have a beginning and ending.

Ultimately, joy is found traveling the Path of Perseverance.

Joy can only be discovered on the other side of perseverance. And, when discovered, you understand the treasure that perseverance really is in life. For, were it not for perseverance, ego would destroy the soul.

So, do you find yourself recognizing The Path of Perseverance? Of course you do. This is life.

So, lock arms with others, a spouse, a family, a team, and head down the Path of Perseverance. Joy awaits.

We will all go through seasons in our life. Times of blessing, where you feel grateful, joy, happiness, unbelievable excitement. Times of endurance, where you have to grind, bear down, cry, struggle through each moment.

Perspective is vital for unity. For each time you are in a season of blessing, there are those around you in seasons of endurance. To recognize the seasons of others is to love as Christ.

Do you find yourself in a season of blessing? Thank God, as from Him all blessings flow. Enjoy the moment, and praise Him.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).

But recognize that, outside of the eternal gift, all blessings are temporary. Look around, and you will see those on the other end of the spectrum. Those who are enduring. Those who need encouragement, hope that can come only from Him. Use your season of blessing to bless others. Let words of encouragement be at the tip of your tongue. Point them to God, the unlimited flow of hope.

*For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had. *Romans 15:4-5

Seasons of endurance are temporary, as well. So if you are in that season, hold on to Him. God gives endurance and encouragement through His Word. Nothing else will satisfy the soul or provide eternal hope. Peace comes as you turn to Him.

Father, give me the maturity to recognize my season as temporary and keep my eyes on you.

*Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. **So** when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” *John 11:5-7

Lazarus is extremely sick, about to die. His sisters, Mary and Martha, sent word to Jesus, hoping that He would come and heal. Upon receiving this news, Jesus “stayed two more days” in the place where he was. He delayed.

Now, Christ knew the family well. It was Mary who anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume. She put her love for Christ on display in a of men, of Pharisees. They criticized while she wept and worshipped. Unabashed love for Jesus. To quiet the ridicule against Mary, Jesus commends her faith.

*Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” *Matthew 26:13

Jesus knew the family, loved the family, and delayed coming to Lazarus. Two days later, his emotions pour out when He arrives at the scene and witnesses the heartbreak.

*Then when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she **fell down** at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”*

*Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?”*

*They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”*

Jesus wept. John 11:32-35

The rest of the story is pretty well known. We have songs, poems, and illustrations of Lazarus, having been wrapped like a mummy, walking out of that tomb.

Jesus did the impossible. He blessed the family. He brought Lazarus back from the dead.

But why the delay? At the beginning of the story, prior to the healing, Jesus answers the question.

*When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” *John 11:4

The disciples didn’t get it. Jesus said it a bit more plainly.

*Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your **sakes** that I was not there, that you may believe. **Nevertheless** let us go to him.” *John 11:14

Jesus delayed so that the power of God would be seen. Jesus delayed so that God would be glorified. Jesus delayed so that people would believe. And belief happened after Jesus healed Lazarus.

*Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. *John 11:45

People believed thru the delayed blessing.

We live in an “immediate” culture where impatience drives the day. I am the world’s worst, as impatient as they come. This impatience fights faith. We want it now.

And there are scenarios, where we desperately need it now. The seasons and moments will no doubt come. Seasons and moments of desperation where a delayed blessing seems like an unanswered prayer or lack of love from Jesus. The delayed blessing may not be as we define it. The delayed blessing may be in heaven. In fact, delayed blessings are inevitable in this world.

*Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” *John 16:33

The Bible is a story of followers of God having faith during what we would define as delayed blessings. From Job who lost it all saying, “the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord,” to the New Testament believers facing extreme persecution for believing, the Bible gives us a picture of the faith of believers remaining strong during the delay.

*Mary also gives us a great picture. As I mentioned, she had unabashed love for Jesus. He **delayed**. Lazarus died. And when she sees Jesus after his death, she fell at his feet crying, saying, ““Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” *John 11:32

She loved Jesus despite Him not healing. She believed He could heal, but for reasons she couldn’t understand, He didn’t. She loved despite the outcome.

And Jesus was moved. He understood.

We will all arrive at this moment of desperation. May the words of Scripture encourage us to remain strong in our faith during the delayed blessing. We’ll battle unbelief for sure. But may the words of the father with the sick little girl be our prayer.

*Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! *Mark 9:24

God is in control of the season, of the moment.

*God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne. *Psalm 47:8

And He never changes.

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

*Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them, neither will I abhor them **so as to** destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God. But I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the Lord. *Leviticus 26:44-45

God is giving Moses final instructions to deliver to the Israelites before entering Canaan. The instructions are a tough read. The chapter paints the picture of holy, just God that delivers justice for disobedience. The words were a harsh reality for the Israelites entering the Promised Land. They were to remember the God who delivered them from slavery and not turn away.

The all-knowing God knew that His people would turn away.

After God finishes delivering the news of what justice and punishment look like, He says “yet for all that.” God shows His incredible love and patience for His people saying that, ultimately, He will not break His covenant with them. Although they will turn away and disobey, He will not. His promises are true. He is rock solid. The patience of God overrides the disobedience of the Israelites by holding to His promise.

Fast forward to the New Testament and Jesus. He is leading the disciples, approaching his future death on the cross.

*“See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on **him, and** flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” *Mark 10:33-34

Jesus told the disciples, again, that He was about to be mocked and killed. Imagine how this news must have hit the disciples. They had been following him for almost 3 years, seen the miracles, knew the power, knew His love. The news must have shattered their soul.

Well, not so fast my friend (yes, Lee Corso quote).

What happens next isn’t what you would expect. Mark writes that immediately two of the disciples break off from the group, come up to Jesus, and ask to be put on a pedestal over the other disciples.

*And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” *Mark 10:37

Wow. Seriously? The Bible says that when the other disciples heard this, they became mad or “indignant” at James and John. I guess so.

But Jesus, He handled the situation differently. Jesus has amazing patience and love and uses the situation as an opportunity to serve.

*And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great **ones** exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” *Mark 10:42-45

Jesus was patient. No justice was served. If justice would have been served, James and John were out. Instead, Jesus taught everyone to serve others, not to try to gain power or be put on a pedestal. Serve. Instead of impatience and justice, Jesus had patience and served.

What an incredible lesson. Whenever you are faced with impatience, maybe someone who acted a certain way that upset you. Maybe someone let you down, again. Maybe someone mistreated you, again. Don’t tackle the situation with impatience, trying to deliver your own version of justice. Let your attitude of impatience trigger a patient response, turning the situation to service.

When you catch yourself getting impatient, let this trigger service for the individual. This is how Jesus worked.

Be thankful that we do not receive justice from a holy God, as we would all be doomed. We receive patience and love. Just like with the Israelites, the patience of God overrides our disobedience. The God offering this patience is one to be followed, emulated, and worshipped.

“Yet for all that,” God is patient toward us.

*“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” *Matthew 7:24-27

The idea of building a house on a rock, a solid foundation, versus sand, a weak foundation, is powerful. The implication in these verses is that the wind will always come. If a house is not built on a solid foundation, it will crumble.

In my life, the wind has come on many occasions. I wrote about the different winds in my book The Anchor as I analyzed the seasons of my life. My personal house was not always built on rock, and it is only by God’s grace that it withstood many of the winds. Grace like this compels one to follow. Today, the house is on a solid foundation to stand on when the winds rage. It is not I that can withstand the winds but that I can cling to Him when they rage. I decrease, and He increases.

The scripture above was read at my wedding, with the house being a picture of our marriage. We wanted our house built solidly on the rock, and so it was.

As my wife and I have found, the wind comes often in a marriage. If there was not a common foundation built on the rock, the wind would have blown the house away a long time ago. My wife and I have this foundation to hold onto whenever the winds rage. We are one built on a rock.

The winds come personally and in a marriage, but the speed seems to pick up as a family grows. The wind is sustained, constantly blowing. More children, more wind. Rooms can easily begin to crumble without a good foundation of the family unit. The Bible talks often about teaching children. In our culture today, truth is taught as being relative, so the foundation is as critical as it has ever been in my life. The foundation on rock is the only thing that will sustain the high winds. A family must cling to the foundation.

So how does one build a foundation on rock? Jesus tells us clearly in the above verses to hear his words and obey. His words are found in the Bible, and I encourage you to dig in today. Read for yourself, not allowing culture to twist what He says. Build your foundation on the rock of His words, and cling to it as the winds rage.

There has been no greater gift than the instructional manual for how to build my life, my marriage, and my family on the foundation of rock that sustains high winds. The winds are increasing, and there is only one foundation that will stand.

The longer the journey of life, the more one perseveres. One learns to stand. One learns to endure. One builds faith.

Perseverance builds a company, a career, a marriage, a family, a life.

The initial hope, excitement, passion fills the cup of the entrepreneur as the journey begins. All is an opportunity. The market will respond. Customers are plentiful. The cash is plentiful. The culture is rock solid. The people are all stewards, all aligned. All is up and to the right.

But, then, a negative turn of events happens. Markets may change, the economy changes, personal issues may strike, people turn, you name it and the down events will occur.

One must persevere.

The same holds true for a career. A new job begins with hope and passion, again, up and to the right. Then, reality sets in. Internal battles, politics, company performance, the list of issues builds.

A quick flight is never the answer. One must persevere.

A marriage follows suit. The courtship, the dating, the honeymoon period, the initial years all full of joy, the blessing of children. The world is a great place. Then, life happens. Unforecasted storms happen that rock a world. Death, sickness, job loss, and on and on. The realities of life that aren’t dinner conversation.

Perseverance is required.

Perseverance tends to be full of glamour when you talk sports or, say, a marathon. But, there is no glamour in real life.

Perseverance requires sitting in sadness. Perseverance requires life in the foxhole, grinding day by day. Perseverance calls one to have faith, to pray. Perseverance requires love, real love, not the early years of marriage butterflies in the stomach.

Only commitment carries one through when perseverance is required. The hope, the passion, the energy, these can’t be found. One must have something deeper to sustain, to persevere, an Anchor to hold on to.

But, despite the hardships, perseverance is a blessing.

Perseverance teaches that there are seasons on the journey. And, seasons are temporary. Persevering through a difficult season makes one recognize the blessing of the new season. The new season is not taken for granted. One appreciates the blessing in a way not found during the good seasons.

Perseverance teaches one to be rock-solid commited, to deeply love, to endure. No matter the circumstances, one is all in, immovable. This deep commitment isn’t learned during the good times.

Perseverance teaches one to be present. The recognition of the blessing, of the here and now, is recognized. One knows that today never lasts forever. One learns to fully immerse themselves in the moment.

One that has learned to persevere has a foundation built on a rock. Storms may come, but they will never destroy the house.

As we walk through life today, we will each rub shoulders with those that are in the depths of perseverance today. Walk with them.

And, maybe you find yourself in that season where perseverance is required. Recognize that is a season. Hold on to the Anchor. Talk to a friend. They want to listen. This is us.

Those that have persevered desire to help others persevere. It is a gift.

*“And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can**’ !** All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.” *Mark 9:20-26

“I believe; help me with my unbelief!” This was the sincere cry of a father who needed a miracle, the healing of his son

Read the cry again. The man said that he believed, but he also needed help with his unbelief. It’s the same tension we all wrestle with many days.

The days when we are in the middle of a storm, when you face an insurmountable hurdle, when culture seems to be winning, win God seems distant.

Do we believe? Yes. But there is also the tension of unbelief.

Does God really hear my prayers? Does He care? We want to believe that He hears, that He cares, but, some days, we just can’t get there in and of ourselves.

We serve an awesome God. A God that would put this father’s cry in the Bible for us. Because THIS IS US.

Notice Jesus’s response to the cry. He understands.

Matthew 28:20 says that He is with us always. Always means always. In time of weak faith and unbelief, He is with us. His presence is not dependent on your faith.

So when your faith is weak, tell Jesus. He understands, He hears, He cares, He is with you.

As you read this page, there are certainly a few storms going on in the world. The older I get, the more I see the repetitive nature of these storms or difficulties. They are inevitable. This is one of the reasons that I wrote The Anchor for my kids. I wanted them to know that, as Adrian Rogers said, “you are either in a storm, coming out of a storm, or headed to a storm.” But there is an Anchor to keep you steady, on solid ground.

The storms are inevitable.

The thing about storms is they come when we least expect them. Who could have predicted COVID in 2020? Or, that as soon as we begin to (seemingly) come out of the pandemic, a war breaks out? I am sure you can reflect on your life and see storms, such as 9/11 or the financial crisis of ‘08.

But these are national storms. We each have individual storms in our personal lives. Be it health, money, job loss, sickness, death, no doubt, storms are around and will come in and out of your life.

It is inevitable.

We try to pursue comfort in our lives and with our kids, ignoring that the storms will happen. But they will come.

I read John 14 this morning, and I immediately realized the gift of God’s Word as we face the perpetual storms of life.

The disciples are with Jesus at what is called the Last Supper, the last meal between Jesus and his disciples before his death on the cross. Jesus is dropping heavy news on his friends that He is about to die, that they would deny Him, and that He will be with them no more. In the midst of the despair, the downcast faces, comes John 14. Rather than me offering my commentary, I encourage you just to read it in light of what is going on in your life. So much hope and truth is packed into John 14.

Be encouraged as Jesus speaks to his disciples and to us.

*“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my **Father’s** house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I **go** to prepare a place for you? And if I go and **prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”*

*Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. Noone comes to the **Father** except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my **Father** also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”*

*Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the **Father**, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?*

*Whoever has seen me has seen the **Father**. How can you say, ‘Show us the **Father’ ?** Do you not believe that I am in the **Father** and the **Father** is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the **Father** who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the **Father** and the **Father** is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the **Father**. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.*

*“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my **Father**, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them**, he** it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my **Father**, and I will love him and manifest myself to **him.”*

*Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?”*

*Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the **Father’s** who sent me.*

*“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name**, he** will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. **Peace** I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. **Let** **not your heart** be troubled, **neither** let them be afraid.*

You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.” John 14:1-31 ESV

Let the words of God offer encouragement to you and to me today.

Ever feel anxiety? Hopeless? Bewildered by life or have feelings that things are out of control? I think we all do at some point. God’s Word is an anchor for us.

Or, as Bob Dylan said, a “shelter in the storm.”

*The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” *Acts 23:11

Understanding the life of Paul, the context of this verse, provides great encouragement, direction, and answers to our personal journey.

Do not fear.

At this moment, Paul has just been arrested, again. By this time on his journey, Paul is over 50, has been stoned, left to die, ran out of cities, whipped, beaten, and thrown in jail quite a few times. To say his life has been difficult is an under-statement. And yet again, he has found himself held captive, with the world seemingly against him. Given the Lord’s opening comment of “take courage” in this statement to Paul, he must have been full of fear and anxiety on what was next on the journey.

“Do not fear” or a similar phrase is mentioned countless times in the Bible, 365 times is what I have been told. The focus from God on this topic is painfully obvious, because it is an emotion that will happen to everyone reading this blog. So if you are facing fear right now, you are normal. Fear paralyzes, cripples thinking, and sometimes action. Fear can happen in an instant, or it can be a lifelong battle.

We don’t need deep theological truths in these moments. We don’t need well-meaning, optimistic friends (which I love) telling us to “hang in there.” We need empathy from friends, and we need an anchor to be with us in the storm. Just like with Paul, we need the Lord at our side. Rest assured, He is.

*“**…..**And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” *Matthew 28:20

*“**fear** not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” *Isaiah 41:10

When you can’t find the words to even pray, recite Matthew 28:20. If we know nothing else at the moment, we know He is with us.

God has a plan.

In Galatians 1:15, Paul says that God “set him apart before he was born.” God uniquely chose Paul in the womb. Through his early thirties, Paul was vehemently against those who followed Jesus, with the goal of capturing and imprisoning anyone that believed. Then in Acts 9, Jesus appears to Paul and his life is changed, he has a new direction.

Did you catch that over-simplification? God chose Paul in the womb, his life was against God until he was in his early thirties, then he followed God. God had a plan for Paul the whole time. It wasn’t as if God thought of the plan when Paul achieved some milestone. And in this moment in Acts 23 in Paul’s life, God has a unique plan for him.

No matter where you are right now, what you are doing, if you are reading this blog, God has a plan for you. It is true. This is the reason for life.

Tell the truth, our simple piece of the plan.

Paul had visited 13+ cities in many countries by Acts 23. He had spoken countless times to countless people, from Lystra in modern-day Turkey to Athens, where he was given a platform to speak to the great philosophers of the day. Paul always had one message – the truth.

When the Lord approaches Paul in this verse, he has one bit of instruction for him, one simple piece of the plan that is his responsibility. Tell the truth, deliver the facts about me.

*You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. *Matthew 5:14-16

Be a light. God doesn’t instruct Paul to raise his voice against all the issues in society that day. God simply tells Paul to state the facts about Jesus. Maybe the tendency is to focus on what you are against. God says to focus on the truth, what you are for. Focus on Him.

God handles the details of the journey.

At this moment in Paul’s life, he has no clue what is in store for his future. He had longed to visit Rome (Romans 1) and even mentioned that he would visit Rome in Acts 19:21. But at this moment, he finds himself toward the end of his journey, once again in jail in Jerusalem. The Lord steps in and tells him that he is headed to Rome. I wonder the excitement he must have felt receiving this news.

The subsequent events that lead Paul to Rome are impossible, without Him. God orchestrates the move in Acts 24 through 26 involving a plan by the people to kill Paul, a ship wreck, an evil priest, and so on and so on. Finally, in Acts 28, Paul is Rome, stays for 2 years, and delivers the truth to the people “day and night.”

We have no clue what God has planned for our future, but know that God will take care of the details, handle the journey. It is a great thing to pray and search for God’s will for your life, but, rest assured, God has the details already planned out. He has you right where you are for a reason, and He has your future.

I heard a speaker say that following God is like walking through life at night with a lantern. You can only see about two feet in front of you, but when you turn around, the path you have been on is illuminated. It may not make sense now, but one day, when you look back, you will understand how the pieces of the journey fit together.

Take courage, God is with you. He has a plan. Tell the truth, your simple piece of the plan. And know that the journey is in His hands. Peace be with you.

Impact others. Love generously.

*On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And **at evening**, it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. **So** it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. **As long as** the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out. **And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud **lifted** they set out. Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained incamp and did not set out, but when it **lifted** they set out. At the command of the **Lord** they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses.” *Numbers 9:15-23

The visible presence of God was with the Israelites, guiding their every step. The cloud was over the tent of the tabernacle by day and a cloud of fire by night.

Whenever the cloud moved, the Israelites would pack up the tent and move. Imagine, the visible presence of God guiding each move of life. What a gift of security, stability, peace, and safety. At all times, they knew God was with them.

Moses knew the importance of the presence of God. Recall, Moses had told God that if He was not with them on the journey from the Promised Land, they shouldn’t go.

*And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” *Exodus 33:15-16

The presence of God is a focus in the Bible. From Genesis 1 through Revelation, God is present. When He is present, there is peace. He was, is, and will be our refuge. The Psalmist in chapter 46 praised Him for His presence.

*God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. **Therefore** we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. *Psalm 46:1-11

Once, the disciples and Jesus were in a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee. They had many experienced fisherman in the boat, so this wasn’t their first storm.

Nevertheless, they felt they were dying. Scared to death, they called to Jesus.

*And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already*

*filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. *Mark 4:37-39

Peace! Be still! The raging wind and the storms were gone. A great calm took over the sea.

Just as in times past, the presence of God is with us today. This is a promise with the gift of the Holy Spirit after Jesus died on the cross. In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says “I am with you always even unto the end of the world.”

Although we don’t have the cloud guiding us by day or the fire by night, the same God that was with the Israelites is with us today. And to know Him, understand Him, develop greater faith in Him, we must spend time with Him in His Word.

In order for the relationship of a marriage to blossom, it must be cultivated. We must continually know our spouse, learn about our spouse, spend time with our spouse. A relationship with God is no different.

Spend time with Him to learn, know, grow. When the storms of life rage, you will have built the solid foundation to stand on. You will know His Presence is with you.

And just like in a marriage, there will be times when God feels distant, not present, disconnected. Doubt will, no doubt, creep in. But God has provided a way to reconnect, His Word. Jump back in.

The presence of God is found in His Word.

Moses, an Israelite, was raised as a child with King Pharaoh in Egypt. While the Israelites were slaves, he was living a life of luxury. One day, he saw an Israelite being mistreated by an Egyptian, and he killed the Egyptian. This event sent Moses on a tailspin. He ended up in Midian, about 6,000 miles southeast of Egypt, as a shepherd. He had fled in fear from the situation, content to live as a shepherd the rest of his life.

Now, imagine the mindset of Moses. He was probably full of fear and shame knowing his past. Moving from the king’s house to being a shepherd, maybe he had low self-esteem, lack of confidence. What was once a promising earthly life of luxury was now spent in the fields. Instead of a great leader of people, he was a leader of sheep, living in Midian for forty years. Maybe he felt this was his lot in life, that he would live a quiet life and quietly pass away.

Fast forward less than a year later, and Moses was leading millions of Israelites out of Egypt. He went up against the king of Egypt and won. He will go down as arguably the greatest leader ever.

What happened? God was with him.

*Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” *Exodus 3:10-12

When God arrived to speak to Moses through the burning bush, God said, “I will be with you.” This is the ultimate blessing, the ultimate place of peace and security that one can have. Everything changes when God is with you.

Likewise, when He called Abraham, God made it clear He was with him. God repeated the covenant to Isaac, saying, “I will be with you.” And to Jacob, God said, “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land.”

Fast forward to Peter. He was a fisherman and became a follower of Jesus. He left Jesus, denying him at his darkest moment. After catching eyes with Jesus, Peter ran away crying because of his betrayal of Christ. But before Jesus died on the cross, he had told Peter, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

A few months later, Peter was preaching to thousands of people, as God was with him.

Paul, a murderer of those who followed Jesus, was radically transformed as God approached him. With God leading him, Paul became the greatest missionary who ever lived.

God approached all of these men and radically transformed their lives. Some became great leaders, and some were constantly mistreated and persecuted. But they were all transformed, having the peace and security of knowing that God was with them.

Ever feel lack of confidence, fear, anxiety, hopelessness, or insecurity? What Jesus said in Matthew

28:20 applies to us today: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This simple, profound statement from Christ settles the soul and gives you peace and security.

When you don’t have the words to pray, repeat Matthew 28:20, and rest on the words of Jesus. “I am with you.” When He stopped the raging waves, He said, “Peace be still.” The truth that He is with you settles the soul.

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

Viktor Frankl wrote this in Man’s Search for Meaning, describing how he was able to survive a Nazi concentration camp for three years. The only way to survive each day was to hold on to the hope for the future.

One’s why for living provides hope for the future. And hope sustains.

In times of clarity, hope provides motivation.

Hope provides an internal fire, a desire to reach that which is hoped for.

Hope gives us a picture of what life, business, family will be.

Hope is that feeling you have after writing a well thought out strategy or plan.

Hope is fuel for the soul, the human spirit.

In the valley, hope provides security.

Hope provides light when darkness abounds.

Hope gives meaning to the valley.

Hope can direct the mind when the body fails.

Hope cannot be taken away in the midst of suffering.

Hope provides stabilization in life.

Hope is belief that the future will be better than the present. Hope is the foundation of a why, a vision.

Achieving goals is temporary. If a company achieves goals, the race is finished. But vision, the why of a company, sustains. The why is the future hope that is ultimately, unachievable. The why, the hope, keeps the motor running.

Likewise, an individual vision or why provides perpetual hope. The destination is never truly reached. Peaks and valleys will come, but hope provides stability on the journey. Money, retirement, promotions, material things, may bring short term happiness from the achievement but never sustainable joy. Hope of the future brings consistent peace.

The journey of life can cause one to lose hope. Fires arise. Obstacles come out of nowhere. Health declines. Death happens. Expectations are missed. Things didn’t turn out as one envisioned. The best developed plan fails. People let you down.

Hope is the one thing that sits on top of situations, sustaining us on the journey.

Make sure your hope, your why, your vision, is built for the journey.

It is worth the deep work to clearly define it for your company, your life, and your family.

Where is your hope today?

*We have hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. *Hebrews 6:19

“I still can’t believe this happened in the US.”

This was the subject line in an email I received.

In my book The Anchor, I wrote the following, long before COVID:

*And I suppose my future will be the same. Many uncontrollables lie ahead for me. Many abrupt currents and changing tides are coming my way. However, with my anchor, I am now prepared to face the future. No matter the situation, the abrupt twist, the unforecasted storm, I can cling to my anchor to steady the ship.*

*The same will be true for you. Events are coming that will rock your world. Money, friends, faith, self-created gods, personal relationships, popularity, business, athletic prowess — nothing in this world will provide stability. You need an anchor that will steady the ship.*

*In a world of uncertainty, with many uncontrollable situations coming our way, I hope that you begin to discover the anchor that is there for you, the anchor of your soul.*

I think COVID could be described as one of those “events that will rock your world.”

There is a saying to only worry about what you can control. Well, the truth is that we do not control much. Uncontrollables wreck our “controllables.”

Example. Do you control your business or your job? Not really. World events can change that overnight. Read through the businesses that went bankrupt in 2020 (J. Crew, Neiman Marcus, Gold’s Gym, and on and on and on.). What about your health? The health of your family? Your money? Wonder what the market is going to do over the next month?

There is nothing in this world to cling to when the water of life gets rough. Nothing. God, The Anchor, offers the only security. And God’s promises steady the ship.

There are probably a few different groups of people in the rough water right now. Speaking from experience, I have found myself in each group at different times in my life. Those that are holding on to The Anchor, knowing His promises (the Bible) are true. Or, maybe, those that used to hold on that are reaching to grab that Anchor right now. When I went to church the Sunday after 9/11, I had to walk a mile to get in the building. And finally, those that are riding through water out on their own. The “this, too, shall pass” mentality. This will absolutely pass, until the next uncontrollable comes along. For everyone, the water will continue to be rough. The events yesterday are now past us (I guess), but another one awaits.

The great news is that there is an Anchor for our souls who provides stability, security, consistency, and deliverance. The Anchor is available, equally, to each group above no matter when you begin to hold on to it.

I speak from experience. The Anchor is my story of how God steadied my ship and continues to steady my ship. I wanted my kids to know through my life experiences that there is only one anchor that steadies the ship. Not money or material possessions. Not relationships. Not religion or church. Just Him and His book of promises, the only truth that exists, that stands the test of time. Choose the Bible over my book if you are looking for a good read.

I watched the young man mowing our back yard with a tear in my eye. A week earlier he had lost his dad, only fifty-one years old. His dad was a great man who cared for the lawns for most of the people in my neighborhood. He worked with excellence, and the neighborhood had a love and respect for him. A week earlier, I had talked to him about making sure our gate was closed after he finished cutting the grass. That gate was no longer important. Now, I was talking to his son, telling him I was sorry and was praying for him and his family. An abrupt, unexpected end to his dad’s life, and an unplanned twist in his.

Our neighborhood created a monument for this beloved man, with a single tree planted in a heart- shaped flowerbed. Under the tree sits an empty bench. I see that empty bench each time I enter our neighborhood, and I am reminded of the frailty of life.

I believe there is great value in recognizing the frailty of life, because it makes one remember how brief it is. When you realize the brevity of life, your mindset shifts, your focus changes, you recognize grace, you count your blessings, you alter your actions, and you reorder your priorities.

In a moment, this empty bench in our neighborhood causes me to focus on the impact I can have today. And when I think about the impact I desire to have, it is all about other people. My perspective immediately changes. I focus on others. The empty bench creates a sense of urgency to love others.

What a blessing that empty bench is in my life. I encourage you to find that empty bench in your life, that reminder that kicks you into gear, focusing on others.

*And he **lifted up** his eyes on his **disciples, and** said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. *Luke 6:20-23

Jesus is ministering to “a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.” People had come from all around to hear him and be healed. You get a picture of Jesus with His disciples in front of a crowd of those needing help, those recognizing that they were powerless without Him. These were those that were humbled by the difficulty of life. Their humility and desperation brought them to Christ.

The desperate needed hope. They needed faith. Life was difficult on this crowd. They needed something more. So in addition to healing the masses, Jesus taught a message of encouragement.

Jesus said, blessed are you if you are poor, hungry, sad and weeping, or if people mistreat you, hate you. He told the people that this is temporary and encouraged them to look forward, to better things to come. If you are poor, you will have a Kingdom. If you are hungry, you will have plenty to eat. If you are sad, you will be happy. If men hate you because of Jesus, you will be full of joy. It was as if He looked over the multitude, saw the pain and suffering, the weeping and wailing, and told them, “your time is coming.”

I can only imagine after the miracles that had taken place, the healing of the diseases, that everyone’s heart was full of joy and faith. Christ was giving them hope in the middle of the desolate situation. Their pain was temporary.

We will all have these seasons in our life. The seasons when nothing makes sense. The seasons of grief and difficulty. Maybe the seasons when our faith wanes. During these times, we recognize the world has little to offer. Like the multitudes in the story above, we are humbled by the battles of life. It is during these times when these same words that Jesus delivered to the multitudes that day, also bring hope to us and our situation. It is inevitable that life will be difficult. Jesus told the people and us where to look. Perpetual joy awaits.

Job lost his wealth and his kids in an instant.

*Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” *Job 1:20-21

Somehow, he looks forward and exclaims, “blessed be the name of the Lord.” His hope and faith in God sustained him.

In the morning, as I read the Bible, I have a book marker from my dad’s funeral on the desk next to me with his obituary and Psalm 23 written on it. The obituary tells me that he was 81 when he died. I use dad’s bible often. In the back of the book, on a post it note, Dad had written a couple of verses.

*I **am this day** eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? *2 Samuel 19:35

I read that verse, and I remember what He was going through at the time battling Parkinson’s Disease, after many other health battles. He seems to have read this verse and used it as a descriptor for his own life. Dad must have written this soon before he passed away.

But there is also another passage written on the post it note, Psalm 90. This chapter contains the following verses.

*The Opening – Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. *Psalm 90:1-2

*The Middle – Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and **we** **flyaway**. *Psalm 90:10

*The Closing – O Lord, come back to us! How long will you **delay**? Take pity on your servants! Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory. *Psalm 90:13-16

The Psalm begins by calling God everlasting. He was, is, and will always be. Then the Psalmists talks about the brevity of life, with one passage saying, “teach us to number our days.” Then the writer ends with surety and hope, “Lord come back to us!”

Now, I am not sure exactly what was going on in my Dad’s mind when he wrote these verses. He had been through some major difficulties. But in these verses, when he is weak, I do see him recognizing how temporary his situation is and pointing to God and the future with hope. I see Dad’s cry for God.

The twists and turns of life will always bring difficulty, just like the multitudes that came to Jesus, just like Lot, just like my dad. But there is an Anchor to cling to during the storm. This Anchor is the only thing that holds.

*Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” *Lamentations 3:23-34

Every day, The Anchor is with us. Find hope in the recognition of the temporary.

As years pass by, at some point in your life, you will long for the past. After all, a graph of life is not a continuous sloping line up and to the right, with each day offering a new peak over the last.

I am reminded of the movie, As Good as it Gets, when Jack Nicholson, sitting in the waiting room of a doctor’s office, turns to the guy sitting next to him and says, “what if this is as good as it gets?” Funny during the movie but not as humorous as you journey through life.

The truth of life is that you will have peaks and valleys. Try as you might, you can’t will the valleys to be, well, peaks. Valleys are valleys. And they are certain in life.

Perhaps no better picture of the ebbs and flows of life exists than in the life of Job.

Job had an incredible life. He was described as being “blameless and upright.” He feared God and shunned evil. He was massively wealthy with livestock and land, described as “the greatest of all the people in the East.” He had sons and daughters and a seemingly very close-knit family. Life was at a peak.

Then in one day, Job loses his sons, daughters, his wealth, and everything he knew in life. In the coming days, he would lose his health with “painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.” Life was in a valley.

In Job 29, he begins longing for the past. Who wouldn’t in his situation?

*“Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness, as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent, when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me, when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil! When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square, the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose and stood; the princes refrained from talking and laid their hand on their mouth; the voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved,” *Job 29:2-11

Ever been there? Job loses himself in thinking about his past. He had family, fortune, and honor. He was respected by all.

And what follows in Job 30, is a man shaking his head in pain and disgust as he looks at his valley. Job 30 begins with “but now” and then, painstakingly, lays out his current situation, his current valley. He says things like “my prosperity has passed like a cloud” and “my soul is poured out because of my plight.”

There is a great lesson in reading Job’s writing as he transitions from looking at the past to looking at his current situation. When Job dwelled on his past, he, naturally, compared it to his current situation. And when he compared the peak to the valley, there was such a stark difference that hopelessness set in.

Comparing the two made him long for the past that much more and see his own situation as that much worse. Hopeless.

And so it is with us. If we identify a point in our lives when we were at our peak, we have a tendency to compare this high to our current situation. Your family, your marriage, your material possessions, your friends, your health, you name it, each has a peak and each has a valley. Oh, how we long for the perpetual peak. The desire is natural but not realistic.

But what if we are able to acknowledge the peak and the valley, but long for the future? Hope resides in the future. For, in the future, there will be great peace, great unity, ever-lasting joy. Our peaks and valleys will be long forgotten.

God brings a longing for the future. When God meets you in the valley, He gives hope for the future, and, as the song says, “the things of this world will grow strangely dim.” Job discovered this truth as he was confronted by God later in his book. His friends didn’t bring him peace or understanding as they talked to him, but God enters the scene causing Job to humble himself and brings peace.

Adrian Rogers said that you are either headed for a storm, in a storm, or coming out of a storm. Said differently, storms or valleys are inevitable. But know that they are also temporary, as God awaits with a blessed future.

God, grant me and all reading this blog the ability to long for the future today.

Point others to the only One who can comfort in the valley.

*And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come **first, and** restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about **him.”** *Mark 9:11-13

As the Old Testament says, the scholars of the law were teaching the people that Elijah must come first. They were absolutely right. The Bible says this in the last 2 verses of the Old Testament.

*“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with **total destruction**.” *Malachi 4:5-6

Many were waiting on Elijah, but Jesus tells the disciples that he had already come, and the people refused him. Later, he provides more detail, as Jesus tells people, that if they are willing to accept it, John the Baptist was Elijah.

Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears, let them hear. Matthew11:11-14

Waiting on Elijah had become a stumbling block for many. The teachers and many people were waiting on a clearly defined Elijah as the forerunner, followed by the coming of the Lord. No Elijah equaled no Lord to them. However, the forerunner, John the Baptist, had already come and was refused by many. Jesus said this about John the Baptist quoting the prophet Malachi.

*“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ *Matthew 11:10

Waiting on Elijah had become a stumbling block to many. John the Baptist had already come, and they missed it.

Just like the people in Jesus’s day, we all face stumbling blocks, things that hinder our belief in Jesus. Be it the riches of the world, the desire for power or position, the dependence on people, the things of the world become stumbling blocks to our faith. We believe in Jesus, but stumbling blocks cause us to act otherwise.

Pictures or events in the Bible often illustrate and emphasize the teaching of Jesus.

Immediately after the discussion with the disciples about Elijah in Mark 9, a dad runs up to Jesus asking if He would heal his son, who was possessed by a demon. Notice the exchange, the cry of the father.

And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’ ! All things are possible for one who believes.”

*Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” *Mark 9:22-24

The father says something very strange. He says that he believes, but needs help with his unbelief. It was like he was caught in the middle between belief and unbelief.

Ever feel that way? Ever feel like you believe in Jesus, but you need help with unbelief? Maybe the stumbling blocks of life make you doubt your faith? You are not alone.

Stumbling blocks are inevitable. We all have them, we all face them, and, all will stumble. We will doubt our faith.

The dad’s cry to Jesus makes complete sense. I believe, but help me with my unbelief. Christ has to fill the hole of unbelief. He has to give us the power to hurdle our stumbling block.

The people waiting on Elijah had a stumbling block, and they needed faith that can only come from God. We are in the same boat. It is only Him that gives us the faith to overcome unbelief.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians2:8-9

Let the dad’s cry be the constant cry of us as the world fights our faith. I believe, but help me with my unbelief.

By nature, I like to see the fruit of my labor. I like to get things done. I like to turn around after my journey and see the things I have built. I feel like a solid Christian. When I think about my legacy, I immediately think of the tangible fruit I will leave behind. That is how I am wired.

However, God is after faithfulness. Check out Hebrews 11, commonly referred to as the “faith hall of fame.” (That description always bothered me, by the way, as faith is a gift). Just read how each verse begins.

4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did.

5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying — ”he disappeared, because God took him.”

6 And it is impossible to please God without faith.

7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood.

8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance.

11 It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.

Over and over, the people mentioned in Hebrews 11 are commended for their faith, not their fruit. All of the fruit is preceded by great faith. If you continue reading in Hebrews 11, you see that people are commended for dying for their faith, seemingly with no fruit. The point is FAITH, not FRUIT.

The awesome thing: fruit always follows faithfulness. The fruit may not be a tangible project or ministry or building or business. The fruit may be faithfully making disciples at home, day after day. The fruit may be quietly walking through a difficult time with someone. That type of fruit will last forever.

Live faithfully today.

On my desk, in my home office, sits a frame containing a small shriveled piece of paper with the following handwritten verse.

*And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6*

I was jogging through the woods the weekend after my dad passed away, and I found the above handwritten Bible verse on a crumpled sheet of paper, blowing down the path. The note was written on a piece of paper “from E. O. Ray II” on Coca-Cola Northern Africa letterhead. I have no idea who E. O. Ray II is, and he has no idea how passing this verse on to me impacted my life. For me, this is a daily reminder to believe.

But in my life, at least, belief is evasive. It is easy to say, “I believe,” but, to paraphase Adrian Rogers: “If my life is examined on a daily basis, is there enough evidence to convict me as a believer?”

Belief was also evasive for those who followed Jesus 2,000 years ago.

At the end of Mark, he summarizes his book by emphasizing their unbelief. He says that after Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, she ran to tell the others, and “they did not believe it.” In the next verse, Mark talks about Jesus appearing to two of them while they were walking in the country, and they reported it to the rest, but “they did not believe them either.” Later, Mark writes that Jesus “rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe.”

Those that walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Jesus throughout his ministry, after seeing the crucifixion and resurrection, still struggled with belief.

But a few hung on to their belief. After Jesus goes to heaven, we find “a group numbering about a hundred and twenty” huddled together, praying constantly.

Jesus had walked among the masses, fed the 5,000, and we see only about 120 truly believing. The struggle with belief was too great for most, so they dropped out, followed the masses.

So how do the 120 believe?

The Bible is clear that belief is a “gift from God” (Ephesians 2:8,9). God gives the gift of belief. So the question is not how they believed. The belief was a gift.

The question is how did they maintain belief in the midst of a culture that just murdered Jesus? They were surrounded by people that vehemently disagreed with them. The Bible gives us a picture of how they continued to grow their faith.

The 120 knew, followed, and read the Bible. Without God’s words in the Bible, they would have no compass, no direction, no clue on how to act. The believers knew nothing else to do but follow Scripture.

As the 120 are huddled in a room, Peter stands and says, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas.” He points them to the Bible.

Then he quotes 2 verses from the Psalms (Psalm 69:25, 109:8).

Additionally, after receiving the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, Peter speaking to 3,000+ people, shares the Bible (Joel 2:28-32, Psalm 16:8-11, Psalm 110:1).

The belief of the 120 is laced with the Bible. The words from the Bible fueled their belief, gave them hope, gave them direction. Without the Bible, they would have had blind faith, but, because of God’s words in Scripture, they could stand strong in their faith.

In fact, ending his sermon to the 3,000-plus, Peter says that because of the Bible, “let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).

So that note that E. O. Ray II wrote, is more than just words on a page. These are the Words of God from the Bible that feed my belief.

Whenever my faith is waning, when my belief seems gone, when the world is pressing in, I open the one thing that reignites my soul. The one thing that feeds my faith. The same thing that those 120 believers used 2,000 years ago. The Bible.

The Bible changes me in my situation. The situation may remain the same, but His Words give me a different outlook on the situation.

The world is confusing. Truths are gray areas. The journey is littered with obstacles. Belief-rocking storms await. Cling to the Bible. It isn’t a book but the Words of God.

I encourage you today. Get alone with God and read His Word. He always has something to say to you.

Moses, arguably the greatest leader that ever lived, was in the desert when he was famously called by God to lead the one million plus Israelites out of slavery.

To the unbelieving man, God said that he would give Moses a future sign that He was with him.

*“I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” Exodus 3:12*

Six months later, after the plagues, the freeing of the Israelites from slavery, the parting of the Red Sea, Moses is led out of Egypt to the desert. Guess where?

*After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain. Exodus 19:2*

Moses finds himself in front of Mount Sinai, the same mountain when he was called six months earlier. A worship service ensues as Moses and the Israelites come face to face with a holy God.

The prophecy was fulfilled as God had said. The truth was cemented before Moses.

He was with them.

A stat became popular a few years back. By the time your child graduates high school, you have already spent roughly 90% of all the in-person time you will ever have with them. Parents will not be with their children the majority of their life. But, the great truth of Scripture is that God will always be with them.

Spend the 90% of the time that you have with your kids before high school teaching them about the One that will be with them forever, every second, every minute, every hour, every day.

I am with you.

And, this is true for you and me.

One of the last things that Jesus said before He left earth, “I am with you always, even to the end of the world” (Mathew 28:20).

He is on His throne. He is with your children. He is with you.

This is one of the greatest truths to give us peace, comfort, confidence, to crush fear, to help us hold our head high, to give us hope.

In one of my darkest moments, when I didn’t have the words to pray, all I did was recite Matthew 28:20 over and over again in my mind. I was confused, the world was dark to me at that moment, I had little hope, but God gave me the one absolute truth that I needed to cling to at that moment.

I am with you.

The world is as divided as it has ever been in my lifetime. We take sides, dig in our heels, and battle. We need grace and understanding, but we have anger, frustration, fear, exasperation, anxiety, ridicule, pride, sarcasm, and all around hatred.

But look closely, and you see that we are all the same. We are all full of sin. Man is full of selfish desires. In our hearts, we may believe we are pure, but we are all part of fallen humanity. I know this better than anyone about myself.

There is only one answer. There is only one absolute truth. Every other road will lead to division. But don’t take my word for it. Look at history. The Bible, the best history book ever written, clearly gives us this picture. Biblical literacy, God’s Word, can be our guiding light.

About 3,000 years ago, kings over the Judean land were required to study the Bible, know the Bible, and lead using these principles. This was a direct command to hold the position, a key piece of ruling the land. And in Kings and Chronicles, the Bible lays out a clear picture of the correlation between peace in the land and a king following the Law (the Bible).

If a king followed God, the commands of the Bible, there was peace in the land. However, if a king followed his own ways, there was anarchy, no peace, wars, assassinations, even child sacrifice. All hell seemed to break loose when the king left the Bible.

Check this out. God’s promised land was divided into two countries, Israel and Judah. Israel and Judah had about forty kings between them over a period of about 200 years. All leaders, except about six of the kings, turned from the Law, were evil, and led according to their own views of the world. During this period, you read about five or six assassinations, wars, crazy times. Finally, the land was overtaken by a foreign country.

However, during the reign of the five or six kings who followed God’s commands, there was peace, security, and unity. Little to no war. A stark contrast to the leadership of the kings who followed their own ways, depended on their own leadership.

Wise King Solomon said there is nothing new under the sun. If you look closely at our world, it is evident. I have no answers. Man has no answers. Only God has answers, and they are all given to us in His Word.

In his first or second year in the NBA, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were struggling and had just been beaten in the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics.

Jordan scored sixty points. As he was walking off the court, a reporter walked up to him and said, “There is no I in TEAM.” He turned around, looked in the camera, and said, “there is in WIN, though.” Classic.

Outside of Jordan (in his early years), unity is a powerful message in team sports. Arguably, Jordan learned this lesson later in his career as the Bulls became an all-around team, winning six championships. Early in his career, Jordan had crazy talent, no team unity, and zero championships. Once the Bulls became unified, they became a machine

I’ll take team unity over talent any day. Team unity wins championships. You never see a divided team win championships. When the going gets tough, it falls apart.

One may argue with my statements about Jordan, but I don’t think anyone would argue with the value of unity in team sports. Why, then, are we so divided when it comes to practically anything else in the world? Think of any issue in culture: division. Family: division. Business: division. This is especially true when it comes to religion. Major division.

So many issues in religion divide. Works or grace. Baptism or sprinkling. Arminianism versus Calvinism. Choir or no choir. Formal or informal. Big church or small church. The list goes on and on.

In John 17, as Jesus was praying to His Father right before He was arrested, He prayed for future believers, passionately requesting oneness.

*“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” *John 17:20-23

Jesus prayed that future believers would be one. Why? Verse 23 says “so that the world may know that you sent me.” Unity was to give the world a view of Jesus Christ.

Man-made religion draws many dividing lines in Christianity. But the Bible draws one dividing line: Jesus. So I hear you if you shy away from religion. I think many equate “religion” with the Bible. Religion defined by culture could not be further from the truth of the Bible. Become biblically literate, as this is where unity can be discovered.

“The most dangerous competitor is the one with a single goal.” Farnam Street Blog, https://fs.blog

Why?

Because a singular focus on one goal means that the team, the company is unified.

And a unified group of people wins.

It is easy to put a goal on a screen, give a motivational speech, and have everyone high five, walking away full of emotions.

However, it is a completely different task to build a culture that unifies behind a goal.

Unifying behind a goal requires individual character, much deeper than emotions.

In Hidden Potential, Adam Grant defines character as your “capacity to prioritize your values over your instincts.”

Unity requires one to hang up selfish desires, bad attitudes, and personal glory. Unity requires an ability to disagree and commit. Unity requires transparency and truth telling. Unity requires cheering for each other. Unity requires one to do the right thing in silence, never desiring glory.

Benefits of unity are no fear, no politics, extreme ownership, great attitudes, and joy-filled halls.

Only when a group has unity are they able to focus behind a single goal.

A mentor used to tell me that there are only 2 types of people. People building up or people tearing down. It is a choice.

Build unity today.

Nothing impacts others more than your words.

In fact, the most powerful, effective tool in your arsenal today is your words.

How many conversations or interactions will you have today? More than 100?

Before I leave my house, I have impacted four people with my words. At a brief stop at my coffee shop, there is another one. The ride on the elevator to my office, another one. The greetings in the hallway, a few more.

Then the meetings start, interrupted by business and personal calls throughout the day. The quick check-in with my wife. The call from my daughter. On and on and on.

Every exchange has an impact on someone else. Each conversation is an opportunity to build another up or break them down. The inflection, the tone, the pace of my words all impact other people.

Reflect on yesterday. We each had winning conversations and losing conversations. If you are anything like me, sometimes you let your guard down and reserve those negative conversations with those you love most.

The tongue has the ability to unify. One on one conversations can create a bridge. Public displays of support grow another’s confidence. I heard this description about a mentor of mine: “When he sits down to eat, he never has others for lunch.” False victories come from slandering others.

The tongue has the ability to give grace. When grace, the benefit of the doubt, is at the tip of your tongue, others receive fuel. The book Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara calls this making the “charitable assumption.” Mistakes happen; let that be known.

The tongue has the ability to create momentum. In a world of issues, words can flip the switch the other direction, create a flame, help others see that, despite the storm, it will be okay.

The tongue communicates value. If I have time for a word with another, the other person receives a message of “I am valued.” Have you ever talked to someone who opens with, “I have five minutes until my next meeting.” Think that adds fuel to another’s tank? Think they feel valued?

The power move today is to impact others with your words.

And as your words fill the tanks of others, your tank will remain full.

*But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.” *Luke 11:17

The people were questioning the power source of Jesus. He used this as an opportunity to emphasize what has and will always be true. Division tears apart(fill in the blank). Family, marriages, churches, friends, teams, partnerships, businesses, you name it and the culprit of demise is division.

At the foundation of any fruitful unit is a common purpose, a common truth, a common mission. This core commonality is ultimately what drives unity.

Without this strong base, this strong foundation, a kingdom will fall, a marriage will break apart, a business will crumble, a team will not be victorious.

Division took down the Israelites when God led them out of slavery in Egypt. Only two of the estimated millions of people actually entered the promised land.

Division was always at risk of breaking up the disciples following Christ, as pride constantly entered the conversation about who was the greatest.

Throughout history, division has crumbled countless relationships, from governments to marriages. The foundation of division is always pride and selfishness, both of what every person on earth has in them.

On the other hand, unity is driven by selflessness created when people are bound by something greater than themselves. Unity is driven by a common purpose, a common mission, a common truth as the foundation. Many differences of opinion can and should exist, but, at the end of the day, the core common purpose is the glue that binds.

*“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” *Matthew 7:24-27

A rock solid foundation, purpose, mission, truth is the word of God. This truth is like glue in a relationship. A strand of three cords is not easily broken. Will risk of division exist? Certainly, as we are human. However, all disagreements, selfishness, and pride that ultimately lead to division will be reconciled by the underlying common purpose, the common mission. The foundation of truth unifies.

Is any relationship in your life at risk of division today? Go to the foundation where grace is the key ingredient. This is the only foundation that absolutely unifies.

Unite away from the table.

Jim: Mike, are you familiar with the saying “P erfect is the enemy of good” ?

Mike: Good enough is the enemy of humanity.

To be debated, right? Those quotes are from the movie Blackberry.

I can hear the debate around a group of leaders that I am humbled to work with each day. Half the table would be super proactive, let’s make it happen. The other half would slow down, think, make sure the systems are in place before executing.

If the team is composed of all “run” personalities, you are at risk of destroying the team, the culture. If contemplated too long, the competition will blow by you.

The key is to create unity away from the table, after the discussion. Each person will leave the table and unify or divide.

The tendency is to create division. Be the one who unifies.

Avoid the negative talk about others, the “us against them” positioning, the cutting remarks after you leave the table. Words divide, kill the culture.

When different personalities with different strengths listen to each other, respect each other, have each other’s back, a culture is built and the team is unified behind a strategy.

This is a great model for a business, a team, a marriage, a family. Listen, respect, and honor all at the table and when you leave the table.

Two are better than one; a strand of three cords is not easily broken.

What builds deep unity — the kind that is cemented with trust?

The type of unity that binds two people together despite disagreements in the moment. In fact, nothing the other party says or does impacts the deep togetherness. The loss, the words exchanged in the moment, the mistake, the miss, nothing erodes the unity.

I suppose there are quite a few ingredients, including time and commitment.

But arguably, nothing builds unity in a couple, a group, a team, or a company more than perseverance.

And perseverance is, by definition, not easy.

Think about your deepest relationships, the ones unified with trust as the cement.

You and that person or team have gone into battle together. You have endured storms. You have sat in the foxhole together and talked, prayed, cried. You have been under the hardship and patiently endured. You have locked arms and carried on. You have persevered together.

The fruit of the perseverance is unity, and unity is the key ingredient to feeling valued.

With no unity, a person will never feel valued. With deep unity, a person knows he or she is radically valued.

The cement holding it all together is trust.

A call to perseverance isn’t motivational, but the fruit from the journey is a gift.

Talent is key, but loyalty wins championships.

It is a great lesson on leadership to hear the coaches at Southeastern Conference media days talk about how to win, to manage a team, in the age of the transfer portal. They never stress the details of the offense or defense, or even the talent. Instead, they consistently stress the importance of the culture, of building unity.

With new players shuffling in each year, the coaches talk about the importance of the players who remained, the core, the foundation of the team. The talent of the new players is critical, of course, but it all falls apart if there isn’t a loyal base of players as the foundation.

Each year, a college football team has about six months to unify. As new players come in, they learn the culture, the expectations, the values from the original team. Day by day, they learn the depth of the loyalty through the eyes of those who have been on the journey. Without the core, there is no glue to build the program, as the core contains the secret ingredient to unity: loyalty.

Regardless of the talent, a team doesn’t win without unity. Unity is naturally created by loyalty. And loyalty doesn’t exist without trust.

Impact others today by building unity, loyalty, and trust, a three-strand cord that can’t be broken. As a mentor used to say, “You are either building it up or tearing it down.”

The by-product? A great day.

Talent without loyalty drives division. Creativity without loyalty follows the same path. In fact, fill in the blank with the most glorified personal trait, leave out loyalty, and you will find a selfish life.

Loyalty is arguably the most over-looked and evasive personal quality today. It is rarely emphasized in an evaluation or analyzed in an interview. When is the last business book written about loyalty?

Loyalty drives unity among people. Loyalty quiets the storm. Loyalty digs in when others check out. Loyalty makes a great friend, a great marriage, a great company. Loyalty is the trait that will be mentioned in a person’s legacy.

If you find it, treasure it, thank God for it, and meet loyalty with loyalty. This could be the greatest treasure you will ever discover on earth.

Commit to loyalty to impact others.

Regardless of your beliefs, the Bible is full of wisdom, practical advice that will lead one to a rich life. A great example is Proverbs 19:22 – Loyalty makes a person attractive. However, loyalty is hard to find.

When I think of loyalty, I think of my mom. Mom and Dad were married for over fifty years. As dad battled cancer and Parkinson’s disease, Mom cared for him consistently, constantly. As his health deteriorated over the years, she served. When Mom chose to leave Dad’s wedding ring on his finger after he died, she showed incredible loyalty.

Loyalty is an evasive quality in our world today. Recent surveys say the median employee tenure is about four years. Some surveys say the graduating senior will have over twelve jobs in a five year. I read a stat that sixty percent of couples who get married between the ages of twenty and twenty- five will divorce. Overall, the divorce rate is about fifty percent. Whether with spouses, friends, co- workers, family members, or bosses, loyalty is hard to find.

In my book The Anchor, I wrote nine lessons for my kids to follow. Lessons I have learned as I journey through life.

Lesson 7: Don’t judge others.

In our culture today, the focus of many a conversation is other people. We eat people for lunch. God, however, is the only judge. Learn from my life that everyone messes up. We are not the ones to point fingers, call people out. We are ones who love, no matter what.

I have learned the value of loyalty. It is a difference maker in society. Few are genuinely loyal, and this quality will set you apart.

I believe the most underutilized, underappreciated book is the Bible. Whether you are a Christian, an atheist, a believer in God, whatever, the Bible is an invaluable resource for history, a view of mankind. It is a literary masterpiece. The Bible is full of simple reminders and lessons to guide you through life. I have learned how the practical advice of this book will lead one to a successful, rich life. Check it out for yourself.

Who is the model of loyalty in your life? Drop that person a text.

As Abraham was getting older, naturally his thoughts were on the wife of his son Isaac. God had told Abraham that Isaac was the one who would carry on the covenant (Genesis 17:19).

With this on his mind, Abraham called his loyal helper, a man who was in charge of all he had, a man he could trust with the most important missions.

“And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had” (Genesis 24:2).

Abraham tells the servant to leave Canaan, go back to his homeland, and find a wife for Isaac. After some questions to make sure he understood the task at hand, the trusted servant was on it. It is estimated that he had to travel over 500 miles to find Isaac’s wife. Monumental task, but the impossibility of the endeavor mattered not to the servant. The loyalty of the servant was driven by the loyal One who was in control.

*The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. *Genesis 24:7

Abraham and his trusted servant knew they served a loyal God. And when the servant reached Abraham’s homeland, he called on God to help, and, within minutes, found Rebekah, Isaac’s future wife, at the watering well.

God orchestrated all the events in the story of Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis 24. He is loyal. Where He leads, rest assured, His promises will come to fruition, always. This truth is prevalent through history, through Scripture, and will be true in the future.

Knowing the loyalty of God frees us to be loyal, ourselves. God provides a security that allows loyalty to be unlocked. There is great freedom in knowing that He is ultimately in control.

Loyalty seems to be a lacking quality in our culture today. I wonder if the lack of loyalty points to the forgotten loyalty of God. With no loyalty, division rages.

Where is loyalty in the world?

Are college athletes loyal to their universities? The transfer portal makes it easy to jump ship when things don’t go well. Are businesses loyal to employees?

It seems many times greed is greater than loyalty. Are we loyal to our employers? The average employee changes jobs at least four times in a career. My dad worked for one company for over forty years. Marriage? The divorce rate is greater than fifty percent. Are we loyal to our friends? Social media has hurt this one. Are we loyal to church? Our country?

Thank you, mothers, for the picture of loyalty we get from you. It is needed and cherished.

In a world where quality is hard to find, a mom gives us the perfect illustration through her loyalty to her children. A mom is loyal to the end.

There is a great picture of loyalty in the story of Ruth in the Bible.

Because of a famine, Naomi and her husband, with their two sons, move from Bethlehem to Moab. After arriving, her two sons marry. Within ten years, however, Naomi’s husband dies, her two sons die, and she is left with her daughters-in-law.

Hopeless, she decides to return to Bethlehem. One daughter-in-law decides to stay in Moab.

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you” (Ruth 1:16, 17).

Ruth clings to her mother-in-law, Naomi. Naomi is returning to Bethlehem in a hopeless situation; the future is not bright. But Ruth’s loyalty is greater than the situation. Whatever the future is to hold, Ruth chooses loyalty. Nothing else matters. She is in, forever. What an incredible picture of loyalty in the most hopeless situation.

The remainder of the book of Ruth shows how God worked through Boaz to care for Naomi and Ruth. God is the One orchestrating events to bless Ruth.

Ruth commits her life to following God, and He protects her. The blessings came from the loyalty shown by Ruth.

This picture of loyalty is strong and needed today. No relationship gives us a better picture of loyalty than that of a mother to her children. The loyalty of Ruth is the loyalty that mothers have for their children. Forever. Period. No matter the circumstances.

I see this played out every day in my family, as there is nothing that can come between my wife and our kids. She is forever loyal, has their backs through thick and thin. She is their top defender and their number one fan. Her love is naturally lived through loyalty.

I see this played out with stories I hear from moms all around me. Ask a mother how she is doing, and she immediately will talk about her kids. They are her pride and joy. When they are good, she is good. When they are not good, she is not good. Moms are loyal to the end.

So to all Moms, thank you for the picture of loyalty you give to a world that desperately needs it. And know that your kids, your husbands, the world applauds you.

In a world that glorifies the one on stage, the personal performance, the closer, the vocal one in the room, the ones behind the curtain are the glue.

Evaluations of people in companies, rightfully so, are based on measurable standards and metrics. Of course, performance has to be measured against something. How did the individual perform versus the expectations of the company? Were the individual goals achieved?

This performance-based mindset moves from the company to the family. Children tend to be measured by similar metrics. Achievements and victories are stacked one on top of another to create a child’s worth.

Next time you are at a party, in a circle of people introducing themselves, listen to the descriptions used. The descriptors are typically performance based. This is logical, and it is the first thing that comes to mind. If I want to know about a person, it helps to know what they have done.

But, this performance based metric system misses the ingredients of a successful company, team, marriage, family. The under-lying, never mentioned, hidden-to-the public, qualities of someone that serve as the glue that holds everything together. The qualities that make or break a place. The qualities left off the evaluation but are the most difficult to achieve.

Some glue qualities to be valued.

Stability. The one that steadies the ship when the storm comes. The one that moves from conversation to conversation with the same attitude. The one that does not allow emotions to dictate their actions. When in the valley, the one that provides hope.

Consistency. The one that shows up everyday doing the work. The one that can be depended on year after year. When you walk in the door or the meeting, you know the person that will be sitting across the table. The one with the unwavering belief system. Steadfast in their values, beliefs, and actions.

Loyalty. The one that proactively follows. The one that submits. When in the foxhole, the one that will be there with you time after time. When people turn away, the person that is steadfast behind you. The one that will not change the narrative at the coffee pot at work. Great followers are great leaders.

The ones that are stable, consistent, and loyal, build the foundation of great companies and teams. Without them, no worthy culture exists.

The ones with these qualities lead others through the storms, leaning on faith. The ones with these qualities are living stones. In an unstable world, these are the ones that calm. The ones with these qualities leave the legacy that all desire.

Next time you are giving an evaluation, highlight the glue qualities of an individual. Next time you

are having the “confidential” conversation, aspire to live out those qualities. Next dinner conversation when the negative talk about someone begins, say a coach, flip the script.

Appreciate the glue qualities in another today. They are the ones impacting others.

I had the opportunity to be in the middle of a conversation with the legendary Lakers forward James Worthy.

Remember, the Lakers were the bomb, to use an’ 80s term. From Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Magic Johnson to Worthy to Michael Cooper to Byron Scott, they were dominant. Worthy won three NBA titles in the 1980s.

As he answered questions and reflected on his career, one story struck me.

Worthy talked about how the Lakers traded Bob McAdoo. For the record, McAdoo averaged twenty- two points in his career. He was a player.

But as Worthy reflected on the trade, he said that much more than McAdoo’s performance on the court, he was a “locker room guy.” He was the glue of the team. He maintained the culture and the unity in the locker room.

Worthy talked about the division of the team and the eventual unexpected loss in the playoffs caused by the lack of unity after the McAdoo trade.

Be a locker room player.

When the lights are dim, when only a few are around, be the one who offers optimism and hope, brings a message of unity and peace. Live your values.

We need locker room players in our companies, on our teams, in our marriages and families, and with our friends.

Locker room players are the ones who leave a meaningful legacy.

Before I left the conversation, I asked Worthy who was the most legendary trash talker he faced. Without hesitation, he said, you guessed it, “[Larry] Bird.”

But he followed by saying, “But no one talked trash to us. We were too good.”

Legend answer.

Not the charismatic, magnetic one. Or the one with the position, title, power, or money.

It has nothing to do with enneagram numbers, whether they are an introvert or extrovert, great public speakers, or behind-the-scene doers.

The greatest leaders have the same characteristic.

They serve one another in love. And they are typically surrounded by others with this mindset. It is contagious.

Serve one another in love.

“Swing thoughts” are those last critical mental moments before one takes a golf swing. The intention is to focus your mind solely on the task at hand.

Deemed as a “soft skill,” there is no more impactful swing thought to take into each day than to serve one another in love.

A simple thought with the ability to move mountains, turn relationships, swing conversations, change companies, create momentum, reignite internal flames.

If one serves another in love, division, jealousy, hostility, anger, frustration must depart.

If one serves another in love, one truly cares, one is all in, one is motivated to perform with excellence.

If one serves another in love, one is full of humility, as any personal desire for gain moves to the background.

Serving another in love creates unity in a marriage, a family, a friendship, a company.

Serving another in love propels excellence in performance through an understanding that personal actions truly impact others.

Serving another in love delivers trust, builds relationships, solidifies partnerships, expects nothing in return.

Serving another in love causes one to forget comparisons and focus on others. With this swing thought, there is no need for comparison to others.

Personal fulfillment is found in serving one another in love.

There is a reason that the greatest story ever told continually points us back to this profound statement.

The world glorifies so many characteristics and qualities in people, but, the one who serves others

with love leaves a lasting legacy.

And we so need it today.

If one wants to be a great leader, focus on being a great follower.

Many crave the title, the power, the money, the glory. But if you want to find a great leader, find a great follower.

Great followers are the ones that are in the trenches, the ones that execute, the glue. Great followers are servants, stewards, full of humility, with a great work ethic. Great followers are the culture, the ones that create unity. In the heat of the moment, it is the great followers that are depended on. Those that may disagree, but they commit.

Great followers are already great leaders, they just may not have the title.

And title never defines leadership.

Be a great follower today.

A lovefest was on display at SEC media days for former Alabama Coach Nick Saban.

Kirby Smart, Georgia head coach, thanked Saban for his leadership. Steve Sarkisian, Texas head coach, talked about how much Saban taught him about discipline. Lane Kiffin, head coach at Ole Miss, talked about the impact that Saban had on him as a coach.

Each Southeastern Conference coach’s path to the head coaching position was paved by following with excellence.

Strive to follow with excellence.

Be passionately behind your leader. If you can’t do this, change buses. But most of the time, the bus isn’t what needs to be changed.

The easy road is to point out flaws, why one disagrees, maybe how a different decision would have been made. The goal may not be division, but the result is.

Great followers are naturally humble. Great followers are naturally loyal. Great followers are naturally “all in.” Great followers are naturally drawn to unity.

Great followers are the people who make the culture, the company, the team. They rally others.

Great followers are a gift. They impact others to do the same.

Leadership isn’t defined by a position. Great followers are already great leaders.

A unified house is built by great followers. A unified house does not fall.

“Unreasonable hospitality” is going above and beyond customer expectations to create genuine connections and delight.” Will Guidara in Unreasonable Hospitality

Each one of us desires unreasonable service. At the doctor, the mechanic, or the store, we desire the one providing the service to have a great attitude, go above and beyond.

And when we receive unreasonable service, it is show-stopping, game-changing, memorable.

I received unreasonable service at dinner one night. The server’s joyful attitude, the personal connection made with my wife, the coaching on the menu, the genuine care, the desire to serve, all created a great experience and a new friend. I am a fan of the restaurant, have told others, and I will be back.

The unreasonable service is stuck in my mind among a sea of normal experiences.

On the heels of a 7% drop in same store sales, Brian Niccol, the new CEO of Starbucks, had this to say in a letter posted on their website: “It can feel transactional, menus can feel overwhelming, product is inconsistent, the wait too long or the handoff too hectic.”

Starbucks was missing unreasonable service.

Pride will deliver short-term service, maybe a delightful one-time experience, but the wrong motives will not sustain.

To deliver long-term, sustainable, unreasonable service, there must be something deeper.

Values provide the depth needed to guide the journey.

Values give you direction, help you serve even when you don’t feel like it.

Values change your attitude, your purpose, give you fuel when your tank is empty.

Commitment to your values means commitment to other people following the same values. In this way, values drive unity.

When values simply become words on a paper, the Starbucks scenario happens.

But when values are lived, unreasonable service happens.

And in a sea of normal transactions, the experience stands out and is told to others.

So ultimately, values drive business (and bring great joy on the journey).

Do we seek to understand?

When a group of people come together, there is inevitably a broad spectrum of faith.

In any crowd, there will be many different beliefs of God. One may be a believer in Jesus and not know the Bible. Some may believe in absolute truth, and some may see truth as situational.

In any crowd, there will be different beliefs of the Bible, whether it is relevant to our culture or not, whether it is 100% accurate, whether it is usable for life. Certainly different translations of Bible verses will exist, each with much research, debate, and thought by people smarter than me.

Many beliefs will exist.

Enter the scene seeking to understand, not as a clanging cymbal.

*If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, **so as to** remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at **wrongdoing, but** rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. *1 Corinthians 13

“Efficiency is the enemy.” Ryan Holliday in Ego is the Enemy

The drive for efficiency causes you to miss the story. And, behind every mask is a story, a journey, a lesson, an opportunity for encouragement or be encouraged.

In three brief stories yesterday, I was inspired, motivated, moved.

I bumped into a friend that told me about “Affordable Christmas.” His church receives donations of toys and then hosts a shopping spree for families in need that purchase the goods for $1 to $4. The money received goes back into the budget for next year’s event. They are offering Christmas to 120 families this year and have over 100 additional families on the on the waiting list. Alongside this event, they have started a plan, building affordable housing on the property of the church for those in need. They are hyper-focused on caring for the needy in the ocmmunity.

Immediately after that conversation, a friend shared some things going on in a small group he was part of each week. He spoke of a transparent group of people, removing the masks of life that they wear every daynand talking about their personal journeys. The group was being knitted together by sharing the realities of life. Few have this opportunity.

A bit later, I talked to a CEO at a company. We have connected a bit over the years and now know some details about each other’s families. He updated me on some hard things going on with his family, and I returned with things happening in my life. The reason for the call was business, but, as we were talking, I realized the greater reason was life. The relationship was much more meaningful than business.

Life is to be lived in the depths of relationships, but, it is easy to live in the shallows of the weather and work. Nothing creates more momentum in your life, in your job, in your family, with your children, than learning the stories of their day, their life, their current situation. The risk is driving to efficiency, trying to maintain that busy schedule.

Today, toss the discussion of the weather out the window. Learn the story of the person on the other side of the table (or the screen). Your life will be impacted, and you will impact others.

And, I bet your business will gain momentum. The strongest businesses have relationships that create unity at the foundation. Some call that culture.

Ever been around someone who excelled at relationships?

We have all been around people that “know everyone.” But, those that excel at relationships are different. The one that really builds relationships, not only knows people, but the people they know would do anything for them. It is if they owe the individual something, which isn’t the case.

The difference is one that excels at relationships gives.

I was recently around one of these relationship builders.

I was on a camping trip with some friends near on White River in Arkansas. As we were sitting around a campfire, a friend of one of my friends showed up with his wife. He lives in the area, used to be a guide on the river, and knows the water like the back of his hand. He is now the owner of a company that manufacturers fishing gear.

After greeting my friend with a hug, he happily unloaded gifts for my brother-in-law and his son. He carefully told them about the new fishing rods, how they were designed, what makes them unique, why they were special. It was pretty cool to see the exchange. He was pumped to be giving the gift.

The friend and his wife then hung out with us for a while around the campfire. He also came back the following day to make sure we were having a good time and make sure we were catching fish.

The exchange between these two men not ordinary, not superficial. They didn’t grow up together, nor had they spent tons of time together. But, nevertheless, they had a deep bond.

If this was a one-time happenstance, it wouldn’t be that remarkable. But, this happens almost every time I am around my friend. He has this gift of quickly building deep relationships, the kind that would go to battle with you.

How?

The answer is simple. The man has a heart of service. He gives. Not material giving, but time and talents. He cares about others. He jumps in to help.

Over and over, I have seen and heard other people talk about what an incredible guy he is. I heard his wife comment, “they act like that because of how he has taken care of them.”

He gives and gives and gives. He serves. He is willing to stop his life and help another. They may not even need “help,” but he jumps in to assist, to offer encouragement, to do anything he can to serve.

The incredible thing is that it is natural. It is part of his every day life. He just lives to give.

Great lesson for your family, your friends, your work, and just others in general.

Just give.

If you do, the roots of relationship run deep. And, the fulfillment from giving overflows the soul.

“When the odds are against us, focusing beyond ourselves is what launches us off the ground.” Adam Grant, Hidden Potential

The rally cries of society:

Do hard things.

Make it happen (as in you, make it happen).

Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.

Just do it.

But these cries leave the number one weapon to achieve great results out of one’s arsenal.

Other people.

When we come to an understanding that some people in this world are genuinely for us, that they want our best, that they deeply desire for us to be successful, one can move mountains. Other people in your corner that deeply love you provide fuel to achieve extraordinary results.

What were once insurmountable obstacles become accomplishable. The impossible seems doable. The road doesn’t seem so uphill. The goal becomes achievable.

“Love does not begin with oneself. Love begins by receiving love, internalizing it, and then giving it away to others — paying it forward.” Henry Cloud, The Power of the Other

Everyone needs others to fill the confidence tank to help reach goals - our spouse, our kids, our team.

Fill the tank for others today and your tank will be full.

Is unity a choice?

If you are anything like me, it seems division is natural, always lurking nearby. A mind naturally runs to division, but moving to unity is more of a fight.

“Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course ... the space between your ears.” Bobby Jones

The same can be said of the battle between unity and division. The battle for unity plays out between your ears.

Something will happen today, personally or in your business, that can cause division. Remember, the battle is between your ears and unity is a choice.

A divided (fill in the blank) will fall.

Unity is a choice and doesn’t come naturally. In fact, it seems division is more natural, always lurking nearby. A mind tends to run to division but moving to unity is a fight.

If you start to think through issues in life, most, if not all, have division at the root. Inner self, maybe there is a gap between where you perceive yourself and where you want to be. Division eats at your soul. Marriage and friendships are certainly broken apart by division. Within companies, division runs rampant, as people battle for power, money, and influence. And churches are certainly not immune but are full of division ranging from Biblical interpretation to how to deal with issues in culture to types of music in worship.

The Bible is a story of good and evil with division versus unity at the core. The Book begins with great unity at creation, the Garden of Eden, and humanity. Then division enters the story, severing the relationship of God and man. From this point on, division is a common thread through the pages of Scripture. From Cain and Abel where one brother murders another due to jealousy to the division of the nation of Israel. Judas causes division with Christ and the disciples, as he is drawn to money over mercy (Matthew 26:14-16). Even the twelve disciples, those closest to Christ, regularly battled division, as in Matthew 18, we find them arguing over who is the greatest.

In Galatians 5, the Bible gives us a picture of a spiritual battle in life, desires of the flesh versus the Spirit. At the core, the battle pits unity versus division. On the list of the “desires of the flesh” are enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, and dissension, all driven by division of some sort. On the unity side, this chapter speaks of the fruit of the Holy Spirit being love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, all by-products of a unified self and life. This chapter paints a vivid picture of the battle of mankind.

Not one person naturally moves to unity. In fact, everything in the world points us to division. We are inundated with information and current events that divide. News full of polarizing information is at our fingertips like never before. Social media is never-ending as one tries to keep up with others.

Division is lurking, but unity is a choice and requires a mindset shift.

John 17 captures a prayer of Jesus before his crucifixion. As He turns His prayer to future believers in Him, of all the things he could pray for, Christ prays for unity.

*I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. John 17:20-23*

Jesus prays for unity between Himself and those who will believe, and He also mentions twice “that they may be one.” His deep prayer for future believers was that they would be unified, because a unified church would be a picture of Jesus to the world.

The prayer of Christ is answered in the pictures of the early church that we are given in the Bible.

Days after Jesus is hung on the cross, His followers are together, probably in fear, as they had just witnessed their friend brutally murdered. They bind together in unity.

*Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper **room,** where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting **themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Acts 1:12-14*

They were unified as they waited in Jerusalem. All they had was each other with the world against them.

Then in Acts 2, the twelve disciples faced a crowd of 3,000+ that had opposed and murdered their friend, potentially facing the same fate, the Bible gives a picture of unity. Peter stands to address the crowd.

*But Peter, standing with the eleven, **lifted up** his voice and addressed them... Acts 2:14*

As Peter bravely stood up to address the crowd, eleven brothers stood up with him. They were unified, bravely facing the people as one.

And finally, the first picture of the early church gives us a radical picture of unity, Jesus’ prayer answered.

*And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had **need**. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people... Acts 2:42-47*

This picture of unity is incredibly convicting and a model for us today. Perhaps the most convicting part of this picture is the result of the unified church in the second part of verse 47.

*...And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved... Acts 2:42-47*

A unified church grows as people see the oneness. The picture of unity, driven by the love of Christ, draws people to want to be a part of the community.

As mentioned, the battle will rage within each of us individually. Scripture beckons us to unity, but, the world will pull us to division. The world needs a picture of unity today, especially among those that follow Christ. As Jesus prayed, let us be one today despite the differences, despite the pull to division.

When that first conversation begins or that first bit of news pops up on your phone, let unity be your choice. Yourself and others will benefit. God will be glorified.

Enter conversations with situational awareness.

A couple of years ago, as part of a weekend retreat, my son and I took a situational awareness class. We were presented real life situations and how circumstances could have changed with an awareness of surroundings. It was a humbling class, as the leader made us realize that even the most perceptive has a natural gap in awareness.

Situational awareness takes great intentionality.

There is much going on in the lives of those around us. Each person, at any given time, has the good, the bad, and the ugly happening. Some are under extreme pressure. Some have extreme heaviness. Some are celebrating. Some are full of fear. Some walk into conversations full of shame and regret. Some view the world or situations positively, some negatively. So many perspectives and emotions in every person at any given moment.

Situational awareness is a great swing though when approaching every conversation.

A while back, one of my daughters came up to me and said the following:

“Dad, I have all A’s, but I just flunked an exam. It is okay, though, as they drop the lowest grade.”

Well, Dad breezed by the “all A’s” comment and dove into the exam that was “flunked” and the comment about dropping the lowest grade.

Dad failed the situational awareness exam.

If I had been thinking about the situation, all that she had on her plate with a new life in college, social pressures, new roommate, I would have responded differently.

My focus was on the one score on one exam. I missed an opportunity to encourage.

Every conversation we have today will be similar to the simple exchange I detailed above.

Everyone enters every conversation with much on their mind, much going on in their lives.

Situational awareness helps us seek to understand what they have on their plates. Situational awareness helps us show empathy, recognize wins, encourage, correct, embrace, unify, and, ultimately, impact another in such a way that person walks away feeling heard and encouraged.

Today, as you think about your spouse, your child, your friend, your co-worker, your team, consider how they are viewing the world at this exact moment. Rest assured, it isn’t how you view the world. A bit of reflection on the individual’s situation can open doors to conversation that would have otherwise remained shut.

Enter every conversation with ears, understanding, empathy, and encouragement.

“It is not shortage of time that should worry us, but the tendency for the majority of time to be spent in low quality ways.” Robert Koch

There is a large gap in the efficiency mindset, extensively working to optimize time and get the most out of a day.

When you’re working for efficiency, opportunities and needs create the calendar, and there is never a shortage to fill a week. The tasks create the play book.

This efficiency mindset drives productivity, gets things done.

However, monotonous tasks overtake creative thinking. Time is spent in “low quality” ways. Days become a grind, a race.

And most importantly, the efficiency mindset leaves no margin for others.

Flip the efficiency playbook to an others-centric mindset.

The goal with an others-centric mindset is to impact others. Serve others.

An others-centric mindset naturally leads one to high quality work.

Days aren’t a grind, but an opportunity to make an impact in people’s lives.

Creative thinking flows from those with an others-centric mindset as one imagines innovate ways to serve.

Perhaps most important, others-centric thinking provides an open door for the interruptions in life. Those times when a co-worker breaks your concentration, providing an opportunity to serve. Or the phone call from the family member who needs a few minutes of undivided processing time. Most of the time, they just need an ear, someone to walk with for a few minutes.

Others-centric thinking unifies a culture, a business, a team, a family, a marriage.

Instead of today being filled with tasks and meetings, recenter your thinking to impacting others. How does each endeavor impact others?

Others-centric thinking will break any monotony in your life, fill your cup, and bless those around you.

Silence the internal, focus on the external.

The greatest risk to your team achieving goals is internal battles.

Driven by negative emotions, like fear, anger, and jealousy, internal battles rage within your mind, your family, your team, your organization. Many a team full of talented players is destroyed by internal battles. Self-preservation, gossip, and pride take over the culture.

The external battles are why you play the game.

The competition, the rival, the sales goal, the KPIs, the test. These are the battles that wake up the fire within us, spark creativity, drive unity, and demand our focus. When the team, the family, the company, is rowing in the same direction, unified, mountains can be moved, goals are achieved, and culture is built.

Don’t let the internal battles be a blind spot for you or your team. We can each change the climate.

Great leaders quickly identify and extinguish internal battles, adjusting focus to the external battles, where the war is won.

The year 2020 could be described with one word: isolation. The pandemic caused isolation on earth like we had never seen. All gatherings were shut down, from family gatherings to church to school to events. Isolation battles the ability to live for others, the exact thing we need in life.

In Genesis 11, the people of the earth banded together in unity to create a tower. They became unified toward a common goal. Seems awesome, right? A team of people working as one can do incredible things. However, somewhere along the way, the people got off track. The Bible points out an issue with this group that every person on earth battles today.

*Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; **otherwise** we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” *Genesis 11:4

The reason for the building of the tower was clear, to “make a name for ourselves.” They wanted to receive glory, to be made famous, to be known by their fellow man. The desire to be known by others, to be recognized, continues to rage today.

This desire takes many forms.

Take social media. We crave “likes.” The more likes, the more famous you are. The goal is attention. Everyone, look at me and how awesome I am. How about our jobs? We want titles, accolades, power, recognition, a pat on the back by someone telling us how awesome we are. We want others to look at us and glorify who we are, what we have done. And kids? Listen to parents. My child is the best reader, athlete, earliest walker, has the best job, you name it. We desire our children to be the best. Why? So we will be glorified among our peers. No person or area of life is immune to this desire. Good work often starts out honorable but ends up focused on self-glorification.

The Bible consistently teaches us to live selfless lives, focused on others.

Right after the tower mentioned above, God spoke to Abraham. He told Abraham he was going to be blessed so that he could be a blessing to others. Was Abraham going to be famous? Sure, but the reason for it was to bless other people.

At the Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus washed their feet. Then he said in John 13:14, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” Jesus lived an unbelievably selfless life, completely focused on others.

Moses is arguably the greatest leader who ever lived. He rescued and led several million people out of slavery in Egypt. Think he was famous? If anyone had an opportunity to glorify himself, it was Moses. However, the Bible says Moses “was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Moses was humble, living a life for others.

Zig Ziglar said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” Summary: Focus on others.

How do we battle the urge of focusing on ourselves? A great place to start is by looking at your resolutions or goals when you come to a new year. Flip every goal to other people. If you can’t, the goal isn’t worth your time or your focus. So if you have a goal of eating healthy, make the goal about other people. State the goal as, “I want to eat healthy for the ultimate benefit of my kids.” Make sure the motive is about others. If the motive is on yourself, it’s probably not worth your time.

Ultimately, as God told Abraham, we are blessed to bless other people. Let any blessing, any good work that you do be about other people so that you rightly glorify your Creator.

*“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”* Matthew 5:16

Adrian Rogers was a man of God, a wise preacher and teacher of the Bible, a great leader of many people. I could list the many accomplishments of Dr. Rogers, organizations and churches he led, ministries he started, but one thing sticks with me about his life.

I heard a testimony about Dr. Rogers from one of his mentee’s, an accomplished preacher and leader of the Bible himself. He said the one thing that struck him about Dr. Rogers was the way he “moved through the crowd slowly.” When in a conversation or when people walked up to him, he stopped, listened, and entered their world. He was completely present, with compassion for people. What a great way to do life, “moving through the crowd slowly.”

I tend to do life the opposite way. I try to be, what I would describe as, efficient. I do not “move through a crowd slowly.” By nature, I try to get from point A to point B as fast as I can. I have to fight impatience and perceived inefficiency.

Jesus always “moved through the crowd slowly.” He had deep compassion for people.

*“I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat.” *Mark 8:2

Jesus had over four thousand people following him when he made this statement. They had followed him for three days with no food, he had compassion, and he provided.

*And a great crowd followed him and **thronged about** him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and **came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and **fell down** before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in **peace, and** be healed of your disease.” *Mark 5:24-34

In this scene, there was literally a crowd of people around Jesus. A desperate man had come to get Jesus to heal his daughter who was at the point of death.

However, in the midst of the crowd, the urgency of the moment, we see a picture of everything stopping. Jesus heals a woman that has been bleeding for 12years.

*And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. *Matthew 9:35-36

This passage is a general statement about how Jesus moved through his ministry. His eyes saw the compassion of the people. He dove in, ministered, helped, loved. Jesus “moved through the crowd slowly.”

I suppose I could write for hours citing examples from the Bible of Jesus “moving through the crowd slowly.” There was the woman at the well, Zacchaeus and the sycamore tree, the last supper with his disciples, even death on the cross when he spoke to the thief hanging next to him.

“Moving through the crowd slowly” shows compassion. “Moving through the crowd slowly” allows God to work through you. “Moving through the crowd slowly” provides margin in your life to love others, to care for others, to minister. “Moving through the crowd slowly” impacts others.

Practically, “moving through the crowd slowly” means grabbing that coffee with a friend. Maybe making that phone call to someone in need. Stopping to say hello to your neighbor versus the hurried wave when you see each other getting the mail. Taking your spouse to dinner. “Moving through the crowd slowly” means focusing on others versus yourself.

“Moving through the crowd slowly” is a great swing thought to have today as you enter that Zoom meeting, go to the store, take the kids to school, and when you enter school with your friends.

Let my legacy be one of “moving through the crowd slowly.” May I decrease, and God increase.

Acts 3 finds Peter and John headed to the temple. The picture is one of a crowd headed into a church service. A lame man, crippled from birth, had been placed at the entrance, asking for money. In the midst of the crowd, Peter stopped, “fixing his eyes on him.” Peter paused and made direct eye contact with the lame man. The man “gave them his attention.”

Peter pauses, and God works. Rather than getting money, the man was healed.

*And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. *Acts 3:8

A mentee of Adrian Rogers said the thing he marveled at most in Dr. Rogers’s life was how long it took him to get from one side of a crowded room to the other. He always paused when people walked up to greet him, looked them in the eyes, and truly connected. Dr. Rogers cared for people, never too busy to pause.

If you are anything like me, it is tough to pause in the midst of a busy life. Work, running kids to practices, errands for the family, house upkeep, and thousands of other things on a busy schedule keep me humming. If I pause, I lose efficiency and my perception is that the day is lost. I see things that break my heart, but I don’t pause. In a moment, I can think of many connections I did not make with people, situations where I did not offer help or an ear or guidance, because of my busy schedule.

We all need to pause for others, and we all need others to pause for us.

God works in the midst of the pause.

Back to Acts 3. After the lame man was healed, Peter told everyone that God performed the miracle, and he shared the story of Jesus with many.

*But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. *Acts 4:4

Did you catch that? God worked through Peter’s pause to start a revival where 5,000 people believed in Jesus. This pause of Peter is a story of one man caring for another individual. This pause for one man invited God into the scene, changing the lives of thousands.

Who knows what God has in store when we pause. We pause, He works.

Impact others to radically change your life.

A natural tendency today will be to focus on oneself.

My tasks, my goals, my desires. How do I successfully manage my career? How do I position myself internally? How do I increase my wealth? How do I make my voice be heard? How do I gain equity in the organization?

Change the question today.

How do I impact others?

As a leader of people, make every decision with others in mind. Step back and pave the way for others to be successful, put on a pedestal. If I am an analyst, serve my team with excellence. Put others in the spotlight to achieve great things. As a dad, rather than living vicariously through my kids, find the intersection of their desires and talents and foster the growth, let them go. Let your life revolve around your spouse today.

Encourage, build up, provide momentum, empower, applaud, cry, let others interrupt, radically serve.

Life sometimes fools us into thinking we are in a race to achieve great things for ourselves. However, an impactful legacy can be heard through the stories of how one positively impacted the lives of others.

When people work for others, a unified company is built, a team culture blossoms, a family is together.

“You can have everything in life that you want if you just help enough other people get what they want.” Zig Ziglar

We each have an innate desire to make our name great.

From our career to personal achievements to materialism to title to our family to our children, we desire for our name to be great.

The race to make one’s name great never fulfills. A change in company, job, relationship, even salary, will not increase fulfillment. The craving only increases with the smallest amount of personally defined success or glory.

To make a seismic shift in your life, in your career, turn the focus to others. Put others on a pedestal and fade to the background.

Serve relentlessly. Help to remove burdens. Alleviate pressure. Selflessly commit to others.

Our attitudes, our outlook, our work, our emotions, every conversation, will impact others positively as we remove ourselves from the script.

Ever put yourself first? Yep. Guilty. We all do.

“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” Zig Ziglar

When you first read Zig’s quote, the tendency is to focus on what you can achieve. But Zig would tell you that is missing the point. The point is others.

Living a life focused on others will bring you a life of joy.

Impact others positively with your life, and you will find fulfillment.

But to focus on oneself is human.

We can have a do-over today.

Impact others.

It is all about others.

If today was the last day of my life, what would I do?

Number one, I would tell my family members that I love them. But not in a normal, rushed delivery kind of way. I would, separately, look deep into their eyes and tell them that I love them. I would encourage them with Scripture, the only truth in this world, and give them my “nine lessons for life.”

Second, I would tell the fifty or so people in my life who were difference makers, “Thank you.” I would tell them how much they meant to me. I would not leave those words at the tip of my tongue.

Finally, I would make sure that the legacy of my life was a clear picture of the Gospel. I would share directly with those close to me who needed to hear it. For the world, I would leave my book The Anchor.

I can sum up my last day actions in three steps. Every action is about people, not about money, popularity, material possessions, sports, business success, or power. My actions would be all about people. Nothing else would matter.

Jesus instructed Peter, as one of his last actions, to “Feed my sheep.” He told Peter this three times, emphasizing it more each time. From that day forward, nothing else mattered to Peter. His life was all about people.

None is immune. There is an innate desire to feed self, to be seen, to do things your way, to preserve self.

So when you see an others-centric person in action, it is different. It is magnetic. It creates loyalty.

My wife and I were out of town for a couple of nights. Middle of nowhere, not much going on. Late the first night, we finally found a restaurant that was open, walked in, and an energetic server told us to seat ourselves.

The entire evening became special, as we talked to our server, learned about the area and her life, and truly became friends. Her energy filled us with joy. After an hour, one of her coworkers came by, and we learned that the kitchen had been closed. The server had asked the kitchen to remain open to take care of us.

Upon leaving, our waitress told us to visit her the following morning at another restaurant where she waited tables, as they had “great breakfast.” Well, long day, late night, not really interested in breakfast the next morning. But guess what. Loyalty kicked in. We went to the restaurant simply to honor our new friend.

Was the food good at dinner and breakfast? Sure, it was fine. But the meals didn’t draw us in. Our loyalty to our friend, how she worked, her energy, her delight in serving created a desire in us to be around her, to support her.

Every room we enter today, in every conversation we have, we will either suck the energy out, creating division, or fill the room with joy and optimism, creating unity.

An others-centric attitude is magnetic. It stands out. It creates loyalty.

*“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself.” *Philippians 2:3

As the Uber driver and I traveled from the airport, we talked about the typical shallow stuff. The weather. The Pacers’ run in the playoffs. Michigan football.

Then I asked what he enjoys.

The passion came out.

He turned to counseling. Because of his past, his testimony, he boldly helps others who struggle with addiction. He described how he finds joy from pouring himself into others, because he has been there. He knows the pitfalls and the road to recovery. He desperately wants to help others.

I asked what he believed to be the key to helping others.

My new friend quickly said, “Connection.” He said people needed connection with others. Good connections with people who have their best interests at heart. Connection helped them travel the journey. Connection brought hope, peace, a realization that things would be okay.

I picked up three important life lessons in that twenty-minute ride.

First, the role of your past, your personal journey. Your journey is unique to you. It is a gift to share with others. A personal testimony can rightly be used to help others, give others insight into life. Never hide it. We are all flawed, and others benefit from transparency.

Second, the impact of connection. Connection matters. Connection with the right people matters for us all. As I talked with my friend, I looked at the crowd funneling into the Indianapolis Convention Center, and I said, “Most of those people walking in right now don’t have real connections.” From the stats we all read, people are lonely. We all need connection.

Finally, a life focused on impacting others brings purpose and joy. My friend talked with meaning, purpose, focus, when he spoke of his counseling, his work in helping others with addiction. It was very important in his life. It was his passion. It gave his life meaning. Impacting others mostly impacts the giver.

We ended the conversation by talking about the hope we both had in God. He said that was the ultimate truth that helped him in his daily journey.

I stepped into that car thinking business, what I needed to make happen that day.

I stepped out thinking about people and the impact I could have. Business is all about people.

That conversation was worth my trip.

If you grew up at Walmart or have read Made in America by founder Sam Walton, you know “the ten foot rule.”

The ten foot rule, originally developed for the stores, meant that any time an associate was within ten feet of a customer, they greeted them.

The rule carried over to the home office.

Back in the day, if you walked the halls of the Walmart home office, you were bombarded with “Good morning,” “How are you?” or “Good to see you.” It was just how you did life. And the greetings, the small talk, put a bounce in your step, both for the giver and the receiver. You were on the same team. You were unified.

Simple rule, highly effective.

Mr. Sam was a retail genius, yes. But he was also a people genius.

Early in my career, I had a corporate trainer who taught us “MSU” or “making stuff up.” The thinking was that if you were walking down the hall, passed another person, and that person didn’t make eye contact or say anything, you would make stuff up. Your mind would start working overtime with negative thoughts such as, “That person is upset with me.” So true.

However, we never focused on the other side of the equation like Mr. Sam did.

People have an incredible impact on other people.

If MSU is true, why not get rid of the risk of negative thinking with the ten foot rule?

We either can lift others up or get in people’s heads with made up information.

How cool is it to think that a simple greeting was so important to Mr. Sam that he made it a corporate rule and hung signs up telling everyone to practice “the ten foot rule” in the halls.

It still works, by the way.

As you walk the hall today, stop someone and ask how they are doing. Just listen and encourage. You will change their day and build culture.

Everyone has a story, and Lorax (nickname for this blog) was no different.

I met Lorax at the beach. He was about 70 years old, and I noticed that his left hand was paralyzed, from some type of stroke I imagined. Little did I know what I would soon learn.

Lorax was authentic. He did not meet a stranger, whether they spoke the language or not. He had a booming voice, and everyone he met was a new friend.

At breakfast one morning, I spent some time with Lorax. I learned that, at 18 years old, he found himself on the border of Cambodia. He was a gunman in a helicopter in the Vietnam War. Every day, EVERY DAY, a gun battle would break out in the jungle, and his unit was called in to attack from the air. Lorax told me that every day, bullets would whiz past his head, and he knew it was a matter of time.

Then it happened. On Valentine’s Day 1970, he took three bullets to his right shoulder, arm, and leg. A medic threw his body over him to attempt to lessen the bleeding. Over the next year, he would be transported to military hospital after military hospital until finally making it back home.

As I listened to him tell me his story, I peered into his eyes thinking about what he had seen, what he had been through, the fortitude within him. He put his life before others to defend our country. Lorax, and so many others, have a bravery that I really can’t comprehend. And he had an appreciation, a thankfulness for his life, for what he had been given, and for all that life offered.

I couldn’t help but reflect on my own life. This man had the fortitude to head into war for the ultimate sake of others. Do I have this passion for others?

What do we naturally want in life? If we are honest, maybe the list looks something like this: respect, comfort, smooth future, wealth, materialism, health, success, admiration, adoration, happiness, love, stability.

The desires on the list may not be noticeable by looking at the surface of one’s life, but they certainly drive actions. Many of the desires on the list are great life goals. However, when you read the list again, most of the desires on the list are “achieved” by comparison to others. So maybe the “want list” can be best summed up by saying that we have a natural desire to be greater than others. We are born with it. If you don’t believe it, ride around in a car with a group of 14-year-old-boys for a few minutes.

What it takes for a man to set self aside completely to elevate others!

Paul had a story as well. As a young man, Paul was a passionate, skilled defender of the law. Some believed him to be on the Sanhedrin, the governing Jewish council in Jerusalem. No doubt, Paul knew people. He was a scholar, respected, feared, admired, and had most of the things on the “want list” above. There was no resistance in his life. He carried the big stick.

At about age 30, Paul was chosen to be a follower of Christ on the road to Damascus. He gave his

former life up to follow Christ. Paul did not say it like this, of course. Paul pointed to God’s grace for changing the direction of his life. It was by grace that he was chosen. He was selected for this work, given a new life, given true freedom.

But he was also beaten, stoned, ship-wrecked, thrown out of town after town, thrown in jail multiple times, and died a martyr’s death. Why? Because he gave up a life of worldly success to follow Christ. Because he believed in Jesus. Paul’s was not a quiet belief, but it was his all. Christ was always at the tip of his tongue. When he visited towns, he didn’t go in with the intention of trouble. When he walked into town, he went to the synagogue. In addition to the Old Testament Law that those in the synagogue would have known, he shared that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah mentioned in the Old Testament Law. The majority could not handle that truth and turned on Paul. Major friction ensued.

Toward the end of his life, Paul wrote a letter to the first church that he started in Philippi. He pens the following words, expressing his thoughts on serving others.

*Therefore** if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests **but** each of you to the interests of the others. *Philippians 2:1-4

Paul writing these words truly means something. This man, didn’t just write it, he lived it. Paul completely put his life aside for the sake of others.

I can say the same thing about Lorax. He completely put his life aside for the sake of others.

True joy will never be found when one makes enough money to relax at the beach. True joy will never be found when one is able to purchase that “forever home” that they have always dreamed of. True joy will never be found when one makes it to the top of the corporate ladder and has the title and respect to go with it. All of this will come up empty.

True joy is found in a life emptied out serving others. This is extremely difficult to do in a culture that glorifies selfish ambition. Christ said it the following way.

*Jesus called them together and said,” You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. *Mark 10:42-45

A life that is put in the hands of Christ is a life that will be lived for others.

“Make my way prosperous, not that I achieve high station, but that my life may be an exhibit to the value of knowing God.” Jim Elliot

Jim Elliot was a missionary in Ecuador that literally gave his life for others. The quote above says it all about his mindset, and his life is an “exhibit to the value of knowing God.” Check out the movie about his life, End of the Spear, to grasp his devotion to his life mission which was all about other people.

God calls us all to live for others, but man has an innate desire to make their name great.

Not long into the reading of the Bible, in Genesis 11, Scripture does not tip toe around the desire of the hearts of the people in Babylonia.

*Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” *Genesis 11:4

The people wanted to build a great city with a tower to make themselves famous. They desired notoriety, to be known by all as incredible people that built an incredible city and tower. “Let’s build for ourselves” was the rally cry.

And this rally cry has only gained momentum through today. From materialism to job title to our family and children, we desire for our name to be great. The desire is for everyone else to hold us on a pedestal. And social media has added fuel to the fire with all generations. The tower mentioned in Genesis is disguised by an online persona that we create.

But God calls us to a life for others.

Right after the story above, God uniquely calls Abram in Genesis 12.

*The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you**.** I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” *Genesis 12:1-3

God tells Abram to leave his country, and He will bless him. There are some great blessings in these verses that might capture our attention. But notice the reason for the blessings, so that Abram “will be a blessing to others.” Abram was blessed to be a blessing.

When we think of blessings today, our minds may immediately go to material possessions, a winning football team, health, or a job. All of these can, of course, be blessings from God. But Jesus was sent to be the ultimate blessing (Acts 3:26). The blessing is the cross. Sure, we may receive earthly blessings as defined by man or we may not, but this has nothing to do with eternity. The blessing is Jesus.

And when we receive this blessing, a life lived for others naturally ensues. When one understands the grace given from a holy God, one naturally offers grace to the world. True faith is backed up by works for others. And the work for others is a reflection of God Himself. The work “for others”

glorifies God. Jesus said it this way.

*“You are the light of the world — like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” *Matthew 5:14-16

Have you been blessed today? Make your life about other people.

Live for others.

Amazingly, God told Paul, while he was in jail, that he would be speaking in Rome. This seemed impossible, as more than forty people were putting together a plot to kill Paul. The leaders in Jerusalem were involved, Paul was in jail, and the plan was sure to succeed. Fast forward a week, and through a series of events involving many people starting with his nephew, Paul is standing trial in Rome before Governor Felix. Read about the miraculous delivery from Jerusalem to Rome in Acts 23 and 24.

God has been described as “the great alchemist.” He often uses people to carry out his plans. I once heard a pastor say that God will not send you anywhere that he does not have someone on the other side to receive you. No doubt, others are a blessing in your life.

In the Seasons Journal, I have an exercise to write down at least five people who had the greatest impact on your life. If you spend time alone thinking through your life, you will remember people who made a tremendous impact. God used these people, no doubt, to make you the person you are today.

God used a good friend and spiritual mentor to teach me about the value of journaling each morning as I read the Bible. He challenged me to deepen my time alone with God by recording my thoughts. Today, I have no fewer than fifteen journals in which I have recorded my morning thoughts from my reading, what God has shown me. Open any of these journals, read a page, and you can tell what was going on in my life during that time. I can think of no greater gift to leave my kids than the thoughts of their dad as he went through life. This friend not only impacted my life but generations through his counsel.

Like me, as you think through the people and the events in your life, you will, no doubt, recognize God’s grace for placing these individuals in your path. These people impacted generations by their work in your life.

Whether it’s parents, your spouse, teachers, pastors, coaches, friends, siblings, take a moment to thank them today. In the Seasons Journal, I suggest writing each person a letter. A quick message of thanks and gratitude will impact them more than you realize.

There were many in the crowd in turmoil as He was dying.

After passionately telling Jesus that he would never leave him, Peter had refused to admit to the public that he was acquainted with Jesus, at one time saying he didn’t even know him.

*But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. *Luke 22:60-62

As he was denying him, Peter caught eyes with Jesus across the courtyard. He ran away weeping bitterly.

Imagine the pain. Once, when asked by Jesus if he wanted to leave him, Peter had said “where else would I go?” Jesus was Peter’s all, his hope, his Savior.

Peter had left everything to follow Him. Now, Jesus is being ridiculed by the public marching to the cross, and Peter is acting like he doesn’t know him. The denial of Jesus ripped Peter’s heart out.

Also in the crowd was Mary Magdalene. The Bible tells us that Jesus had cured her from seven demons. Mary Magdalene had apparently been very sick, and Jesus healed her. Immediately, she went from hopeless to hope-filled. She followed him to his death, standing among those that were hurling insults and nailing Jesus to the cross.

*but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. *John 19:25

As she watched, her healer, the one who changed her life, was being killed. It ripped her heart out.

Along with Mary and Salome, Mary Magdalene was among the first to visit the tomb after his death. Upon arriving, they were startled to see the stone rolled away. Not understanding, Mary began weeping outside the tomb.

*But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she **wept** she **stooped** to **look into** the tomb. *John 20:11

An angel comforts Mary Magdalene and gives her an important message.

*“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and **Peter** that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” *Mark 16:7-8

The angel immediately fills Mary with hope. Jesus is risen, He is alive. The angel also specifically gives her a message of hope to take to the one that is possibly hurting more than anyone. The one who had turned his back on Christ. Peter. It is as if Jesus was saying, “go and tell Peter that everything is okay. I forgive him.”

So Mary Magdalene, the one who had been healed, given hope from a state of despair, becomes the one to deliver the message of hope to Peter. I can only imagine when Mary’s eyes met Peter and delivered the news.

It was one thing to hear the news that He had risen, but Jesus would appear in flesh. In fact, the first person Jesus appeared to, perhaps the one who had hurt most at his death, Mary Magdalene. It was true, and Mary’s heart was healed.

Meanwhile, Peter solemnly went back to his old profession.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

*Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” **So** they cast it, and now they **were not able to** haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. *John 21:3-7

Overcome with excitement at seeing Jesus alive, Peter dives into the sea. You get the picture of him running to the arms of Christ, uncontrolled excitement.

Mary Magdalene and Peter, two people hurting for different reasons after the death of Jesus, are both uniquely ministered to by Jesus. He individually reached out to each of them in unique ways, knowing the hurt and hopelessness that had filled their hearts. Christ gives us a picture of his heart, his care, his love for people through the eyes of Mary Magdalene and Peter. A picture of how he uniquely ministers to individuals. He meets people where they are.

The same hope given to Mary Magdalene and Peter is given to us today. The same healer of hearts is with us. The one that deeply cares when individuals hurt and are lost in despair is with us. He is risen, and He uniquely ministers to us. He meets us where we are.

*“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” *Matthew 28:20

Ever wonder why you were created? What is your purpose? Ask yourself:

How do I make my life matter? Am I focused on the right things? What will my legacy be? Can I really make an impact? What is God’s will for my life?

As life is flying by, those are big questions that require deep, intentional thought, not fleeting dreams. We must take time to dance with these questions, to pray through them, to talk to others, to discover our purpose.

When answering this question, we can quickly take some things off the table. You were not created to generate personal wealth for the comfort and happiness of your family. You were not created for selfish gain. You were not created to live in a silo, secluded from the world. You were not created to be antagonistic against the world. In fact, you were not created for you.

You, me, we were all created for others. This is an awesome place to start when you answer those deep questions of life.

God told Moses to build the first Tabernacle of the Lord. Then God gave him detailed instructions on how to build the tent and its many contents. You can read about this in Exodus, but, as one who doesn’t follow instructions well, I would have been overwhelmed. I probably would not have even made it to the starting line.

However, there is no mention of Moses’s doubting or being overwhelmed at the building of the Tabernacle. He had seen the Lord constantly deliver, i.e., the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea. Additionally, he had seen the Lord provide, i.e., food in the form of quail and manna and the appearance of water when the Israelites were thirsty. Finally, Moses knew he wasn’t to do this alone. He couldn’t.

Part of the reason Moses may not have been overwhelmed is because God had gifted people to help.

*Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills — to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. *Exodus 31:1-5

Bezalel must have been some kind of gifted guy, as he built some amazing things for the Tabernacle. I can only imagine the admiration of Moses as he watched Bezalel work, the thankfulness and gratitude that must have flowed from his heart. Moses couldn’t have made the Tabernacle happen without Bezalel. I can only imagine that Bezalel found purpose and joy, as he understood the will of God. He was serving others.

Bezalel wasn’t to use his talents, his unique gifting, for personal gain. I am sure he could have. He wasn’t to create art in a silo. No, Bezalel was to use his unique gifts to create for others.

The same is true of you. You were uniquely made with gifts to be used for others.

*I praise you because I am **fearfully** and wonderfully made. *Psalm 139:14

*There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. *1 Corinthians 12:4-6

We are each uniquely made with special gifts. The key is that we are uniquely made for others. Our culture fights this mindset. We battle for number one, materiality, success, power, comfort, happiness. We fight to take care of these things, then anything left can be directed at others. When you begin to search how you can use your unique gifts for others, you will discover your purpose.

This “for others” mentality will not happen naturally. We are not wired that way. Ultimately, selfish gain will sneak up. God must change the way we view life.

*Do not conform to the behaviors and customs of this **world, but** let God transform you by changing the way you think, then you will learn to know His will, which is good and pleasing and perfect. *Romans 12:2

God made you. He made you for a purpose. He is in the business of “transforming the way you think” so that you will learn His will.

How are you uniquely gifted? What are you passionate about? Ask God to show you how to use that gift, that passion for others. You will find joy, purpose, meaning, and legacy there.

As we move to the new year, I find myself in that place of thinking about what I want to do, be, and achieve in the new year. I tend to get caught up in me, what personal feats I want to achieve, but God keeps bringing me back to one word: SERVE.

Serving others is a cornerstone message in the Bible. You see service in the lives of the prophets before Jesus came to earth. You see service in the life of Jesus. Finally, you see service in the lives of those who came after Jesus.

In God’s message to Abraham in Genesis, He tells him that he will bless him so that Abraham will be a blessing to others (Genesis 12:2-3). Abraham is going to be blessed to be a blessing. The blessing he will receive from God has a purpose to bless others.

Serve.

The life of Jesus was about service, continuing constantly, consistently, until he died on the cross.

At the last supper with his disciples, Jesus washes their feet saying, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”

Serve.

Finally, Paul, who was not a disciple of Jesus while he walked on earth, caught the message from Christ. In his letter in Ephesians (4:11-13), he writes:

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Paul says Christ made pastors and teachers to equip people to serve. The results would be unity of the church and maturity of believers.

Paul’s message to the church is the same message to us today.

Service deepens faith and brings unity to families, churches, and business. With service, life is about others, and the by-products are strong faith and unity.

Without service, faith is empty and fights unity. Said differently: Without service, life is a selfish existence.

Serving others will impact your marriage, your family, your business, your church.

And ultimately, service fulfills the server.

*“And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put him **in the midst of** them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” *Mark 9:33-37

Pride is everyone’s battle, the root of almost every sin.

The root of jealousy is pride. We want what others have, put ourselves first. Social media especially drives pride. We create a persona online, many times driven by pride. We want our social media presence to increase popularity, admiration from others.

The opposite of pride is humility. James 4:10 says to “humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” As the disciples were arguing over who was the greatest, Jesus said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be very last and the servant of all.”

To battle pride, serve.

Constantly look to serve others. Jesus is the ultimate example, as His life was consumed by serving others.

Since the beginning of time, man was created to work. It was good. Man was created and immediately given a job, to work the Garden. God created “work,” and it was good.

Work has always been a blessing. A job is a gift to serve other people. A job is a gift to practice hospitality. A job fulfills as one positively impacts another. The soul celebrates when one serves.

And, this service is a continuous loop.

One that is served with excellence wants to serve another with excellence. We have a great experience at a restaurant, getting a haircut, at a retail store, and we walk away with a bounce in our step, lifting our spirits, desiring to serve another. It is quite amazing what the gift of work done with excellence can do to another. It creates momentum among others. It is infectious.

Take away the positive impact on another, and work becomes empty, unfulfilling, like chasing the wind. If the goal of work is the title, if the drive is to earn more money, if the desire is power, work becomes pointless. The longing for things that don’t f ulfill creates dissatisfaction. Pride is watered but the soul remains dry.

When one faces burnout, job fatigue, lack of joy, could it be an internal longing for things that don’t drive fulfillment? Could a simple refocus on service rekindle the spirit?

Man has turned the journey of work into a burden. Work becomes a personal competition. Work becomes the foundation, the building block for pride. Work was created to bring fulfillment through serving but becomes daunting as one serves themselves.

A flipping of the script to work for others creates a spark in one’s soul. When one’s purpose is to work for others, desire, creativity, and passion return. When one removes the focus from their own life to a focus on lifting others up, the result is internal peace. The battle is won through excellent service.

Each day will always be a battle. Personal desire is always at risk for ruining the day.

But, excellent service is controllable, attainable, maybe even easy. It is a mindset, an attitude, a why for life. We each have the ability to serve.

If one puts others first, business thrives, families thrive, marriages work, and our kids catch it, too.

In every relationship, every situation, how can I be fuel for others to help them get where they want to go?

Unify at home. Unity provides the peace that brings joy and momentum. Unity provides the pace to make it through the storms. Children unify behind a spirit of unity.

Be the cheerleader. Never crave glory. The most fulfilled leaders are the proud ones on the sidelines. Encourage, motivate, celebrate, push recognition to others.

Take the losses. Never point fingers. Mistakes and flawed performances happen. Gaps exist. Let neither create animosity. Be present during the storm. Carry the burdens of others.

Be transparent and truthful, but don’t walk away. Let help ride with the correction. Work together to fill gaps. Hold others accountable to be better.

Fulfillment comes from being fuel for others. This is how to love others as yourself.

I often replay this quote from Zig Ziglar:

“ You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

Take credit for nothing.

The Pack Shack, a nonprofit based in Arkansas with a mission of meeting the hunger need, has a rule, repeated often, that is a rallying cry. “We take credit for nothing.”

This one statement creates a reminder of where blessings came from. This statement creates unity. The statement keeps one humble.

Most importantly, this statement is a constant reminder to serve, to put others above oneself.

“ If you find yourself feeling stuck or negative, go do something to help someone else, then notice how you feel. It works.” Doug McMillon

Serve others; take credit for nothing.

This practice changes the momentum of your life and impacts the culture of your company, your team, your family, your marriage, your kids.

“ A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.” — Zig Ziglar

You never fully realize the gift of an encourager until you have one in your life.

That person who always finds a path to hope. When the seas are choppy and the sky is dark, the one who can find reason to believe.

I was blessed to have one in my life.

One who pushed me to be the best version of myself. The one who challenged me to have disciplines in my life that make me a better human. As we ran through the woods at 5 am as part of his workout plan, the one who would whisper in my ear, “You’ve got this.” The one who was always my first call when the water was rough. He made a substantial difference in my life.

In a world where the speed of life causes many to live in silos, holding onto pressure internally, an encourager offers pressure relief.

People will rise to the level of your belief in them.

Believe in someone, and let it be known.

Be the one today who drops the email, the text, the word of encouragement. Your spouse, your child, your teammates, your boss needs to hear it.

And, mysteriously, offering encouragement brings great joy to the giver. You’ll walk away with a bounce in your step.

Encouragement changes a mindset.

Lifts spirits.

Adds fuel to an empty tank.

Refreshes the soul.

Sparks creativity.

Makes a person better.

Creates unity.

Encouragement takes intentionality, but rarely do we take time.

Bad news naturally rises to the top. Mistakes, misses, and gaps are shouted and emphasized, and the news travels fast to others. People become defined by the negative. We put people in boxes. Equity is erased.

The discouraging news empties the tank, erases creativity, saps the soul.

Today, life will be cluttered with dropped balls, decisions you would have made differently, disappointment, frustration — both at home and at work.

Don’t let the bad moment define the person.

Today, there will also be superpowers that you notice, exceeded expectations, excellence displayed, unity built — both at home and at work.

Don’t miss the moments to offer encouragement. Be the difference maker.

Zig Ziglar said the last words spoken to your child before leaving your home should be a word of encouragement.

Sparked by this quote, I walked to the kitchen as my son was getting ready to head to football practice. I told him he had one of the greatest qualities one can have in life: discipline. I gave him a few examples of what I saw. He walked away with a full tank, ready to go.

Strange. The exchange had the same impact on me.

Go encourage!

Just landing in Chicago, the time was 9:30 with my next flight at 9:45. Glancing at my watch, I had a thirteen-minute “walk” to my gate. I took off in a dead sprint.

Approaching the gate at 9:40, I saw the door shut. Hope was gone.

But something different happened. I saw excellence.

The gate agent saw my despair and went into action. This was not her first rodeo.

She quickly printed a luggage tag in case there was no luggage room on the plane. Forget the boarding pass. She asked for my ID, as the scanner was off. She opened the door, took off running down the ramp, screaming, “Don’t close the door!”

I like to think she skipped all procedures and processes and made it happen.

Despite my seat neighbor giving me a disgusted look because she lost personal space, I made the flight.

In my job, I am regularly asked what makes our company different.

I talk about our connected service, our people and talent, our proprietary tech, our relationships in the market. All that is true, but one thing is always a difference maker in today’s market.

We care. We say, “We wear the jersey of our clients.” Our values lead us to care.

The longer I live, the more I realize that care is the difference. We all want to do life; we want to work with someone who cares.

We want our family to care, our friends to care, our kids to care, our company to care, our church to care. The doctor, the teacher, the waiter, we simply want them to care.

That gate agent cared. The odds of my ever seeing her again are slim. The odds of her receiving any notoriety from that act is probably not happening.

But she cared enough to forsake all and make it happen for a guy she would never see again.

Now, a goal in my life is to find out her name. That type of service demands to be celebrated.

It isn’t about money or title or influence. Those things will leave an empty legacy.

It is about the care of people, your job, your family, your work. That is the difference. That leaves a legacy.

If you care today, there is no doubt that others will be impacted.

*And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall **love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments **depend** all the Law and the Prophets.” *Matthew 22:35-40

Notice the second-greatest command that Jesus gave: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” At first glance, maybe we think we can make this happen.

However, when we dig into the word “neighbor” as defined by Jesus, it is more difficult. Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan to explain who is a “neighbor.”

*But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw **him** he passed by on the other side. So **likewise** a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” *Luke 10:29-37

In this story, there was only one thing signifying the neighbor, the one who needed mercy. And the man who showed mercy is the one who was a good neighbor.

No attention was paid to race, nationality, position, enemy or friend status, or the man’s past, but only that the one man showed his love to the other by showing mercy, by helping.

So regardless of the individual, everyone is our neighbor. We are to love everyone as our neighbor.

Now, this gets tough. Loving my enemies, those who have wronged me, talked about me, stabbed me in my back, this is difficult. Simply accepting someone is not loving someone.

But this command gets even more difficult. When you tag the words “as yourself” to the end of that command, it becomes impossible. We naturally love ourselves. We naturally worry about number one.

Actions are always at risk of being superficial. We are at risk of attempting to make a name for ourselves. Jesus called out the scribes and Pharisees for “loving the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by me, ‘Rabbi, rabbi.”

Man wants to glorify himself.

So when Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, he is asking the impossible.

But read the first command again. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

If we love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, the impossible becomes possible. Out of our love for God is birthed the love for our neighbor. To love as God loves is to put others first.

Later in that chapter, Jesus emphasized how we are to show love: humbly, serving others.

*The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. *Matthew 23:11-12

Ultimately, we will always fall short of loving others as ourselves, but let the recognition of the gap in our love be fuel for more love. Direct the love at God, and His love will spill out of your life onto others as you humbly serve.

“Make the charitable assumption.” Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

To make the charitable assumption is to assume the best in others, not the worst.

“For as long as I can remember, my parents taught me to look for the best in people. I think this is a very important quality in a leader too.” Richard Branson

Leaders who approach situations with open hearts, believing in people, set the culture. Likewise, people who make charitable assumptions about leaders create positive momentum in an organization and stop the negative coffee talk.

Approaching others with charitable assumptions means having grace at the tip of one’s tongue.

Unfortunately, the tendency, human nature, is the opposite of charitable assumption, assuming the worst in people, jumping to conclusions. Pride leads us to believe we understand why things happened, and we tend to accentuate the negative in people. One of my prior corporate trainers called this “MSU” (making stuff up). “Making stuff up” creates silos, glass ceilings, a political culture, and a lack of personal growth.

Charitable thinking not only applies to business. How many times do you learn about a situation with your spouse or family and have a predetermined reason for why it happened, all before having any conversation? We don’t know the details, but we know the reason it happened.

Perhaps a situation in your business, with your spouse, or with a friend comes to mind where you did not make the charitable assumption. Maybe you need to change the momentum.

The grace door is always open.

Treat others the way you want to be treated. Build others up.

If you want to live freely, learn to live in debt.

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.” John 2:23-25 ESV

The people saw the signs that He was doing, but Jesus didn’t trust them. He knew their hearts. He did not open their eyes to the truth that He was the Messiah.

But, Jesus trusted you. He entrusted you with the truth. He opened your eyes to the truth. What a privilege.

Because He has entrusted me with the truth, I willingly, joyfully, optimistically live in debt to Jesus.

Live in debt!

To live in debt is to pursue Him.

To live in debt is to love Him.

To live in debt is to recognize Him in everything that goes on in your life.

To live in debt is to allow Him to lead.

To live in debt is to truth Him.

To live in debt is to love others.

To live in debt is to open my life up to Him.

To live in debt is to follow Him.

Everyone lives in debt to something in their lives. Debt owns the individual.

You may live in debt to fear, always concerned about things to come or what might happen. You may live in debt to money, trying to fill the emptiness with things and trips and comfort. You may live in debt to the desire to be glorified by others, trying to lift yourself up by what others think of you. You may live in debt to your job, running on the treadmill to maintain your quality of life.

Flip the script.

The call is to live in debt to Christ. He entrusted you.

Living in debt to Christ is the only way to freedom.

And when life is lived freely in debt, others are impacted.

*Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. Psalm 144:4*

If my days were numbered, what would matter?

Money would not matter. Color of skin would not matter. Which side of the political spectrum people fell on wouldn’t, either. Nor would personal ambitions or selfish motives. Religious denomination would not matter. Social media would not hold my attention. I would not be drawn to sports. I wouldn’t be envious. My personal popularity would not be a priority. I would not care what others thought about me. I would not leave things unsaid to those I love. I would not worry about the coming election or COVID-19 or the unrest in society. I would not let the small things weigh me down.

The minutiae of religion that divide the church would not matter, such as topical versus expository preaching or Calvinism versus Arminianism or sprinkling versus immersion or elders versus deacons. I would not press into my kids to be successful at how I measure success. I wouldn’t worry about that B on the report card versus an A. I wouldn’t care about the house I lived in and whether it measured up to others. I would not talk about others, having them for lunch. I would not talk about how awesome my life was, my kids were, my marriage was, or I was. I wouldn’t attempt to put myself on a pedestal.

I would be authentic. I would be selfless. I would encourage my kids to be themselves as God created them. I would view others in love, knowing they will live eternally. I would promote the message that all are equal, regardless of ethnicity, denomination, or political views, under the God of the Bible.

I would have meaningful conversations, not talking about the weather. I would pray. I would draw close to God. I would share the love of Jesus. I would cry. I would weep for those I love, knowing my time on earth was drawing to an end. I would write, speak, and tell others about the God I know, who that can change their lives.

I would want them to know that God is indeed love, but God is just. I would tell them to read the Bible for themselves and not to take others’ word for it. Read it, because few truly know what it says. I would view all the unrest in the world as expected growing pains. My personal conversations would be about the other person, not me. I would learn about them, how I could help them. I would focus on others.

How will you impact others today?

It has to be about the customer and others.

At a meeting somewhere in the US this morning. 5:30 am. Few are stirring at this hour, so coffee was hard to find, with the only thing open a “mobile only” walk-up window from a major, national coffee chain. Perfect.

35 degrees. Walked to grab a cup. Arrived at the window, and I was asked my name so they could find my mobile order.

“I don’t have an order, but I just want a black coffee. Whatever you are brewing would be great.”

“Sorry, we can’t do that. You have to order via the app.”

When I pleaded, the barista rolled their eyes, slide over the credit card processor, I paid, and they gave me the cup of coffee. As I received my coffee, a parting reminder.

“We are not going to do this again.”

Did I ask to break the rules for the coffee? Yes. I understand, I get it. Great grace from me, because I broke the rules. But, it does highlight a point.

Sam Walton taught us. It isn’t difficult. Just take care of the customer. They are right.

Because, once you lose the loyalty of that customer, it is tough to get them back. Word gets out, momentum is lost, business declines.

Mr. Sam also taught us other thing. The 10-foot rule. Whenever you pass within 10 feet of a customer, look them in the eye, greet them, and ask how you could help them. This rule was also applied at the Walmart Headquarters. As you walked the hall, look others in the eyes, and greet them with a smile.

Make your life about others.

When you shine the light inward, on yourself, on your career, on your passions, what you want, loyalty is lost. Leaders manipulate to position things, cultures become nonexistent, unity is lost, and survival of the fittest takes over.

But, when you genuinely focus on other people, shine the light on their life, put them on a pedestal, make your work and life secondary, one is fulfilled and loyalty is gained. Momentum is created, as those cared for will care for others. Unity is created, trust is built, cultures blossom.

I live in Northwest Arkansas, and we have many reasons to be thankful for Walmart. But, perhaps most of all are the lessons that Mr. Sam left us.

Relentlessly take care of the customer and serve others in your life.

Do this well and when your head hits the pillow, you’ll rest in peace. And, I bet business grows, along with your personal relationships.

Ever feel overwhelmed in the morning before your feet hit the floor?

*In his book The Power of the Other, Dr. Henry Cloud describes the difficulty of making it through “Hell Week” to become a Navy SEAL.*

He tells the story of the final leg of a swim on the last challenge. His brother-in-law was in the water, and he hit a wall, his tank empty.

As he was going down, about to signal for help and a failed attempt at becoming a SEAL, he raised his head and caught the eyes of his teammate, the one who had been on the journey with him, the one who had his back, the one he could count on. Their eyes locked together a few seconds, and he saw his teammate pumping his fist, yelling for him.

Something happened. He was not alone. Energy, motivation, and commitment took over as he fought his way through the water to become a Navy SEAL.

There is great power in others, those on the bus with you.

Many times we feel that we are on the journey alone. We bear the stress of achieving by ourselves, allowing discouragement, fear, and anxiety to become insurmountable objects in our minds. We fail to recognize the power of others.

But business, leadership, families, marriage, and friendships are all team sports.

When you move out of your circle and focus on those in the boat with you, those working to achieve the same goals, you find the power to keep going, the will to win. The load becomes light, and optimism takes the place of fear and anxiety. Others provide power for the journey.

If you head into work and life today overwhelmed by the tasks at hand or the family situation, recognize that there are others walking shoulder-to-shoulder with you. Don’t create division, but recognize unity. Others are with you going after the same goals in life. Crystalize this in your mind to find power and change your mindset.

And verbalize this to the “others.” More than likely, they walk in feeling the same burdens. A word of encouragement and unity provides power and optimism, calms the sea. We are in this together. We’ve got this. I’ve got your back.

Give and use the power of others today.

*“He was the only man I knew that didn’t have others for lunch.”*

This was the quote of a grown daughter speaking at her dad’s funeral that I attended over twenty years ago. I don’t remember much else about that ceremony, but those words are etched in my mind. The description was a powerful testimony. What a legacy.

*Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. *Matthew 7:1-5

The words of Jesus in Matthew 7 cut through our culture today. Read any news feed, any outlet, whether you agree or disagree, and man has put himself on the throne. Media inundates our minds with the judgment of others, and social media magnifies the judgment. The dominos of judgment continue to fall as people throw out opinions of others on different platforms. And when we sit in the judge’s chair, the ruling is never positive. When we judge, we judge harshly.

The natural tendency is to put an individual into a certain group. After we correctly identify their group, we label them for what we think they believe. We chastise and roll our eyes at who they are, the type of individual we believe them to be. And if one should ever make a mistake, the gavel slams. Verdict guilty.

No one is immune to judging others. We all regularly sit in the judge’s seat, all the while polluting the minds of our children. Our kids hear our judgment of others, and, naturally, judgment is on the tip of their tongues. Kids eat other kids for lunch with their words and judgment. And we wonder why kids can be cruel.

Today, try to go through life without saying negative words about anyone. When you begin to judge, talk negatively about someone else, think about “the plank” in your own eye. An almost impossible task, but let the words of Jesus in Matthew 7 stay on your mind. Inevitably, when we don’t judge, we feel better about ourselves and others, freeing us to love people. The second greatest commandment of the Bible is to love others. You can’t rightly love others while sitting on the judgment seat.

Can we improve? Yes. Is it a great area to focus on today? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, we will fail. The thought that I will be judged like I judge others is a scary thought, as I am guilty. Thank you, God, for a Savior.

*“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, **Love** your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” *Matthew 5:43-44

These are the words of Jesus as he was speaking to the “multitudes” early in his ministry. To say he takes a strong position on love is an understatement. Jesus says to love and pray for your enemies. And we see him carry this attitude, this example, to the cross. As he is being brutally murdered for no crime, Jesus looks down on his enemies, in indescribable pain, covered in blood, and says, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Today, the world is set up to battle our enemies. Let me use the word Jesus used. The world is set up to hate our enemies.

Growing up in corporate America, I always had people who were for me, on my team, and people who were against me, gunning for me. To win the political company battle, I had to know this playing field, what I was up against. I needed to know whom to trust and whom not to trust.

To continue to climb the corporate ladder, I had to know my enemies. I had to beat them. I needed to win to be recognized. This took many forms, some as subtle as withholding information or ideas or projects that I was working on. Some were more dramatic, such as making it a point to “win” during a meeting, to outmaneuver my antagonist. This is how you needed to play the game. Ask anyone on this playing field, and you likely will find the same description of life all across corporate America.

I just use this as an example from my own life, but I also see it in the lives of my kids, from their early elementary years through high school. Pick any stage of life, and each of my three children has enemies. Words are thrown around viciously among children. They, too, must know who is for them and who is against them. The hardest thing for me to teach my kids is how to love their enemies. I immediately take my life learnings and instruct on how to win, to outmaneuver.

So we learn this divisiveness early in life, and it creeps into every area. We tend to make enemies in our minds with anyone who has a different thought or opinion. We harbor bitterness in our hearts against those who disagree. Religion. Politics. Race. Church. Masks. Pick the area, and we create division. No doubt, we all have enemies.

On a rare occasion, and I stress rare, I pointed my son in a different direction. As we were having a bedtime discussion, we began talking through some boys in his life who he was defining as enemies. My son was down as we talked about the situation. I told him to work on building bridges with them, maybe sit by them at lunch. He had to take the first step, as we had no idea what was going on in their lives. He needed to befriend them. A few days later, in our bedtime discussion, he proudly, passionately exclaimed that he had built bridges with a few of the boys. He had taken the first step, opened the door. They were now friends. My son had taken it upon himself to do the uncomfortable work of building a bridge. Now an enemy was a friend, and the result was an excited boy.

One who was down was now up, a by-product of loving your enemy.

Build a bridge. Take the first step. Never have I respected someone more than when they pulled me aside, shot it straight, and put the things that were causing division between us on the table.

Jesus closes His message with a demanding statement. “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven in perfect.” He calls us to be perfect, just as God is perfect.

My son built bridges in the story above, but he inevitably will have situations where he will fall short. He will in no way be perfect. This is true for all of us. Never will we love our enemies perfectly. The most humble person will have bitterness, maybe anger, in his heart that we will never see. So we will fail in being perfect.

But this is precisely why Jesus came to earth. He came to make the impossible possible. Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Jesus came to carry the burden of impossibility. Try as we might, we will never overcome the tendency to hate our enemies. But He is always there to help. Just talk to Him about it. Ask for his help. Things change when Jesus gets in the middle of it.

The journey of life is composed of a perpetual stream of battles, sometimes daily, sometimes seasonal.

Events, emotions, relationships, family, and business all contribute to major joy in life, but also constant friction. The belief that life’s journey will be down easy street is fiction. In fact, the sea is rarely calm in all areas of life or for extended periods of time.

Although we have daily battles, the war has been won. This was the purpose of the cross. The curtain was split in two giving us a direct relationship to unending peace through Jesus. Scripture continually reminds us that the war has been won, and security comes from knowing the war is over.

But, strangely, even though the war has been won, the battles will continue to rage.

Events occur that will rock your world, causing you to ask, “where is God?” Emotions will rage causing quick actions and losing control of your tongue. Job and family difficulties will wreak havoc on your mind. There will be seasons of peace, for sure, but battles will be perpetual.

There is an author of the battles that desires to wreck, not only your soul, but your world. There is a spirit maneuvering around, placing mental obstacles in your path, causing you to think that the lost battle makes you a failure, putting you in a defensive position.

Recognize the enemy and get offensive.

Be a faithful steward of the grace that has been given to you.

Grace is the answer.

Jesus is the author of grace, and grace ALWAYS wins the battle. Christ gave you undeserved grace at the cross. You must give undeserved grace to yourself. You must give undeserved grace to others.

A life of grace is the only way to victorious living. The play has been written, and all we have to do is run the play.

When grace flows freely the mind is cleared and battles are won. View every situation through the lens of grace.

For the battle that has been raging, end it by giving grace today. For the battle that was lost yesterday, put it to rest by giving grace today. For the one that comes to mind, give grace today. For the one in the mirror, give grace today.

Victory of the mind and soul awaits.

I heard a message about grace in a great talk on leadership. A day later, I heard grace and truth at a talk at work. I suppose the message is emphasized because of the culture we live in. We see both ends of the spectrum, but rarely do we get a balanced picture.

So to my kids, I try to balance truth and grace, because leading them to either end of the spectrum gives them a false view of life.

If I spoke all grace, my kids would be lost. They would be eaten up by this world. Complete forgiveness for all actions would lead to a false belief system of the world. No consequences for actions. Only complete forgiveness. No accountability. They would view the world full of indifference, with the mindset that actions don’t matter. Only give grace. No telling where they would end up, but they certainly would be in for a constant struggle.

On the other end of the spectrum, if I spoke only truth, I would raise strict rule-followers. My kids would have the belief that they needed to stay within the rules to be loved. They would naturally judge others by their actions, the same way they were judged. Life would be some type of competition to see who could live the closest to the truth in order to be the best. Accountability would be extreme, and consequences would be paid for actions.

I am told that I am part of Generation X. Growing up in the deep South, I heard the truth end of the spectrum. I stress the words “I heard,” because I don’t believe this is what I was taught. Our culture, our way of life pointed us to truth. I believed the key to being a believer in Jesus was rules based. I never would have articulated it this way, but it is what I believed. I didn’t need to cuss, cheat, lie, drink alcohol, or smoke, and I needed never to miss church. Living focused on truth would keep me in good standing with God.

For my kids, part of Generation Z, they are growing up in a world with no absolute truth. They are growing up in a culture of grace. Complete forgiveness for everyone for everything. There is no absolute truth, after all. Each person has his own rules, and we need to recognize that. There are no consequences for actions, only grace. Do anything, because forgiveness awaits.

Truth is a great thing. It creates a society of order. Grace is a great thing. It creates a nonjudgmental world of forgiveness.

The impossible part is finding the perfect balance between truth and grace. There has been only one who could do this: Jesus. John 1:14 says He was “full of grace and truth.”

Consider His actions.

Full of grace. The woman caught in adultery being ridiculed by culture. Complete forgiveness. The tax collector that cheated and stole his way to wealth. Complete forgiveness.

The thief on the cross hanging next to Him. Complete forgiveness. The parable of the lost son. A picture of complete forgiveness. The parable of the one lost sheep. Complete forgiveness. The Samaritan woman at the well. Complete forgiveness.

Full of truth. Jesus called the teachers of the law “blind guides” because their actions didn’t match what they were teaching. He called the Pharisees hypocrites because they looked great on the outside, but inside they were full of “greed and self-indulgence.” He told the rich young ruler that, to have life, he had to be willing to leave his wealth. He never walked away from the message of truth.

As I look at culture, both ends of the spectrum are emphasized. Culture tackles actions with lack of truth. Culture tackles truth with lack of grace.

And so do I. I miss it every day. I can’t balance truth and grace.

There is only one perfect person who walked on the earth who had the perfect balance. I want to point my kids to that person, not to me. Only in Him will they find the key to life.

Earn your way to everything. Our marching orders in life.

Earn approval. Earn the promotion. Earn the starting spot. Earn the love of your spouse. Earn more money. Work hard, you get what you earn in life.

So when confronted with the opposite, it doesn’t feel right. We fight it. It doesn’t work with our logic. If a coach gives his son playing time over others, it isn’t “fair.” He didn’t earn it. Same story with the promotion of another. They didn’t earn it.

The only thing that seems to be justified in our world is earning your way to said gift, goal, job, etc.

The Bible teaches something different. A gift that is not earned.

Paul knew this well.

In Acts 7 and 8, we see Paul murdering Christians. He was schooled in Jewish law. Highly intelligent, he learned under a prominent rabbi named Gamaliel.

Paul believed that you needed to earn your way to religion. Follow the law while you wait for the Messiah.

Then in Acts 9, Paul is visited by the Messiah. In an instant he was face-to-face with God himself, being called out for his persecution of Christians. In an instant, he was given a gift of faith. Not deserved. Not earned. Simply a gift of belief.

The rest of Acts, we see a changed man, never to believe in “earning” again. He knew grace. He had experienced it firsthand.

In a world of “earning,” faith is a mystery. It is a free gift and doesn’t jive well with our thinking. But this is grace. This is the teaching of the Bible. Undeserved grace.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

One of the clearest verses of grace in Scripture. Faith is “the gift of God.” No earning. Pure grace.

Grace is the consistent teaching of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, we see unwarranted grace. Hebrews 11 summarizes many that received this gift. Itis sometimes called the “faith hall of fame” but that description seems to point to earning. After all, you earn your way into a hall of fame. It isn’t given.

*“By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events **as yet** unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.*

*By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an*

*inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.*

*By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.*

By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.” Hebrews 11:7-8, 23, 31

Faith comes before the person. The emphasis on all of the individuals in Hebrews 11 is not the person, but the faith. And the faith of these people is a free gift.

The idea that faith is a free gift is tough to comprehend. Why in the world would God give me a free gift? Exactly the question we should all be asking.

A holy God bringing a free gift to the undeserving.

Grace. A free gift. And since it is free to you, share it freely.

To be heard, you must let go.

Ultimately, we desire to be heard by others.

Be it leaders, co-workers, spouses, families, friends, we want to be heard. Fully known.

The deep desire is never to carry the weight of life on our own, but we do.

The tendency is to keep everything locked up. Pride, shame, the feeling of bringing drama or problems to others causes us to withdraw. We hold it in, never to be the person we can be.

One can’t perform at peak levels carrying the weight of the world inside. One can’t be the spouse, friend, mom, or dad they need to be while holding it all in.

“There is nothing new under the sun,” King Solomon said. Thousands of years ago, in his prayer of dedication of the Temple, he asked God to “hear” eleven times. Over and over, his one request was to be heard.

To be heard, you must let go.

We have people in our lives as a gift. They want to hear. They want to be an ear. They want to help. They want to carry burdens.

We have God in our lives as a gift. He also wants to hear, be an ear, ready to help, ready to carry burdens.

There is great relief in sharing burdens with others. Two can carry the weight much easier.

Let go.

*When the Pharisee who had invited him **saw** this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” *Luke 7:39

A lady with an “alabaster flask of fragrant oil” had just entered the Pharisee’s house where Jesus was eating. In front of the men in the house, she bows before Jesus, kissed His feet, and anointed with the fragrant oil. She is described as a “sinner,” and, apparently, recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, knelt before Him. The Pharisees criticized her. Then Jesus teaches about the recognition of grace.

*Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”*

*“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.*

*Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people — 500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”*

*Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”*

*“That’s right,” Jesus said. *Luke 7:41-43

In the story, the man who had the larger debt cancelled loved the debtor more. Then turning back to the woman, Jesus summarized the event.

*Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she **has washed** them with her **tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.*

*“I tell you, her sins — and they are many — have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” *Luke 7:44-48

The woman was forgiven much and loved much. She recognized her sins and humbly bowed before Christ. This is a picture of people in the Bible. Countless testimonies are given of those who were forgiven much and loved much.

Moses was a murderer who turned into a passionate leader of the Israelites for God.

Peter denied Jesus as He was being taken to the cross and passionately led His followers after His death.

Paul was a killer of those who followed Jesus and became arguably the greatest missionary that ever lived.

Mary Magdalene was healed of demons and became deeply committed to Christ, never leaving his side until His death.

The list goes on and on. The woman caught in adultery, Matthew, the tax collector turned disciple, Zacchaeus, etc. All of these people recognized the grace that they had received and were changed. They were forgiven much, and, naturally, loved much.

When Paul was preaching to the Church at Corinth, he made a penetrating statement to the believing crowd.

*Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you — unless you believed in vain. *1 Corinthians 15:2

“Unless you believed in vain.” Another translation says “unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.” Those in the Bible mentioned above did not “believe in vain.” Their lives were radically changed by the recognition of the forgiveness of Christ.

Have you received grace? Don’t receive it in vain. Turn around and examine your past, the love, forgiveness, grace you have been shown. Let this grace fuel afire of forgiveness in you that shows great grace to others.

How can the one who humbly recognizes the forgiveness in their own life not freely give forgiveness to others?

Grace multiplies.

Why do we judge? Why do we view others with critical eyes?

The Pharisees were known as a group of people that knew the law, the Old Testament scripture. And they held others to it, condemning those that didn’t obey. They were the “religious” of that day. They were a group of people that vehemently disagreed with the teaching of Jesus. They judged, and Jesus had recently preached about judging. Jesus was the enemy.

Interestingly, in the midst of his ministry, Jesus has dinner at the house of a Pharisee. Being the great teacher that he was, he brought Simon Peter, part of his inner circle. Imagine Jesus and Peter sitting around a table with a group of guys, judging their every word, every action.

The scene stops. The dinner is interrupted.

*“A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his **feet weeping**, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on **them.”** *Luke 7:37-38

A woman who had “lived a sinful life” bursts in. One who had lived apart from God, now comes face to face with God. There is only one reaction. She is convicted. She bows. She is broken. She is humbled. She cries. She worships.

In an instant, her past sins don’t matter anymore. In an instant, bursting on the scene, into a room of guys judging her life, her every move, she doesn’t care.

She is going to Jesus. No matter what.

And Jesus begins to teach Peter. He doesn’t address the judging crowd, but He turns to Peter. Peter needed the lesson more than he knew. Jesus knew that Peter would leave Him in his most desperate hour. Peter would deny ever even knowing Jesus. Jesus knew that he, of all people, needed a lesson on grace.

*“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”*

*Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”*

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven — as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”“ Luke 7:41-47 NIV

The lesson. Grace drives love.

When Jesus forgives past sins in one’s life, love follows. If you have been forgiven little, you will love little. If you have been forgiven much, you will love much.

This woman loved much. An army could not have kept her from Jesus. She indeed loved a lot. She recognized the sinful life she had led and was completely broken.

If one doesn’t recognize shortcomings or failures in their own life, the natural outcome will be judgment of others. It is easy to find faults in others when you have none. As Jesus said, judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

*Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is **the** log in your **own eye**?** You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. *Matthew 7:1-5

If one recognizes the failures in their own life, comes to Jesus, the outcome is grace. Grace from God and grace to others.

Jesus told the sinful woman, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” She left with a lighter load and full of love for Jesus because of the grace she had been given.

Where judgment lives, there is no peace, only division. Where grace lives, there is peace, the ultimate gift.

Many parts of the Bible are difficult to understand. Scripture is deep, written by people from different cultures, in different time periods, by people that did life radically different than we do. Scholars of the Bible disagree on certain points, and they always will.

My soul is stilled knowing that there is only One that has pure truth. Not a scholar, a book, or any group of people. Pure truth only comes from One, and everyone else has a little bit of world in them.

*For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. *Isaiah 55:8-9

No doubt, parts of the Bible are difficult to understand; however, the core message of grace in Scripture is not debatable.

The Bible is a book of grace. Jesus brought grace. Jesus was grace. Jesus is grace. The personal recognition of grace on one’s life changes. Grace compels one to give grace.

It seems that grace should be a common cord that everyone welcomes and plays, but division still manifests. This is true today, and it was true when Jesus walked the earth.

*On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk**’ ?** But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — he said to the man who was paralyzed —” I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” *Luke 5:17-26

The constant, consistent message of Jesus was grace. Grace to the paralyzed man in the story above. Grace to the woman at the well. Grace to the women caught in adultery. Grace to Peter. Grace to the thief on the cross next to him. Grace to you. Grace to me. Grace to all.

Jesus was definitely controversial, as he was forgiving sins, claiming to be God. But it can’t be missed that he was performing miracles, bringing grace to the people. But despite what Christ was teaching and doing, there were always those in the crowd that were cynical and negative with a motive of division.

Cynicism overrode grace by many in the crowd.

The recognition of grace on one’s life drives grace for others. When I understand the deep grace

that was given to me, I am compelled, motivated, without a shadow of doubt, to give grace to others. Grace is a foundation of Jesus. He offered grace freely.

Meet different points of view with grace. Understand with grace. Let grace guide speech, thoughts, and motives. Let grace be at the tip of my tongue today with myself, with my family, with my friends, with those I am around.

May I meet others with the grace that was given to me on the cross.

*For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted **all the more**, “Crucify him.” **So** Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. *Mark 15:10-15

Just a few days ago, the multitudes had worshipped Jesus as he entered Jerusalem.

*And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” *Mark 11:8-10

Months ago, multitudes followed Him as He taught, healed, fed, loved, and cared for the crowd. Although there were always those against Jesus, the Bible paints a picture of multitudes that followed Him. For example, he once fed 5,000 followers. There was definitely a movement behind the grace and love of Christ.

And at the middle of the movement was His love for the individual. As He walked among the multitudes, Jesus uniquely ministered to the individual. Story after story is written about Jesus stopping to connect, to minister, to help those in need. From the woman at the well, to the paralyzed man, to the woman that had been bleeding for 12 years, to Jairus crying for his dying daughter, to Zacchaeus, to Peter, to Mary and Martha, the stories abound of His ministry to the individual. He was a picture of grace.

So how does the story end up with the multitudes who once followed Christ now shouting to crucify Him and release Barabbas, a murderer?

The momentum of the multitudes swayed the crowd. Public opinion followed the multitudes. One reads the story, and it seems the movement happened like a wind through the crowd. Sudden, drastic, strong. The multitudes quickly changed direction. Even if there was disagreement with Jesus, where was the grace from the multitudes?

Maybe grace would have stopped the momentum of the multitude. Maybe grace could have been a fire that stopped the wind. The momentum of grace could have thwarted the negativity toward Christ.

Today, the world is divided. Grace is the one unifier we have at our disposal. I must regularly “reach across the aisle” and understand counter views of the way I view the world. And grace must follow the differences.

As you encounter differing views today, see the other perspective. Seek to understand. Christ’s dialogue with the individuals that he encountered in his life was full of love and understanding, and, always, Biblical truth. Christ was full of grace. He was always willing to offer grace and truth to the

individual.

Yes, the story in the Bible of Jesus and the cross is one of the momentum of the crowd, but, this was God’s plan all along. Jesus came as the Messiah to die on the cross. The cross was for us. God controlled the momentum.

*Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. *John 15:13

The momentum of the multitudes changes day-by-day, but the Word of God is unchanging, an anchor in the middle of the sea of commotion.

Let all discussions start with grace and be full of truth. Lead with grace.

*With the merciful You will show yourself merciful. *Psalm 18:25

The words of David about God. David knew the mercy he had been shown from God, as he once had an innocent man killed. Having received this mercy, David was compelled to be merciful.

*When Jesus gave us the model prayer, he said, “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” *Matthew 6:12

Jesus taught the forgiveness of others as one has been forgiven by God. The recognition of the mercy and forgiveness that one has received compels one to offer mercy and forgiveness.

Joseph was betrayed by his 11 brothers, being thrown in a pit to die. Through a series of events, he ended up a leader in Egypt, the only place to get food during a seven-year famine. Not knowing he was in this position, his brothers came to him for food.

Upon being reacquainted with his brothers, Joseph was overcome with love. Twice, he had to leave their presence so that they would not see him weeping.

Rather than revenge, Joseph used his position of influence to care for his father, brothers, and all of their families, giving them land and food in Egypt. Notice what Jospeh says about the “why” behind his actions of caring for his family versus revenge.

*So** Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. **So** it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.” *Genesis 45:4-8

Joseph recognized that God was in control, had blessed him, and put him in a place of influence, so that he could bless others, namely his family. Because of the mercy he received from God, he was compelled to offer mercy to his brothers.

Jesus talked about forgiveness in Matthew 7.

*“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the **judgment** you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is **the** log in your own eye**?** You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” *Matthew 7:1-5

Don’t judge or you will be judged. Recognize your own failures versus the failures of other people.

And Jesus showed us the ultimate picture of mercy and forgiveness, as he willingly gives His life up

for us, because of our sins.

*“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” *John 15:13

Mercy and forgiveness like Jesus showed on the cross should compel us to offer mercy and forgiveness to others.

If we truly desire unity in our country, in our families, in our marriages, at work, with our friends, mercy and forgiveness must be at the tip of our tongue. And mercy and forgiveness should come from the recognition of the mercy and forgiveness we have each received.

Faith is a mystery.

In the Gospels in the Bible, over the course of a short time period in the ministry of Jesus, we see Him encounter individual after individual, in radically different situations, all with the same deep characteristic, faith. It is very interesting to read these stories in the Chronological Bible, digesting these events as they occurred over time. Reading this way, one sees faith emphasized as the prime ingredient of those approaching Jesus.

Early in His ministry, Jesus is traveling from town to town, and people flock to Him. They have heard of this man and the miracles that He was performing. There was a buzz among the crowds. Life around Jesus was busy, many people coming to see Him, hear Him, try to understand what was going on.

In the midst of all the chaos (my word, not the Bible), we see these personal encounters that Jesus has with people. And the Bible, very clearly, teaches about faith.

For example, in Mark 5, we learn of a synagogue ruler. Jesus had just arrived in town by boat, and a large crowd immediately gathers around Him. The synagogue ruler, Jairus, had a major situation going on in his life. His only daughter, 12-years-old, was dying. Jairus came broken, desperate, humble, as a last resort.

*“My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” *Mark 5:23

Jairus came with great faith. Look at his language above. He knew that if Jesus put His hands on her, she would be healed.

And I love the response of Jesus. The Bible simply says that He “went with Jairus.” No questions to diagnose the situation. No questions about the man’s faith, his upbringing, his nationality, his life. Jesus just went. He saw the man’s faith and went.

As they were going to see Jairus’daughter, crowds again press in around Jesus. Another encounter happens.

A lady had been bleeding for 12 years. She had seen “many doctors” and “spent all she had.” The Bible says that no one could heal her, and, instead of getting better, she got worse. Seeing Jesus, somehow, this sick lady fought through the crowd. She came to Him broken, desperate, humble, as a last resort.

When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” (Mark 5:27-28)

Well, when she touches Jesus, the bleeding “immediately” stopped and “she felt in her body that she

was freed from her suffering.”

Jesus knows what happened, finds the woman, and responds.

*“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” *Mark 5:34

The woman came with great faith and was healed. She had been seen by doctors for 12 years, yet she came with hope, expecting the miracle to happen. And Jesus responded.

Meanwhile, back to Jairus. As all of this was going on, some men ran up and told Jesus and Jairus that there was no longer any need to come. His daughter was dead.

*“Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” *Mark 5:36

Jesus arrived at the place of the little girl and healed, one of the few times that He literally brought someone back to life. Why? Because Jairus had the faith and boldness to come to Him.

After Jesus left the scene, another encounter happens. Two blind men came to him calling “Have mercy on us.”

*Jesus asks them, “do you believe that I can do this?”*

*“Yes, Lord,” they replied.*

*Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. *Matthew 9:28-29

Again, we see Jesus approached by the hopeless, the desperate, the broken, the humble. And He responds.

Three different encounters with people, and they all came broken, desperate, hopeless, humble, with great faith. And we see the exact same response from Jesus. They came in faith, and He acted.

As if faith is not emphasized enough in the stories above, the Bible immediately gives us a picture of the other end of the spectrum.

After the encounter with the blind men, Jesus goes back to his hometown. All the people in town question him.

*“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn’t this the carpenter? **Isn’t** this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” *Mark 6:2-4

Question after question, as if to say, “who does He think He is?” They “took offense at Him.” No brokenness. No desperation. No humility. No faith.

The response of Jesus.

*He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hand on a few sick people and heal them. And he was*

*amazed at their lack of faith. *Mark 6:5-6

The above encounters leave no doubt about the response of Jesus to faith. They emphasize how to approach Jesus - broken, humble, desperate.

The Bible seems pretty clear with the above stories, so why do I say that faith is a mystery? The mystery is in the following verses.

*“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” *Ephesians 2:8-9

I call it a mystery, because faith is a free gift from God. This is a constant theme in Scripture. Faith is a free gift. We do nothing to receive it. Faith just is.

Nothing I can do makes me obtain faith. If there was something I could do, knowing me, I would boast about it! I would boast about my great works. But I can’t! It is a free gift!

So as I sit outside, in the cool, quiet of the morning, I ask, “why me?” I do not know. I will never know this side of Heaven. My only answer is to come broken, humble, desperate to the Cross, knowing that there is nothing in me that deserves the gift of faith, the gift of grace.

And this is exactly where Jesus wants me, broken, humble, desperate. And this is exactly where He wants you. He is never too far.

*On the way to **Jerusalem** he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and **lifted up** their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw **them** he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they **went** they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” *Luke 17:11-19

During these times, leprosy was contagious, chronic, an incurable disease. Lepers were the outcasts of society, living in isolation. If one found themselves in this situation, they were looking for healing, hope, a new life. With the news of Jesus and his power traveling through the land, it is understandable that ten lepers approached him. They were desperate.

Jesus miraculously heals the ten.

100% of the lepers receive grace and are healed, and nine, or 90%, of the lepers leave the scene. Not pointing a finger at the individuals that ran away, as they were probably elated and left in complete wonder and amazement. But notice the one and his reaction. This one former leper forever gives us a picture of what the recognition of grace looks like.

This one leper is healed and begins to run away in joy and excitement. Then he stops and turns back to Jesus. The leper falls on his face before Christ giving thanks. Unabashed humility and praise as he worships the one who changed his life and gave him hope. He recognized the grace that he was given by Jesus.

Grace is never pictured as a flippant recognition of Christ. When grace is given and recognized, people’s lives in the Bible are radically changed. Over and over this is a picture of grace in scripture.

Mary Magdalene was cured of “seven demons” by Christ. After receiving grace, the Bible gives us a picture of a woman of faith that never leaves his side.

She was following him when he was arrested. She was at the crucifixion watching him die a brutal death. And Mary was the first at the tomb after his death, witnessing the empty grave. She received grace and there was an out-pouring of love, humility, and obedience in her life. Mary Magdalene was a changed woman by the grace she was given.

Matthew, a tax collector, Peter, a fisherman, Paul, a persecutor of those that followed Jesus, all had one thing in common. They were all radically changed.

The recognition of grace in their lives gave them hope, humility, a new life, a new purpose.

When I wake up in the morning, for whatever reason, my mind is immediately flooded with tasks that need to be accomplished, things left undone, my failures, the person that I am not, etc. Before my feet hit the floor, the day has the potential of being lost. Maybe that is just me, but, in my mind,

there is a freight train of mental obstacles in front of me with the potential of crushing the day before I get started.

It is the recognition of grace that immediately stops the wave of overwhelming thoughts. The recognition that I, too, was one of those lepers that needed hope. The recognition that, for whatever reason, I was given complete, undeserved grace. It is the recognition of grace that propels me into the day, removes shame, gives hope, fills me with humility and praise.

And by noon, I need to remember that grace again.

Thank God for the picture of the one leper, a reminder of grace.

Ten men came to Jesus. All ten had leprosy. All ten fighting a terminal disease. All ten in pain. All ten living in shame. All ten excluded from society. All ten had certainly tried everything to be cured. All ten knew that there was nothing they could do. All ten were desperate. All ten recognized they need mercy. All ten came to Jesus to ask for help. All ten received compassion. All ten were healed. Each of the ten went away a new person.

One returned to praise Jesus. One fell at his feet. One came back to thank him. One recognized the undeserved grace he had been given.

We have all dealt with our own leprosy. We have all been put in situations, dealt with things completely out of our control. But God showed grace.

Recognize His grace. Thank you for the cross.

One Saturday night, my wife and I visited the new location of a local restaurant that we love. Expecting the same experience, great atmosphere and food, we were excited to try it.

Well, being so new, the place was empty. No one greeted us at the door, so we slowly walked in and grabbed a table. For 5 minutes, no one approached us, and at this point, my wife said, “let’s just grab a drink and leave.”

Then passion arrived in the form of our server.

In 10 seconds, she made a personal connection with my wife. They laughed, talked, and reminisced. At one point, I thought she should just pull up a chair and join us for dinner.

After the initial conversation, the passion flowed as she told us about how the restaurant opened, the chef, the local farmers supplying the food, and her favorite dishes.

The rest of the night, she was our friend, much more than someone serving us dinner. Her passion opened the door to a remarkable experience.

Passion always opens the door to a great experience.

The question is “what drives passion?”

Maybe there are many answers, but there is one certainty.

When grace is recognized, passion follows.

There is a tipping point, a moment of change. A job is given, an opportunity is gifted, a second chance is offered.

Unbelievable grace changes a person’s why. Their newfound purpose or meaning creates passion.

Passion is a natural, by-product of grace. And passion drives attitude, proactivity, sincere care, excellence, belief, confidence.

Ever feel stuck, lacking passion for work, school, or a relationship?

The immediate thought is to flee, exit, or simply stroll along without care.

However, go back to the tipping point, that moment in time where you were overcome with grace. That moment when you were excited about the opportunity that was given. That moment when grace was recognized, and the chance was taken on you.

The recognition of grace compels passion. And passion multiplies.

A gift is given with the assumption that the receiver will be glad, happy, full of passion about the gift. A gift is given assuming there will be stewardship of the gift. The one giving the gift is excited for the receiver and the blessing on that person. The giver is all in with the receiver, fully trusting and sold that the receiver is worthy.

And, everyone has been generously given a free gift.

The job that one walks into today is a gift. At some point, someone saw something in you, believed in you, trusted you, and gave you a gift. The gift of a job is blessing.

For the leader, the gift is the position over people. The gift was given as a blessing, full of trust. The gift was given assuming great stewardship of the company, the team, the class, the people.

For the entrepreneur, the gift came from many. From free gifts of counsel to funding from investors to the gift of belief from those closest to you. Many gave the gift of confidence to allow you to take the step.

The family is full of free gifts. A spouse freely gives a heart to another, fully trusting and depending on the other. Children are a free gift, following the parent, believing their guide will show them the way through the peaks and valleys. The gift of a family is a blessing.

For the student, the gift is the opportunity to attend school given by someone. The gift was given with full trust that one would capitalize on the opportunity. The gift was given assuming stewardship. The gift was given as a stepping stone for future great things.

But, somewhere along the journey, the risk is that the gift causes one to grumble. What once was a light becomes dark. The gift that one was so grateful to receive becomes a burden. The gift passionately received is now viewed with bitterness. The risk is that the blessing of the free gift becomes a curse.

How can this be?

The answer can only be because one has turned the free gift into an object of glorification. One has changed the purpose of the free gift.

In every situation, the assumption, the ultimate purpose of the free gift is that it would be a blessing to other people. The light of the free gift would shine through to others. Many would be blessed. This is true for every job, every parent, every spouse, every leader, every student. The purpose of the free gift is to bless others.

The risk is that somewhere along the way, the free gift now illuminates only the one that received the gift. The free gift is used for self-glorification. The entrusted gift is a means to lift the receiver up, to shout their own name. The gift becomes mechanism for taking versus giving. The only purpose of the gift is to quench selfish desires.

The result is dissatisfaction with the giver, the company, the spouse, the child, the team. The result is that service and hospitality end. It is impossible to serve others if one grumbles about the gift. What once was stewardship turns to self promotion which turns to bitterness and negativity.

To flip the script is simply to remember the free gift that one received. Remember the joy of the gift. Remember the eyes of the giver that were full of generosity. Remember that the gift was free, undeserved.

But, most of all, remember that the gift was never to stop with you. The purpose of the free gift that you received was to impact others.

Win the mental game today. Flip the script.

*“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’*

*“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see **you a stranger** and invite you in, or needing clothes and **clothe you**? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’*

*“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ *Matthew 25:34-40

The heart of Christ was helping those in need. In this conversation, He points out the heart of His followers. The individuals described here are helping the helpless, the poor, the sick, the stranger, and those in prison. The picture is one of lives lived on mission to help other people.

Recognize the motives of those who served. These people were not working their way to God, trying to improve their standing. Jesus says that as they were serving others, they were serving Him. But the people didn’t recognize they were serving Jesus, as they were just serving people who needed help. Their motive was pure, from the heart, with no other purpose than to help those in need.

Similarly, recognize the humility from the pure motive. When recognized by the King, they question the recognition. Rather than taking the accolades, they are baffled at why He would call them out. They genuinely thought they were simply helping others. They weren’t looking for recognition or glory. They just wanted to help.

Help those in need. This is a natural by-product of a heart that overflows with the grace of God. The recognition of the grace that one has been given drives passion to help, to serve, to come alongside others. The recognition of undeserved grace humbles.

“But where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5:20).

Grace comes from the hands of a holy God, as one doesn’t get the justice deserved. Without the recognition of grace, man lacks humility and looks for glory.

However, with grace comes humility and pure motives.

Rain feeds the plants, refills the water systems, and supports the ecosystems.

Rain is a blessing with a clear purpose to impact other things. If rain was simply soaked into the ground, what good would rain be?

The writer of Hebrews uses rain as the perfect analogy for life.

*“ Land** that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receive the blessing of God.” *Hebrews 6:7

The writer urges the reader to receive the rain, the blessings in life, to bless others.

When we think of rain in our lives, our minds tend to gravitate to material blessings. Certainly, these are gifts that can be used for others, but, if one stops there, we miss the point from the writer.

Rain comes in the form of your unique talents, gifts, and skills. Work for others. Serve others as only you can. You have a unique perspective at work that can uniquely benefit others.

Rain comes in the form of health. When blessed with health, use your time wisely knowing that one’s health will not always be there. It is a gift for a moment.

Rain is the time we have been given. It is but a vapor. Manage it well. Use it to produce a crop.

And, rain is certainly the faith you have been given. Build others up.

We are blessed to bless others.

Recently, I met the grandson of the Founder of an incredibly successful company. He passed away a few years ago. When I had a private moment, I asked the grandson what he remembered about his grandfather. His reply, “work.”

The man’s company blessed many people, I know. But, it was interesting that someone close to him remembered him for his work.

May the rain in our lives produce a steady current that impacts others.

*“Unless the Lord Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.” *Isaiah 1:9

The prophet Isaiah left these words in about 700 BC, pointing to the gift of the “survivors” or, as the Bible sometimes says, the “remnant.” This is the small number of people who have faith in God, the people who carry on the message of faith.

Isaiah says that were it not for the survivors, the nation would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed, and all the people died because of their wickedness. You can read about the story in Genesis 19.

The descendants, the remnant, are a gift from God for future generations. And these descendants had faith to pass on. They had a message of salvation to pass on.

*In the Bible, the message is the gospel.*

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

Consider the thought of being part of the remnant. What a gift. Just as one does not put a lamp under a basket, one can’t keep this gift to himself. Impact others as you let your light shine, giving glory to God.

The Israelites had been delivered from slavery in Egypt. They had witnessed the amazing power of God as he sent the plagues to Egypt. Locusts, frogs, darkness, turning the river to blood. The Red Sea miracle had just taken place. The Israelites had been given the hope of life in Canaan, the Promised Land. They were being visibly led by God, a pillar of cloud in the day, a pillar of fire at night. They had, no doubt, seen the goodness and power of God.

But three days after the miracle at the Red Sea, the people lost sight of the Deliverer.

Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. Exodus15:22-25

The people complained, but God provided.

*Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water. *Exodus 15:27

After leaving lush Elim and the twelve springs of water, they arrived at the wilderness of Sin.

And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Exodus 16:2,3

More complaining, but God provided. Then days later …

*Therefore** the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”*

But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” Exodus 17:2,3

More complaining, but God provided.

Over and over during the journey of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, we see an emotional roller coaster. When the journey got difficult or not as they expected, the complaining started. They “grumbled” and “quarreled” against Moses, the one who had seemingly risked everything, depending and trusting God, to deliver the people from Egypt. The Israelites quickly forgot what slavery in Egypt was like, that they were headed to the Promised Land, and that God was in control. From slavery in Egypt throughout their journey, the picture is one of grumbling and complaining, then begging for deliverance.

Does this picture sound familiar?

Inevitably, God has been good. Even today, he deliverers, rescues, and rains blessings. The blessings are quickly forgotten, and they never seem to satisfy.

There is always a hunger for more; the soul is never satisfied. And the things of the world — money, material possessions, jobs, ministries, relationships — will not quench the thirst. There seem to always be self-defined “needs.” The by-product is the same as with the Israelites — complaining, grumbling, demanding.

Comparisons to others drive the negative momentum. Changes are demanded, as the situation isn’t fair. How quickly we forget the blessings that God has given.

But find that person who has the great attitude. The one who is gracious in every situation. The one who recognizes the blessings he has received versus comparing himself to others. The one who seems to find joy, no matter the situation. The one who always sees the good in others and his surroundings.

These individuals stand out as lights in a dark world, and light is always clearly seen in a world of darkness.

*In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. *Matthew 5:16

We are all prone to complaining, grumbling, and negativity. But God is always good. He was good to the Israelites, and He is good to us. He delivers.

He doesn’t promise that the road is easy, nor is it meant to be. If it was, we would miss the gift of perseverance. God promises only that He is with us every step of the way (Matthew 28:20).

“The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90 precent how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.” Charles Swindoll

Take a moment and thank God for the blessings that abound in your life, those blessings you have quickly forgotten. This action immediately gives us an attitude of graciousness.

*And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. **So** the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burned among them.*

*Now the **rabble** that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” *Numbers 11:1-6

As God led and provided for the Israelites, complaining and bad attitudes were not far behind. The people had been led from slavery in Egypt, they had been given manna to eat for nourishment. They had seen the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea, the building of the tabernacle with God descending upon the tent as a visible cloud. The Israelites had continually seen the pillar of fire at night knowing God was with them. Yet, they still found it in themselves to complain. They seemed to quickly forgot all that God had done for them and focused on the negative.

What started as a few people complaining, quickly spread to the entire community.

*Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. *Numbers 11:10

And Moses, arguably the greatest leader that ever lived, was carrying the burden of negative attitudes, estimated to be over a million people. This burden was enough for him to want to die. He asks God to take his life.

*“If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.” *Numbers 11:15

A bad attitude never lives in a silo. Negative attitudes always spread, always infect others. And someone always has to carry the burden of negative attitudes. And these attitudes are burdens indeed, ultimately causing division among people.

Jesus talked much about attitude, mainly the skeptic or those that saw the negative, the bad in other people.

*“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the **judgment** you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is **the** log in your own eye**?** You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. *Matthew 7:1-5

Additionally, he was ready to defend those carrying the burdens of the negative attitudes.

*And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing **to** me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” *Mark 14:3-9

The woman with the expensive ointment, poured it at the feet of Jesus, in honest, open, transparent worship. And the skeptics standing around her scolded her. I can see them rolling their eyes, calling her names. Maybe a legalist, worshipping for show. Jesus defended her, honored her, and told them what an incredible legacy of faith she would leave. And she did leave an awesome legacy.

Another time, he defended a lady caught in adultery.

*The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in **adultery, and** placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. **So** what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” *Numbers 8:3-11

Jesus was grace. He offered complete forgiveness, not punishment. The lady no longer had to carry the burden.

Negative attitudes never live in a silo. They are always intentionally directed at others or unintentionally spread like a fire to others. Someone always carries the burden of a bad attitude. Either a leader, a family member, a friend, or, maybe a spouse, the negative, bad attitude impacts others.

The world is full of skeptics. Bitterness and resentment seem to run rampant. It is easy to find the bad in other people, but see the good in oneself. What seems a simple individual point of view, creates division and a burden that someone has to ultimately carry. Negative attitudes divide.

*Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. *Colossians 4:6

Be gracious to others today. When you are tempted to insert negative points of views, be gracious. See the good and exclaim it.

*But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. **So** He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. *Mark 3:7-10

Mark gives a brief description of what is happening at the height of the ministry of Jesus. The ministry has incredible momentum. He lays out a picture of people coming from all around to see Christ. And rightfully so. He is healing many, bringing a message of good news, providing peace, lifting burdens. Things could not be going any better, so the multitudes were on board.

Fast forward to after Jesus died on the cross, a short time later, and things had changed.

*And in those days Peter stood up **in the midst of** the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), *Acts 1:15

The multitudes had been diminished to 120 believers gathered together. After the death and resurrection of Christ, the multitudes had vanished. In fact, the multitudes had turned on Him to join in with the crowds to crucify Him. Everything had changed in the blink of an eye. All momentum was gone.

The momentum of the moment captures hearts. Momentums can be dangerous. Multitudes follow the momentum. Popular messages or movements attract crowds. This happens in the blink of an eye, like a spark igniting into a raging fire. However, when the movement hiccups, the momentum stops, and sprints the opposite way just as quick as it started. Multitudes become 120 people.

Naturally, with momentums come personal highs and lows. On the good side, when the momentum of the moment is raging, there is unity, trust, maybe spiritual highs, among people. It is as if you have won. But when the momentum swings the opposite way there is sudden division, lack of trust, spiritual lows. What was once a crowd is now only a few. Momentums bring no consistency.

Our world has always been one of momentums. Like clothing styles, various messages or beliefs create movements, and they are always temporary. The fire will go out.

3,000 years ago, at the Tabernacle, the priests had a fire on the altar that burned continually. The fire never went out.

*Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out. *Leviticus 6:13

The place of atonement never lost the flame, the altar was always open. This altar was a great picture of consistency.

Momentums in culture will always be raging back and forth. Depend on the latest trend or message of the day, the momentum will end, and hope will be lost.

There is only One that offers consistency, that overrides any momentum swaying back and forth. And like the fire at the altar 3,000 years ago, with God there will be perpetual consistency.

The core of any momentum must be Christ to be sustained. If the core is man, momentum will end.

The message of the Bible brings consistency. God is constant, the same yesterday, today, and forever. The message remains relevant and consistent forever.

A solid rock to stand on. An anchor in the storm. The Bible is a gift to cherish in the middle of all the momentum swings.

*I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. *Psalm 16:8

Bring that thought to the next meeting …

I spent an evening at a retreat for a small local company. The team gathered from various parts of the United States for a few days, with the goal of reflecting and reenergizing. They read and discussed a book. They talked about life and their families. They naturally left unified, with a common mission.

The CEO told me the stated goal of the meeting was to have nothing added to your to-do list when you left. Refreshing goal.

In a typical business on a typical day, rarely does a meeting happen without a laundry list of to-do’s sprinkled among everyone in the room. People walk into the meeting overwhelmed with everything that is naturally on their plates, and the meeting serves as a place to add more. The person’s list ends up full of tasks that take his eye off the ball, the one critical thing that needs to be done uniquely by that individual for the company to succeed.

In a typical business on a typical day, rarely does a meeting happen without a need for several meetings to discuss what was brought up in the original meeting. The number of attendees grows. In fact, if you aren’t invited, you feel left out, and, if your calendar isn’t full of meetings, you feel guilty. It is said that a thirty-minute meeting really takes at least an hour when you include logistics and mental preparation.

All of this activity creates a lack of focus on the main thing that needs to happen, the number one task at hand.

What if a leader’s role was to prioritize, simplify, remove to-do’s, reduce meetings, help people spend time where they need to?

A friend suggested to open a meeting (but that takes a meeting) with asking, “What is the one thing you need to do this week to make it a successful week?” This opening is used to recenter everyone on their individual major task at hand.

The thoughts above are certainly not revolutionary and many external meetings can’t be controlled, but it always seems that we need a reminder to reset the chaos that has a tendency to take over.

It takes a leader to step up and make the first domino fall.

Everyone would agree that an honorable goal in life is to leave a legacy of impacting others.

But I think we would also all agree that seasons of life naturally wreak havoc on this goal.

The parable of the seeds is a great tool for self-analysis, describing a farmer who sprinkles seed on four types of soil, each painting the picture of one’s life and the impact on others.

As I consider my life, I see how I have moved between each of the different types of soil in different seasons.

Soil one: Seed sprinkled on a path, hard and packed soil. Seed can’t grow on this soil. The result is a hard heart, tough on yourself, tough on others. No impact on others. Cynicism, negativity, and blaming others rule the day.

Soil two: Seed sprinkled on rocky, shallow soil. Quick, short personal growth, but there is no deep root system. The growth starts promising but is stunted when trouble or persecution come, and trouble and persecution always come in life. The fire of passion once existed but quickly falls away. The result is no impact on others.

Soil three: Seed sprinkled on soil that is overcome by thorns. The thorns choke the once growing, flourishing plant. The thorns are the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth. Thorns strike quickly, without notice, penetrating the skin. When you have a thorn, all of your focus is on the thorn. You can’t ignore it. The result is you spend your life thinking about yourself. Worries of the world and love of money create a life of self-focus with no impact on others.

Soil four: Seed sprinkled on good soil. This seed grows, produces fruit, blesses other people. This life focuses on others. This life leaves a legacy impacting other people. Deep down, this is the life, the legacy, that we all desire. And as one impact others, one finds fulfillment.

Which season are you in?

Most move through each of the different soils as we go through life. Different seasons can make a different person.

Regardless of your season, find hope in grace.

Give grace to yourself and to others. Let grace give you hope for the future, as the future can always be changed. Others can be impacted positively by your life today.

Refreshing your memory provides fuel for the journey ahead.

Memories can serve as a light in a dark place. Memories give you faith to take the next step knowing you are not alone. Memories help make sense of life’s puzzle. Memories are food for the soul.

It is why we say “I love you” to those closest to us each day. Do they know this already? Of course. But saying the words helps one remember the foundation of the relationship.

It is why we have daily meditation or, for me, time alone with God each day. It helps me remember grace, which changes everything. Do I know this already? Of course. But, time spent alone provides a daily reminder that settles my soul, helps me refresh my memory, pointing to my why.

It is why I have a framed crumpled piece of paper on my desk. It is why I have that rusty screw on my book shelf. It is why my wedding invitation hangs on our wall. All of these things flood my mind with memories that center me, provide direction.

At Harvest Group each November, the company gets together for a few days at our annual Big Meeting. A primary reason is to remember. We look at the journey of the past year. The wins, the losses, the joy, the tears, the frustrations, the victories, the fears. Every emotion transpired over the last year, and, it is good to pause and remember. To accomplish the strategy next year, we’ll need those memories.

The speed of life pushes us forward so fast until the memory is lost.

But, the opportunity is always before us to pause. A daily gratitude journal. Thirty minutes of daily reflection. The 15 minutes at the front of the team meeting dedicated to remembering. The family meal with the intentional topic of remembering. Intentional use of the quiet car ride on the way to work.

A powerful strategy for the future is having the discipline of pausing to remember at work, at home, in your marriage, as a parent, in all areas of life.

Impact others with selective memory.

Everyone’s journey is laced with failures and defeats. In our minds, the negative lives rent free. We don’t need to be reminded of the miss, as the defeats have a loud voice.

As a leader, the easy road is to build on this negative narrative, point out flaws, accentuate the misses. The momentum of a negative narrative about an individual places a glass ceiling on their future endeavors, instilling doubt in abilities.

Be a change agent in another’s life.

Build others up by emphasizing wins or positive qualities, those things that others may not recognize. Create a positive narrative for someone, and a new story will be created.

Great leaders have selective memory.

They accentuate the positive and lift with praise. They have an ability to raise someone’s performance beyond what they imagined.

You see college coaches doing this consistently as they travel the journey of the season. Next time you catch an interview with a coach and a player, listen to the intentional praise by the coach. They recall wins, victories, moments, qualities that make that player special. Public praise to an extreme. And that player’s performance peaks.

When the road traveled is uphill, the mention of a “remember when” victory or praise makes the daunting journey seem achievable. Energy, ambition, and motivation are pulled out of another by articulating previous victories.

Performance begins to exceed ability.

People need this coach. Kids need this from mom and dad. Spouses need this from each other. We all need this in our lives.

The Israelites had come a long way over the last 40 years, leaving Egypt where they were in slavery, arriving at the banks of the Jordan. They were about to enter the land promised to them by God. The Israelites knew the battle that they were up against. The people of the land were numerous, large, lived in fortified cities, and were seemingly in a great position to defeat the Israelites. As they sat on the bank of the river, they listened to their leader, Moses, give final instructions.

Through the book of Deuteronomy, in his final speech, Moses gives detailed instruction on how to go to battle and how to live in the land. Amidst his instructions, Moses repeats a phrase over and over.

“The Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you.”

With the overwhelming odds stacked against them, Moses points the attention of the Israelites to the past. Moses tells the people to remember the past.

They had seen the Lord move in a remarkable way in their lives, removing them from brutal slavery in Egypt. So when facing these insurmountable battles, they were to reflect on how God had cared for them. This remembrance and reflection would give them confidence to carry on.

What is your Egypt?

Not to compare your life to the life of slavery that the Israelites faced, but when was that time when God really showed up in your life? That time when the only explainable result of a situation was God. The time that He showed up and cared for you.

Cherish this time in your life. When times get tough, remember and reflect on your Egypt. Remember how God cared for you.

This same God is with you now. This reflection will give you the strength to carry on.

An unsustainable pace can cause one to lose vision. An empty gas tank can cause one to question. An uphill climb can cause one to lose faith. Intense pressure can cause one to feel hopeless.

But daily reflection stirs the soul, recenters, calms the sea.

Reflection humbles.

Reflection makes you realize that it wasn’t brilliance, skill, or even happenstance that helped you arrive at where you are today.

Inevitably, everyone is standing on the shoulders of many who paved the way. It is impossible to journey alone.

Reflection makes one recall events that triggered moments in life that brought them to where they stand today.

Everyone has those tipping points, conversations, unexplainable and impossible events that happen on the journey that move mountains to get them to where they are today.

Reflection makes one thankful.

Reflection makes you thankful as you realize the gifts, those greater than money or possessions, that are around each day.

The pace of life often makes us miss the treasure that is the people in our lives each day. The ones who are standing shoulder-to-shoulder, enduring the pace, the pressure, the intensity, right beside you.

Thankfulness brings clarity. Thankfulness brings you back to your why. Thankfulness calms the storm. Thankfulness helps you align with your values.

Reflection fills the hole of discontent with thankfulness. Reflection gives one faith for the future. Reflection helps one realize that the journey is much greater than the one moment but, rather, many moments with opportunities to impact others.

Write the note, email, or text thanking another for the impact made had on your journey. Take time to reflect. Keep the grateful journey, making notes of thankfulness each day. Make reflection a tool in your toolkit.

Gaze through the window of thankfulness today, and you will impact others.

“ Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God.” Asaph

“ There’s a reason we are drawn to gazing at the ocean. It is said the ocean provides a closer reflection of who we are more than any mirror.” Rick Rubin

It is mesmerizing to sit and watch the ocean. The water is always changing.

Tide in, tide out. Bone crushing waves. Gentle, crystal-clear ripples. Constant transformation before our eyes.

Like the ocean, we are each in perpetual transformation. It is as much about events, experiences, and storms as it is about age.

The desire is for our transformation to be perpetually up and to the right. A smooth, positive line trending up. But the gift is that the line is full of peaks and valleys.

Were it all peaks, we would lack humility and grace. Were it all valleys, hope would be lost.

Both transform.

Don’t travel with your head down.

When you are at the peak, rather than celebrate, look around. Others are in the valley. Let the peace provided by the peak be fuel to help others.

And when you are in the valley, know that others have walked the path before you and can provide experience, perspective, an ear. Embrace the help. Never alone.

Rather than embracing your own journey, embrace the journey of others.

Celebrate with those on the peak; seek to be an ear for those in the valley. A text, note, or phone call can change someone’s day.

This will make you a better leader, friend, husband, wife, mom, or dad.

At the hunting camp this week, I woke up early, think the three o’clock early, and a lot of the guys were all in the common area drinking coffee and talking. These were old friends and guides for the hunt that day.

I grabbed a cup of coffee and found a chair in the corner of the den so that I could read the Bible, do my morning routine. I must say, I felt odd and out of place, different. I won’t go as far as saying ashamed, but I did feel super strange. I was definitely out of place. I must have been a weird sight.

I sat in the chair and thought to myself, “why do I get up and read the Bible?” I mean, is it ritual? Is it to check the box? Is it to try to make myself religious? Do I try to work my way to God? Do I somehow think I am better than others? What is this strange routine that I practice?

I came to the answer that morning in the hunting lodge. I get up to read the Bible each morning because I cherish God’s unique words to me. What I get in that first hour or two each morning is greater than the rest of the day. In fact, the rest of the day fights what I hear, learn, and read each morning. Most days, the rest of the day fights my mind, my relationships, my soul. But, that first part of the day, there is a light.

In 1 Peter 1:19 and in Revelation 2:28, Jesus is described as the “morning star.”

The Morning Star. This is the description of Christ that I needed to put into word what I feel about reading the Bible in the morning. It isn’t about me at all. I need it, I crave it, I have to have it, because I know me.

Regarding the morning star, Matthew Henry says “he brings the day with Him into the soul, the light of grace and glory.”

I want to revisit something I typed above. The rest of the day fights what I hear, learn, and read each morning. The rest of the day fights my mind, my relationships, my soul.

The Morning Star fights back.

If I did not begin each day in His Word, the war would be lost before the day begins. I know me, and I would just be a soul being tossed to and fro in the waters of the world. Every conversation, every post, every situation would leave my soul in turmoil, confused, struggling.

The Morning Star starts each day with a light, regardless of the weather outside. The sun rises in my heart with fresh truth, love, and grace. The Morning Star is fresh each day, new each day, full of grace each day. The Morning Star gives me a reset, a chance to start new.

I learned this week why I do what I do each morning. It isn’t anything about improving my standing with Jesus as that was finished at the cross.

I start each day with God’s Word simply because I love it. When the light shines in your soul, there is fulfillment found like no where else. The Bible is a never-ending gift that I cherish. I would be a ship without a sail without it. The Morning Star fills me for the day.

Ever wake up depleted, empty from journey of life or from the previous day? The Morning Star brings light.

I encourage you to read what Adrian Rogers typed about the Morning Star.

*And **so** we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19*

*Remember the resource of revelation. If we’re to know God, God is going to have to reveal Himself to us. The finite can never understand the infinite unless the infinite explains and reveals Himself to the finite. Even if the Scriptures are perfect — and they are — we must be able to understand them.*

*And God knows that. This Scripture that is inspired also illuminates. It shines into our hearts and gives light. The word dark in this verse doesn’t mean dark like you turn out the lights; it means being squalid, murky, dirty, or filthy. When Peter says, “until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your heart,” he’s not talking about the Second Coming of Jesus; he’s talking about the sunrise of the soul.*

*You have that dark, squalid, murky, filthy place in your heart, but the inspired Word of God shines into your heart, into that dark place, and reveals the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit takes the curtain of your **skepticism, pulls it aside, pins it with a star of hope, and floods your heart with Gospel light. He did that for me and for you. You have the inspiration of the Word of God and the illumination of the Word of God.*

The Morning Light is available to all.

Maybe it sounds strange, weird, even over-the-top. I get it. I guess it is. But, if you think about it, the Words of Scripture seem impossible to believe. The fact that a death can create life can’t be understood. As Dr. Rogers said, God has to reveal Himself, illuminate the truth.

And, the Morning Star will always illuminate. We just come to the door and knock.

Ever had an event in your life where everything changed? I mean a distinct line in the sand. Life was one way prior to the event, then life was forever altered after the event. Things like marriage, the birth of a child, the move to a new city, the death of someone close to you. We each have those “everything changes” moments in our life.

For example, take marriage. Prior to marriage, you do you. Ultimately, there is no commitment to another person in your life. Your time is your time. You could live selfishly, taking care of numero uno. But suddenly, two people become one, two schedules combine, two dreams become one. Life changes. Selfishness becomes selflessness.

Events lead to new seasons of life. In my book The Anchor, I describe some major events in my life that moved me into new seasons.

Josiah had one of these events about 2,600 years ago.

In 2 Kings 22, we learn of Josiah, King of Judah. Josiah’s priest is doing some work in the house of the Lord, and he runs across the Book of the Covenant, also called the Book of the Law. The Book of the Law was the written Bible at that time, the first five books of God’s Word. This book would have included the story of God’s grace shown to the Israelites as He pulled them from slavery and led them to the promised land, where they were now living. Additionally, the first five books would give detailed a warning to follow God, having no other idols in their life.

After finding the book, they immediately read it before Josiah. He had not been reading God’s Word, and he suddenly listens to what a life following the one true God looks like. He begins comparing this description to the life being lived in the country that he is leading. To say that Josiah is shaken to the core is an understatement. His eyes were opened, and his life is immediately changed. He just heard the grace of God, how he cared for his ancestors, and now he is seeing how the country is living as if God didn’t exist. Josiah immediately gathers the country and reads the Book.

*Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets — all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord — to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. *2 Kings 23:1-3

For Josiah and the people of Judah, this was one of those “everything changes” moments. The Bible paints a picture that all people in Judah were moved.

They realized they had not been worshipping the one true God, the God who had shown them great grace, bringing them from slavery.

After hearing the Book, the words of God, things changed. They had been worshipping other gods (little g), like, many other gods. Baal, Asherah, the sun, the moon, constellations, stars, a “wooden image,” Molech, known for the ritual of child sacrifice, Ashtoreth, Chemosh, Milcom, etc. Immediately, all the idols in the land are destroyed. The event, the reading of the Word of God,

immediately changed their life. They realized how far they had moved from the one true God. They were changed in an instant.

The thing about the event described above is the impact of grace. The people heard how God delivered them from slavery. They had turned their backs on the grace of God.

The recognition of grace in one’s life changes everything.

As I said, I have many events that altered my life’s journey. However, just like the story above, it was the recognition of the grace in my life that compelled me to follow God. For me, just like Josiah, it took the reading of God’s Word to open my eyes.

The Bible is a book of His grace. And when you recognize Jesus’ grace personally in your life, you are compelled to change. When you understand the undeserved grace in your life that has been freely given, you must change.

In fact, everything changes.

Ever feel like change is in the air? Maybe, it isn’t in the air at all and seems like it never will be, but you feel a change is what is needed. The tendency is to resist, to settle on the current scenery, because, regardless of the situation, there is comfort in things remaining the same. The pull to remain the same may be driven by acceptance of others, fear of the unknown, the desire to avoid risk, simply settling in life, and many other reasons that our mind creates. But deep down, you know that the waters need to be stirred, change is needed.

God is in the business of change. In fact, one could argue from the pages of Scripture that God consistently changes and maneuvers people and situations. He is an active God. Remaining the same risks dormancy, and dormancy misses the one true God. So in His goodness, He pursues, He pushes change, breaking through the mental blocks of arrogance, comfort, blind spots, lack of confidence, and feelings of inferiority.

Paul knew about change. He didn’t think he needed it, as, the way he saw it, he had life by the tail. He had won. He had power and influence. He could make things happen and was in total control.

Until he was in his early thirties, Paul, in his words, “persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.” He hated the church and followers of Christ. His passion in life was to destroy the church, and he pursued the mission with vigor. His life journey was set. He was present in support as Stephen, a follower of Christ, was stoned to death. His power and influence must have given him great comfort.

But change happened, as Paul came face-to-face with a holy God. When this happens, there is only one response. Bow.

In Acts chapter 9, Jesus dramatically approaches Paul. On the now famous road to Damascus, change strikes. Jesus approaches Paul, and his life is forever altered, like a line in the sand, forever, permanently changed. Paul moved from a destroyer of the church to one building the church, from no forgiveness to promoting grace, from hatred to the promotion of love, a new life, denouncing his former ways. Abrupt, dramatic change.

The obvious question is why would a holy God approach a ruthless man like Paul? Why Paul? This guy was blatantly against God. He hated the followers of Jesus, wanted them dead to prevent anyone else from following. Paul rolled his eyes at the church and made it his mission to wash it from the face of the earth.

The Bible tells us that God knew Paul before he was born. Galatians 1:15 gives us this truth saying “he who had set me apart before I was born.” Before Paul was born, God had a plan. But the first 30 plus years of his life, Paul lived as far from God as possible. No acknowledgement, complete disregard. He made a mockery of the church. In fact, when Jesus approached Paul in Acts 9, the Bible says that Paul was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.”

Psalm 103:19 says that God’s throne is in Heaven, and He rules over all. Paul’s wayward life was not a surprise to God. He knew Paul’s journey, his disdain for Jesus, but that didn’t alter God’s plan. Paul was set apart in the womb, but Jesus had not been revealed to him. Paul knew of Jesus, but he didn’t know Jesus.

Jesus changed everything.

If you know the Bible, we know that Paul becomes, arguably, the greatest missionary that has ever lived. After meeting Jesus face-to-face, his mission was to bring as many people as possible to the saving grace of Christ. His mission flipped from destroying the church to growing the church. Paul wrote 13 of the 27 books, almost half, of the New Testament.

Why did God select Paul in the womb, knowing that he would destroy the church until age 33? The answer is found in 1 Timothy 1:16.

But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16 (NLT)

God has great patience with people. Some other translations say “perfect patience.” So the perfect God has perfect patience with those that stray from Him or do not believe in Him. He orchestrates change in lives at the right time, displaying perfect patience so that others may see and know Him.

Truths from the change in Paul’s life has many implications for our own lives.

First, never judge anyone. We have no idea of the road that the individual has traveled or where God may lead their journey. We all have flaws, and the tendency is to miss our blind spots and accentuate the flaws of others. The truth is that we have no idea of the future of the person that we are judging. When God is involved in change, the past is no prediction of the future. Do not put others in a box or write them off. This side of Heaven, we simply do not know what the future holds, but, we do know that God created everyone in His image.

*Judge not, that you **be** not judged. For with the **judgment** you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck **out of your eye,’ when there is **the** log in your own eye**?** You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. *Matthew 7:1-5

The second thing we can learn from the l change in Paul’s life is the principle of submission to the current standard of life. We may believe that it is what it is, and our current life is set in stone. The tendency is to give up, wave the white flag, submit to our current situation. The story of Paul emphasizes that we should never settle. Never write yourself off or wear yourself out over past failures. As Paul’s life show us, God has “perfect patience.” It is never too late to bow to God. You don’t have to improve yourself. Just trust and God changes. God did that with Paul, and He does that with each and every one of us daily.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:23,24

Finally, if you are a believer in Jesus, continually recognize the grace that you have received. Let God’s grace, the forgiveness that you have received, be at the tip of your tongue. Let the grace that

you have received bring you joy today, knowing that your future is secure. Let the grace you have received drive love toward others, recognizing, like Paul, that you did nothing to receive this grace.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8,9

The last thing about change is that it is never-ending. Paul’s life was in a state of continual change, and the same is true of us. We never arrive, and God is never finished. He continually changes and leads. His will for our lives is to allow Him to guide us.

Ready for a change? God is ready to lead.

“Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human.” Rick Rubin

Whether with a strategy, a business, a story, a painting, or a written letter, we are all creators. Something that did not exist now exists.

Creativity is never a solo sport. Creativity impacts others. We all need each other’s creativity.

And the deep work of creating brings fulfillment. Stepping back from a well-crafted plan brings satisfaction. Admiring one’s creation fills one with joy.

But the speed of life and burnout rob creativity.

Tight schedules, email, meetings, activities at work and home, all demand a spot on the calendar and brain.

To get back in the flow of creating, develop open spaces. Set aside time to think in a place that inspires.

Whether the strategy for the business or family, the letter of thanks to the one who has meant so much to you, the personal plan for growth, the marriage retreat, create.

Your family, spouse, business, team, company need it.

Others will be impacted.

“The audience comes last. I believe that. I’m not making it for them. I’m making it for me. And it turns out that when you make something truly for yourself, you’re doing the best thing you possibly can for the audience.” — Music Producer Rick Rubin

When you create something for yourself, you walk away fulfilled, satisfied, full of joy over what you created.

When you do your best work, when you are really proud of what you create, when you leave nothing on the field, when you are a steward of your own gifts, you walk away fulfilled.

We are all creators. Whether it’s a presentation, an analysis, content, or a strategy, everyone creates. And when we’re head down doing deep work and focused thinking on a project, the finished work brings joy to the creator.

If the audience likes the creation, that is great; that is a blessing. But, ultimately, the reaction of the audience is indifferent to the creator. The creator knows deep in his soul that what he created was the best work he had in him. That is enough.

The pace, challenges, and demands of life battle excellent work.

Meetings, growing to-do lists full of tasks, kids activities, the natural urgencies of life, the difficult seasons, divided cultures, antagonistic personalities, comparisons to other people, the pressure to keep up/exceed last year, the mental energy and time it takes to play office politics, we can each come up with a list.

That’s not to mention the short attention span that robs our best work — something that most, including me, struggle with.

To do deep, fulfilling, soul lifting work, we must sit alone with our thoughts.

Deep work. Solitude. Focused thinking.

I have a daughter who holes up in her room with her paint, her canvas, and her mind. When she walks out, she is at peace. Few things bring her more fulfillment than walking away from what she has created. Her joy is not dependent on the audience. In this moment, she is a steward of the talents God has given her. This is where the fulfillment comes from.

Excellent works fulfills the creator. The opposite is also true. Lackadaisical, shallow work leaves one feeling empty. One knows when they have not done their best work.

If you are not feeling fulfilled at work, create. You might be living in the shallows.

Find time for solitude, forget the audience, and create. Create the strategy, the deck, the analysis, the plan.

And walk away fulfilled with a job well done.

“Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human. It's our birthright. And it's for all of us." Rick Rubin, The Creative Act

Man was born to create, to innovate.

Be it the creation of a story, a presentation, a business, a strategy, we are all innovators. We make something out of nothing. The thing did not exist before we created. Innovation comes from deep work, and there is satisfaction from deep work.

But, none are immune to the hidden danger of innovation.

In the account of the Tower of Babel, man is innovating. They learned to make bricks and, using tar, they discovered that they could erect buildings more elaborately and efficiently than with stones. Remarkable innovation at the time. Imagine the new possibilities. Imagine what this discovery would now unlock.

Immediately, man begins to devise a plan to make their name great. They determined they could use their new discovery to lift themselves up. They devised a plan to make a tower that reached the sky so their name would be in lights. The excitement of the innovation moved to the desire to be glorified.

We all know the feeling of these early innovators. You create something that you feel is awesome, something that changed the game, something brand new. The result is a victory, an accomplishment, a major achievement.

But, the hidden danger lurking underneath the innovation, the victory, is self glorification.

We need others to recognize the creation. We should receive accolades. I was the one!I did it. Maybe, we desire the new position, the larger salary, the bigger job. Whatever the case, put my name in lights.

It is interesting. We create to fulfill, as deep work fulfills. But, the result of the innovation can be emptiness in the soul.

Self glory is fool’s gold, as it always fulfills in the moment but never fulfills in the long run. The earthly stuff never fulfills. Materiality never closes the gap of the soul.

The only answer is to focus on others.

One must live a life that positively impacts others to find fulfillment. There is no other way.

Create and innovate to lift others up. Purposely move to the background. Don’t put your name, your stamp on the creation, but hand it off. This is the anti-political move that fulfills the soul and unites the team.

After all, the truth is that we stand on the shoulders of others with anything that is created. We are simply another piece of the puzzle on the journey of life.

Lift another up today.

He must increase, and I must decrease.

The book The Power of Moments by Chip Heath and Dan Heath crystalizes the thought that life is made up of moments.

Moments can slow life down.

As child number two headed to college, the inevitable hit me again.

The regular dinner conversations slow down. The face-to-face advice, now limited. The hugs, no longer daily. The dumb dad jokes have no ears to receive. The in-person celebrations of victories, fewer. The long discussions during the tough times, mostly by phone now. The cheerleading from the stands, all over. The vacation drives in the car, full of excitement, drawing to a close. The busyness, the hustling and bustling around town, now calm. The beautiful noise in the house, none to be found. The sounds of the kids hanging together, laughing together, arguing, not anymore.

Time flies. The danger is that we jump into the river of routine and let the current carry us where it may.

But every single day has a moment. A pivotal point in time where you can celebrate, recognize, find joy. That moment where you can slow down time and recognize the quality of a person, the job that person is doing, the monumental task that was delivered, the love that was shown in the family. That moment where you focus and celebrate another, be it a note, a text, in a public forum, or at a dinner conversation.

Moments make a family, a marriage, a company, a team, a friendship. And moments can pause life for a second and grow joy in the journey.

“Defining moments shape our lives, but we don’t have to wait for them to happen, we can be the authors of them.” The Power of Moments by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

I was knee deep in a meeting and received a call from my daughter. Like every dad, I walked out to take the call, making sure all was well.

It was a celebration call from a soon-to-be college graduate about her first job opportunity.

What a defining moment opportunity.

Sure, birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries are great moments to be celebrated. But what if you turn those “everyday” moments into something special (which they are). The milestone achieved by your spouse. The big win by a teammate. The step of faith of a child.

Creating a defining moment can become a difference maker for a member of your family, a coworker, a client. A defining moment can become the memory of a lifetime.

Perhaps the most incredible outcome of creating a defining moment is the tendency for the receiver to pay it forward.

Defining moments create cultures.

You can create from here.

He teed off at 6:45 a.m. in the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont.

Matt Vogt grew up caddying at Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh. Through his caddying, he was awarded a college scholarship and eventually became a dentist, opening a practice in Indianapolis.

Last week, Vogt earned medalist honors at a U.S. Open qualifying tournament, one of only two tickets awarded to play at the major. So he was given the first tee time of the tournament, 6:45 a.m.

Great story, but an even better attitude.

“I think this weekend is going to be full of gratitude and hopefully some good golf, too.”

In an interview, Vogt filled every sentence with “gratitude” and “blessed” and “honored.” He talked about his dad, who had recently passed away and the impact he had on Vogt’s life. He spoke of the man at Oakmont who helped pay for his college, and he mentioned how the Oakmont members celebrated and embraced his return to play at the U.S. Open. And he lifted up those taking care of his dentist office back home.

“I want to be honest with everybody,” Vogt said, “I work with another dentist in my office; she’s awesome, and my team is incredible.”

Vogt realized the gift he had in front of him, made possible by other people. He was playing for others.

This is us.

Every one of us is in a position made possible by other people. There are no self-made individuals. We all owe much to others.

When we quietly ponder life, we each recall people who poured into us, sacrificed for us, taught us, gave us an opportunity, and now cheer for us.

When one thinks about the people who have impacted them, one realizes that the grass is green right where they are. When one carries a feeling of gratefulness into work, one naturally is a good steward of their job. When one feels blessed to even get to do what they are doing, others will be impacted through their life.

Just like Vogt, when you reflect on life, there is only one response: feeling grateful and recognizing blessings.

We are each playing for others, just like Vogt.

“98% of success is consistently doing boring things that no one sees. 2% is visible and exciting, so that’s all everyone talks about.” Online Platform Farnam Street Blog, https://fs.blog

A successful entrepreneur told me about his year one startup phase — the year he bet it all and created something from nothing. He was all in, all of his energy, mental capacity, and time. He called it “the grind.” As I listened to him, I admired his fortitude.

The grind is done in the dark, never in the public forum. The grind contains those “boring things” done in the quiet. The emotions, the blood, the sweat are not on display to the world. There is no glory in the ninety-eight percent grind.

The desire is to live in the two percent that everyone talks about. We fight the “boring things” done in the dark. We want to be celebrated, high-fived, congratulated, recognized. We want others to see what we built, what we have achieved, see our name in the lights. But without the grind, the ninety- eight percent “boring things,” any success inflates the ego.

If you speak to successful leaders, they’ll flip the script. They celebrate the ninety-eight percent grind. The grind is why they are who they are. The grind built and continues to build their character, gives them the ability to sustain difficult times. The grind is where the personal glory is, no public glory needed. They relish the grind, the ninety-eight percent. By the time the public recognizes it, they take the recognition with an “if you only knew” smile.

The consistency done in the dark provides the anchor that holds.

Whatever your responsibility, whatever your job, whatever is under your leadership, the majority of the time is spent doing “the boring things that no one sees.” But these are the exact things that build the foundation of the company, the team, and the family. The world needs you in the grind. It is in these quiet times when the minute details are cared for that the idea is sparked and your character is built.

Relish the “boring work” done in the quiet, because what is built in the quiet will sustain the company, the team, the family, and you. Grind away.

And if you want to make someone’s day, tell him or her that you see them in the grind.

What percent of your day is spent in the shallows?

In his book, Deep Work, Cal Newport defines deep work as “professional activity performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that pushes your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.”

On the other hand, he defines shallow work as, “non-cognitively demanding, logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted.” These efforts tend to not create much new value in the world.

Per the website Statistic Brain, the average human attention span is now eight seconds.

The average human attention span might be debated, but a truth is that the world naturally calls us to distraction.

In business, we have a perpetual battle with email. Calendars are overrun with meetings, with more and more attendees in each meeting. Social media, a click away, feeds the short attention span. Each day is a constant flow of information gathering and distributing. All of this causes us to live perpetually in the shallows.

In families, activities and busy schedules replace the battle with email at work. Activities evaporate the time. The years go by, and the opportunities for intentional time, discussions, and planning slip away. The perpetual shallows cause relationships to slip away.

Deep work requires intentionality and will not happen in the natural flow of life. We must remove distractions and focus. We must purposefully clock out of the world to think.

Companies and families need the deep work that only you can do. You uniquely have the knowledge, the view.

It is in the deep waters that we find creativity, motivation, purpose, fulfillment, and answers.

Block off a few hours each week for intentional deep work. Intentionally think through each area in your job and family.

Your ability to pause will impact many.

“ Distractions are the assassins of great work. You don’t need more time; you need more focus.” Farnam Street, https://fs.blog

Calendars become full of meetings, the number of meeting attendees grows, agendas lengthen, and the number of steps to make things happen gets longer.

When one needs to set up a meeting, just open the other person’s calendar and find thirty minutes. Boom, meeting booked. Never mind that the stops and starts around the meeting take an additional thirty minutes of mental capacity.

Between meetings, emails are perpetually hitting an inbox like a dripping faucet. Take a few minutes throughout the day to scan for the urgent.

As all of this is going on, social media is calling. A quick in and out just takes a second. Wow, the Johnsons took a nice vacation??!!

While all of this is happening, the family of five is each doing life. Cars break down, friends break hearts, classes are failed, outside pressure is constant.

Finally, at the end of the day, back to empty the email to avoid being out of control.

Distracted, shallow work can feel like accomplishment. The action plan was developed in the meeting. The email inbox is clean. We are fooled into thinking productivity is happening.

Distracted work is always greater than capacity. Distracted work creates unstainable paces. Distracted work clouds vision. And, ultimately, distracted work robs joy and fulfillment.

But deep work, work done alone, in the quiet, without interruptions, working on meaningful things that require deep thought, is fulfilling. An hour immersed revives the soul, brings clarity to the chaos, impacts others and the company.

After all, you are the only one, with the perspective and point of view, to uniquely do the deep work for your job. The company depends on it. And you are the only one who can do the deep work for your soul, your family, and others depend on it.

The only solution is to force the timeout, find the time, do the deep work.

The time-out is good for the spirit, brings clarity of thought. Deep work spent on a strategy, a project, a mission, brings fulfillment. Deep work done on oneself through meditating renews the spirit, brings clarity to life, and properly prioritizes.

And the world survives while you are away.

A great question in your check-in with others this week is if they are getting time for deep work. The frenzied pace will never bring fulfillment.

“ Time expands when we eliminate interruptions — our attention, not the clock, ultimately limits what we can achieve.” Farnam Street, https://fs.blog

Ever consider the impact that your emotions have on others?

“The January weather is cold, but the water is hot.”

A friend said this to me as we talked about the approaching new year, our aspirations, endeavors, professional careers. He found a way to succinctly describe the pressure he was under.

Temp ever go up in your life?

At some point, most, if not all, will face intense pressure in a given year, either professionally or personally. If we don’t have a way to relieve the pressure, we will not only impact ourselves, but others will be severely impacted. When we show pressure, it has a domino effect on my spouse, my kids, my coworkers, even my dog. The faster we find a pressure release valve to get us grounded, get our heads on straight, the faster we can get back to managing our own health and impacting others positively.

What is your pressure release valve?

I have two go-to’s for pressure release.

First, exercise. I exercise for my head, to get away. Good health is just a by-product. By the way, I am not saying I am healthy. Check my diet.

Second, meditation. This can take many forms, depending on one’s faith or background. For my faith, it is time alone with God. He quiets the soul. Time alone each day with yourself, in your own thoughts, is indeed chicken soup for the soul.

Maybe the water is hot for you, and you are wondering how you’re going to make it through another year. Find a pressure relief valve. Or maybe the water temp is perfect in your life right now. No better time to find that relief valve than before the water gets hot.

My Atomic Habits friends out there tell me that if you do anything for a certain number of days it becomes a habit.

It could be day one for you today!

Zig Ziglar wrote that the last thing we should say to our kids before leaving them for the day is something positive and uplifting about them.

Today, we have the awesome opportunity to build someone up, change another’s mindset, provide momentum and fuel for the day.

The greatest missed opportunities are the simple, daily interactions that never happen.

The mention of the job well done, never said, text never sent, note not written. The lack of appreciation for the person or the team. The apologies left silent. The relationships with spouses or friends that are quietly shelved day after day. The time not spent with the kids, maybe the person you didn’t visit or call until it was too late. The ball game or performance missed. As I type these, my mind is flooded with missed opportunities.

No doubt, relationships will be the biggest regret, missed opportunity in many lives. The lack of daily investments add up.

We all get to start fresh today. Pause and invest in relationships.

Relationships are greater than [fill in the blank].

Life is a perpetual journey of searching for peace.

We are promised that peace will come from personal glory, money, friends, your spouse, religion, a job title, a house, or a vacation. You name it, and the world promises that peace will be found.

The promised peace ends up being an illusion. Ask anyone in the fourth quarter of their life.

Peace only comes from the One who knows you better than you know yourself.

“There is one, and only one, who actually and totally knows you. Nobody else even comes close. Your spouse’s knowledge of you, or your best friend’s knowledge of you, compares to Jesus’s knowledge of you is like first-grade math to quantum mechanics. You are fully known by one person — Jesus Christ.” Pastor John Piper

When we read this quote, we may immediately think about disobedience in our life. Maybe our past sin, maybe our present sin, or maybe that sin that is hidden from public view. But, the purpose of Jesus is not to condemn you, wear you out with your disobedience.

What we have to get our mind around is that Jesus sees through all of that and loves you unconditionally. He knows everything there is to know about you and still loves you. He knit you in the womb.

Jesus goes before you, He is with you, and He walks behind you (Psalm 139:5).

He knows your tendencies. He knows the decisions that you make that typically get you in trouble. He knows what makes you angry and frustrated. When two paths are set before you, Christ knows which one you will take. He knows what makes you envy, what motivates you, and what you love. He knows your passions, how you can’t focus when you pray, how you crave glory. Jesus knows everything about you.

*“God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” *1 John 3:20

A rally cry in culture is “I want to be known.” You are! God knows you deeper than any human ever will.

Forget the focus on your disobedience, as this is all of man perpetually. Don’t beat yourself up for mistakes, but focus on the one that knows you personally.

Peace will come when you let Him have control.

*“**So** I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” *Galatians 5:16

If He knows me deeply, knows the decisions I am going to make, knows what motivates me and what drives me, doesn’t it make sense to let Him have control so that I don’t make the perpetual mistakes that rob my peace?

A gift of Jesus knowing you personally is that He can lead you to the one thing that every person on earth desires.

Peace.

“God, you know me. You made me. You know my thoughts. You know my heart. You know what I am going to consistently struggle with. You know my tendencies. Yet you love me unconditionally, faults and all. You hem me in, going before me, with me, and behind me. You are the only One that I can talk to that fully knows me. Thank you that I have a relationship with you that I can talk to you. Thank you that you chose me. It doesn’t make sense, but thanks. Lead me and help me follow.”

Control the narrative, or the narrative controls you.

There is a story we all tell of others. And there is a story that others tell about you. Left to the imagination of the storyteller, the truth may not exist.

Be your own storyteller. Show up, be visible, do the work, and tell your story. No narrative is more compelling than results.

But there is a more critical, powerful story than what others tell about you. It is the story you tell yourself, the story that rattles around your mind all day. This is the story that can move mountains or be crushed by them.

When the sea is smooth, the story is positive, powerful, hopeful, full of momentum. When the water turns choppy, the narrative has the tendency to change to negativity, dismay, anxiety, hopelessness. Others are impacted by the story.

When you enter each day, the narrative begins, so find moments to control the story in your mind. A friend has a thankfulness book where he writes what he is thankful for each day. Meditation calms the sea, fills the soul. Exercise clears the mind. Have a person or community of transparent truth- tellers.

If you control the narrative each day, you’ll be able to endure any sea.

What narrative are you telling yourself?

Internal versus external battles.

Internal battles rage within your mind, your family, your organization. Many times these battles are not expected. These are areas that are normally unified.

These are areas that we all need unified for a life of peace. But nevertheless, we all have these internal battles going on.

Now, the external battles are more expected. The competition, the rival, those that seem to be always against us, antagonizing. These battles will be perpetual, and should be expected. Like internal battles, we also all have these battles raging in our lives.

The apostle Paul, who lived about 2,000 years ago, was no different.

Paul’s first missionary journey is recorded in Acts 13 and 14. Every city he visits, he faces extreme persecution and resistance. He expected it. Jesus had predicted it.

*Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. *Acts 14:19-20

In this example, Paul was stoned. Other times, he fled, as he was ran out of town. But Paul kept at it, never backing down. He had a mission, and he expected resistance from those external forces.

But Paul also faced internal battles, the unexpected ones.

After returning from his first missionary journey, celebrating the great successes, in Acts 15, the internal battle happened.

*Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” *Acts 15:5

This particular chapter and verse points to an internal battle within the church. People that should have been shoulder-to-shoulder in unity, celebrating with Paul, pointed fingers. They called him out for what he was doing.

Not only did Paul have to do battle with external forces, he had to battle internal forces as well.

Our lives are no different. We should expect those external battles. They will happen, and they can’t be controlled. Individuals that antagonize, point fingers, the competition, rivals, you name it, we will always have external battles.

But those internal battles are different. These are the battles that we can manage. These are the battles that we must avoid. These are the battles that can suck the life out of us.

Three of the top internal battles are the mind, a family, and a company, and I think most can relate.

Within our mind, we draw conclusions about life, about people, about, you name it. Our mind’s conclusions are not facts, leading us to paranoia, lack of peace. The worst thing about this battle is that it never leaves, it is always with you. When you lay down at night to sleep, the battle ensues. When you try to relax, there it is. The battle has a tendency to always rage.

Internal battles can also impact a family. A family should be unified. When the world is against you, we should be able to go to our families for peace, for solace, for unity. Our homes should be a safe haven for our kids. But families have their share of internal battles. From different points of view to different personalities, these battles can wreak havoc on lives. There is a tendency to promote these battles, when peace is easily found.

And finally, battles within companies. Jealousy, title, power, unrelenting views, politics, you name it, and companies have internal battles. They all do. Walk the halls of large companies, hang by the coffee pot, and you will hear the battles. And the negative travels the hallway faster than the positive. When a company can unify against the competition, there is power, peace, and joy. People will stay with that company.

So yes, there will be external battles always. But our goal in life should be to extinguish those internal battles, and we have a constant solution.

God is an anchor in the storm. This is true. He is the only One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Consistently acting, consistently present, consistently ready to listen, consistently ready to help.

*We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. *Hebrews 6:19

The Psalmist says it this way.

*God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. *Psalm 46:1

God is present always. Prayer is available always.

In those times when you have a raging battle in your head, call Him. He provides peace. When the family is in turmoil, humbly call Him. You may be the problem, so call humbly. Maybe it will not be immediate, but He will provide peace. And the company. What a joy to work for a company that can focus on external battles. Pray. Promote peace, as there will be many that promote division. Be different.

Shadeur Sanders, the son of famed University of Colorado Coach Deion Sanders, was a potential first round NFL draft pick, which would include a guaranteed million dollar base salary and signing bonus.

On draft night, the cameras were set up to capture the moment around his friends and family with the certain news.

However, the evening didn’t go as planned.

Pick after pick, round after round rolled through, and his name was not called.

Prior to the draft, many in the press had called Shadeur “entitled,” claiming he had his opportunities only because of his dad. So with draft night playing out, the emotions, attitudes, and words toward Shadeur were anything but kind.

Finally, after days of waiting, the Browns selected Sanders in the fifth round.

Being selected in the fifth round had to be tough, maybe a bit embarrassing and full of shame. The world expected the “entitled” one to respond with arrogance and attitude.

Instead, the cameras showed a joyful celebration with friends and family. Shadeur immediately jumped into the pool and had these things to say on Instagram:

“Thank you God for everything.”

“Thank you everybody for all the support.”

“You can’t control the uncontrollable.”

Shadeur elevated the blessing over the situation, giving him the right perspective.

Blessings are missed with the wrong perspective.

Personal journeys for us and our kids are played out in our minds. Future paths are paved with gold. We expect certain outcomes and success on the road before us.

But the path is rarely as forecast. Expectations don’t pan out. Ultimately, the journey looks different and we miss blessings.

No matter the situation, blessings do abound, but we tend to elevate the negative.

Sometimes, perspective needs to change before we recognize the blessing. But if the script can be flipped to a heart of gratefulness, we’ll recognize them.

And, like when dominos fall, others will be impacted.

Go, Shadeur.

Mark was direct, simple, succinct, to the point in his writing style. Read the book of Mark, and the pace that things happen as he follows Christ is breathtaking.

For example, in Mark 1 and 2, he gives us “a day in the life” of Jesus over a few verses. Jesus preaches at the synagogue, then heads to Peter’s house where he heals his mom of a fever, and, at evening, the “whole city was gathered at the door” of the house. They brought the sick “with various diseases” and demons, and Jesus healed. Apparently, Jesus got a bit of sleep, and the next morning he was up early, “having risen a long while before daylight,” and he went to a place by himself to pray. The disciples find Jesus, and He says that they need to go to the next town to preach. Catch all that? That was a day through the eyes of Mark.

For me, Mark’s writing cuts to the chase. His writing seems to emphasize the main thing that is going on, the main thing that he wants you to catch. So in the passages above, you see the picture of a life devoted fully to others, from preaching to healing to praying. The picture emphasizes the life of Jesus being one hundred percent about others. No selfish motives or ambition. Simply loving others. Relentlessly. Mark definitely crystalizes certain themes for the reader, and, perhaps, no picture offers more clarity than the image of the faith of those that came to Jesus.

*And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. Mark 1:40-1*

Mark’s description is self-explanatory. The man had an awful, uncurable disease. He knew his only hope was Jesus, and he knew Jesus could make him clean, “if he was willing.” The leper came to Christ in complete desperation. Jesus was moved to compassion and healed the man. The man humbled himself, came to Jesus in faith, and he was healed.

This story flows immediately to the next story.

*And many were **gathered together**, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”*

*“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” Mark 2:2-5, 11-12*

A man is paralyzed, and Jesus was preaching in town. The man couldn’t get to Jesus on his own, so he had four faithful friends who would stop at nothing to help him. The crowds were too big to get their friend to Jesus, so they made it happen, digging through the roof! That is relentless faith. Again, Jesus “saw their faith” and responded. The man ended up walking away.

Mark’s point – faith. The faith of those that needed help. They recognized that there was nothing that they could do for their current situation. Their only hope, only life line, only path to take, was the one to Christ. The recognition of hopelessness, the desperation, was the fuel for their faith fire.

Notice the humility of those that went to Christ. They knew that they could not control the situation. They knew that they could not help matters by trying harder. They knew that there was nothing in them that could make their situation better. They humbly came to Him.

But here is the thing with faith. You can’t just try harder to have faith. It just is. It is a gift. Grace.

*For by **grace** you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians2:8-9*

You can’t grant yourself faith, it is given as a gift of grace. But you can grow your faith. And the way to do this is the same thing you do to grow your muscles, you exercise it. Bible reading, praying, serving others, giving to others are all ways to exercise your faith. In the stories above, those that were healed or witnessed the healings, no doubt, walked away with greater faith in Jesus than they had before. The same is true for us. When we humbly, in faith, go to Him, we walk away with greater faith. And just like muscles, if you don’t exercise, you don’t grow.

Selfishness, lack of humility, fight exercise. If one is “good,” no need for exercise. If one recognizes the grace that has been given, they will be compelled to exercise.

There is no greater gift than the grace offered through faith. Don’t take it for granted today. Exercise it.

A lure to greater things exists in each one of us.

The thinking is that the “greater thing” will provide contentment, joy, and peace. The belief is that the object being sought will finally fill the hole, the gap that existed. The “greater thing” becomes the focus in life.

People will search their whole lives for contentment in four areas, never to be found.

Money, the silent killer. The thinking is that if one can make a certain amount of money, life will be good, contentment will be found. If we can just stretch and have that “forever home,” we will be there forever, life will be picturesque. But as the journey continues, the desire for more money does not fade away. There is never enough.

Spouse, the forgotten gift. Ask any newly married couple, and they will tell you of the gift of their spouse. But as time passes, the gift is at risk of being taken for granted. A belief ensues that a new relationship or no relationship will lead one to the freedom, the happiness that has seemingly been lost.

Job, the grass is always greener. Always. Another occupation will provide more money, the exact thing we think we need. Or, more flexibility, promising more time. Or, the perfect culture. Everyone loves everyone. Or, maybe one needs prestige, clout, a title. Another job may promise the title, then you will have arrived. But arrive at the new gig, and we find no job will fill the insatiable hole of contentment.

Oneself, the battle between the ears. Every human has gaps. The gaps may not be exposed in public, but, when alone, every mind goes to the “greater thing.” The root of this battle is comparison to others and manifests with negative thoughts. I need to be better. I am not good enough. I am a failure. I need to be in shape. We fight our whole lives to live up to the perfect person, but this person doesn’t exist.

Contentment will not, cannot be found in the “greater thing.” If the “greater thing” is accomplished, any feeling of contentment is temporary. In fact, the drive for the “greater thing” pulls us further away from the contentment we crave.

But stewardship can put us on the path to contentment. Each area of life is a gift that, if diligently cared for, provides contentment.

With money, flip the “greater thing” thinking to a heart of gratitude and giving. Giving brings joy. If ever in a position where you can’t give, steward your finances to get there.

With your spouse, pull your eyes, thoughts, and emotions, to the one that God has given, the one that you love. The Bible says that husband and wife are one. Steward your marriage. Care for it, and the relationship will provide contentment.

With your job, understand the gift you have been given. Be the best at whatever your role is. Care for the company, as this is what provides. When one turns their mind to stewardship, work is a joy, an honorable duty, a gift to be cared for daily.

And finally, with yourself, realize that perfection is a lie. Alone, in the quiet of a room, everyone emphasizes their gaps that begin with comparison. Remember this truth, and focus on yourself. Control what you can control. Steward your own mind and body well. Give up those things that pull you to comparisons.

Feeling overwhelmed or a failure in one or all of these areas? Join the crowd of humanity.

Try as you might, you will never be able to accomplish perfection in every one of the areas mentioned above. Perfect contentment on this earth is a mirage, never to be found. There will always be a hole of imperfection.

No doubt, all of us have failed or will fail in all or some of these areas. That is to be human.

But there is hope for perfect contentment. This is why we celebrate Christmas. God sent Christ to fill the insatiable hole of contentment. Only Jesus has enough grace to offer to fill the cup to perfect contentment. And this is the greatest gift, because we don’t have to earn it.

And when we realize the greatest gift that we have been given, stewardship is a natural by-product in each area of our lives. So start with Christ today, and stewardship in each area mentioned above will certainly follow.

*So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. *Genesis 3:6

On the journey, countless delusions will be dangled before our eyes, demanding our attention, capturing our minds and our efforts. We fool ourselves into believing that these delusions will lead to satisfaction, happiness, joy, peace. But we all discover the lie on the other side of the delusion. In fact, on the other side, when we are further along the journey, we look back and recognize what fools we were to allow the delusion to captivate us.

Culture is full of delusions that promise the perfect life. Whether in work, sports, marriage, politics, even religion, each one of us has different delusions that capture our minds, attention, and efforts. For some, it may be money or material possessions. If I can just get that job, I will have security or happiness. For others, maybe it is a relationship, the idea that another person can fill a void in one’s life. Some live like they believe the line in the movie Jerry Maguire movie, “You complete me.”

Delusions will disappoint. Delusions are never what they seem. Delusions are, indeed, a mirage.

The Bible repeatedly gives us warnings against following the lies of culture:

Because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! (Romans 1:25).

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2).

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you (James1:27).

We have to train our minds to recognize the lies of culture. To recognize lies, you must understand truth. To recognize lies, you must believe that there is a truth, an absolute truth. If truth doesn’t exist, neither do lies. No absolute truth equals no absolute lies. A journey with no truth will lead you to a false finish line, a mirage that never fulfills.

I never want those I love — my kids come to mind — to chase a mirage. Imagine standing by watching them run the journey of life, only to find that at the end of the road was fool’s gold. So I point them to the Bible, biblical literacy, the only source of absolute truth.

What delusions are impacting your life right now? What do you need to change?

My family and I really enjoy 30A, a section of beach in Northwest Florida.. If you grew up in the deep South, there is a high probability that you visited this beach annually. It has changed, as Janis Joplin said, they have paved paradise. No more the quaint beach towns we knew, but we are still drawn to the water. Year after year. Our kids would have it no other way.

So when we pack our cars to leave 30A and the beach to come home, temporary is the word that comes to mind. With the other thousands of cars, we jump on highway 98 waving to all the excited people coming to the beach. This process will continue with droves of people all summer. Each family or group of friends is in and out. Temporary.

All in life is temporary. Vacations, houses, money, jobs, days, weeks, months, years, sickness, health, all is temporary. The most permanent thing on earth is marriage and family. These are gifts to be cherished. As Solomon pondered the temporary in Ecclesiastes, he called all “vanity.” After much depressive writing, Solomon sums up life by saying that the best we can do is “fear God and keep His commandments.”

So how does one overcome the depressing, temporal view? Perhaps this is the main mental hurdle that we must overcome in life. The meaningless view. After all, if everything is going away or passing by in a short time, where is the joy? Or, when dealing with pain, how do you endure? Some short swing thoughts.

All temporary things have an eternal purpose. How discouraging and gloomy to view all things in life as temporary, done in a short time. There is an eternal purpose in the temporary. Discover the eternal purpose within the temporary. Look for it.

View the temporary for what they are – opportunities to learn or gifts to cherish. Today is temporary. The breakfast with the family, the conversation in the car, these moments are all gifts. Cherish them.

Trust God with the temporary. The temporary happens for a reason. He is sovereign, the God of eternity and the God of the temporary. Trust His purpose.

Make sure that passion surrounding temporal issues starts with God at the foundation. Often, passion begins with the temporary in mind and walks back to God, tries to be connected to Him. Let the passion for the temporary flow from the river of the Gospel.

Don’t cling to the temporary. As the disciples marveled at the buildings and stones, Jesus told them that they were all temporary, they would go away.

The temporary is a brief moment in time. Why grip it tight? Recognize the brevity with eternity in mind.

An eternal view eases pain. Pain will happen on the journey. Meet it with an eternal view in mind. Learn and teach.

Jesus is described a lot of different ways in the Bible and a lot of different ways in culture. In culture, Jesus may be defined as fanatical, a teacher, a rule giver, an unnecessary thought. However, deep thinking of temporary things requires one to come face-to-face with Christ. Because, if He is who the Bible claims He is, the answer to the temporary is solved. The Bible describes Him as the Anchor, the Light, the One that grants eternal life. The temporary suddenly has eternal purpose through Him. Without Christ, there is no purpose for temporary things.

As we walk the journey, passing all the temporary l things of the world, it is worth pondering Christ through the reading of the Bible. Otherwise, as Solomon said and I agree, “all is vanity.” God made the answer simple.

Familiarity makes us miss blessings. What becomes commonplace makes us blind to the gifts of life.

The start of another week at 30A, a coastal area in Florida. My wife and I have been visiting here about 22 years, and I recall Joni Mitchell’s song, “Big Yellow Taxi,” as I walk the streets. Paradise has indeed been paved. But it still calls.

My three kids all know this place like the back of their hand. It is like home to them. Literally. They all know this place well, every nook and cranny. Hidden fountains, playgrounds, restaurants, and our little secret places to catch fish and find seashells. I smile every time they defend it or demand that we come here for our vacation. Their friends come to them with “30A is crowded” or “there is nothing to do there” or “everyone goes there,” and violent defense of the area comes out from my kids. They take it personally.

You see, they knew the Sugar Shack, a prominent ice cream shop in the area, when it was indeed a shack. When the place was a five foot by five foot room, packed full of candy, with a porch swing outside that they used to sit on as the ice cream ran down their chest. Today, this small business has changed hands, morphed into a large, booming “shack,” and has a line a mile long to enter the door. Almost not worth it (almost).

They knew Seacrest Beach when the town center was a set of fountains that bounced to music and lights. My kids used to play in the fountain for hours, as we hung out at the town square. Today, the fountain serves as a bike rental with shops surrounding it and the hustle and bustle of the crowds.

And the beach? It was ours. Crab hunting at night, seashells in the day, fishing on the beach. Any spot, any time. Our favorite restaurant, The Red Bar, had no wait, “the hill” at Alys was a spiral playground for the kids, and the Summer Kitchen was undiscovered.

So what is it that calls my family back each year? To hear my daughter state her case for coming to 30A sways me every time. You can try to pull my family away, but it won’t work. The pull is too strong. I think it is ultimately the memories, the familiar. It is a place where we can walk the streets and recall the last 20 years. 30A was the name of a highway, not a brand. 30A was quiet. 30A was like this treasure that no one knew about except us. This is the picture of Rosemary, Seacrest, and Inlet Beach that is etched in our minds. A place where our kids can remember their childhood. A place that has changed like crazy, yes, but the memories are like deep roots, like rings with a tree that count the years. As far as places on this earth go, it is a first love of our family. A visit to these streets begins with “I remember when.” It is an anchor (little “a”) for our souls.

30A is familiar. And with all things familiar, there is a tendency to miss the blessing that this week brings. We go to the same restaurants, visit the same store owners, hit the same beach, and I run the same trails. Many years have come and gone. Everything is so familiar. I have done everything many times.

On a trip recently, our first night tradition remained the same. Dinner at Shades followed by crab hunting at night. I was tired, a little out of it. We were walking on the beach with our flashlights, and I was in another place watching the water. I have been here so many times. Let’s get the box checked for our first night tradition and head back to the house.

Then it hit me.

I was watching my now teenage kids running around on the beach, chasing crabs, laughing like they had never been on this beach before. They were in the moment, with the only care in the world being who would catch the biggest crab.

But their dad was lost in familiar territory. The familiar was robbing my blessing.

Then, I caught myself.

As I paused in the moment, nothing else mattered to me either. I was blown away at who they each had become. I was blown away at the fact that I was able to walk with them and witness the exuberance. With so much wrong in the world, this was right. I had to intentionally leave the familiar to recognize the blessing.

All of our lives are uniquely familiar to each one of us. It takes intentional effort to recognize the blessing among the familiar.

Take your house. At one time, it was an immense blessing. But over the years, you have slowly noticed things that are wrong, things you would change. The blessing has become burdensome. The blessing is now familiar.

How about your marriage? The first time you laid eyes on your spouse, it was a gift from heaven. There was nothing that could come between the two of you. But now, it is familiar. It is easy to take for granted. Maybe you recognize gaps versus unity.

Or your job. At one point, you skipped into working, praising God for the opportunity, knowing that He gave you a gift. Now, maybe you enter the job seeing problems, issues that need to be fixed. The blessing is a barrier to joy.

The examples are endless. Take any material possession you own, it is familiar. Any relationship, it quickly is taken for granted. Your health can become very familiar until it is gone.

Paul started the church in Ephesus and visited it once again on his third missionary journey. And when he is in prison in Rome, eight years after that last visit, the people are on his mind. He writes them a letter, the book of Ephesians.

He could have started this letter many different ways, but the first two of the six total chapters of the book remind the people of the blessing of their faith. He tells them they were chosen, don’t take it for granted, that faith is a gift. They were all once blind but now they have been given grace. Don’t let the familiar become commonplace. Don’t miss the blessing.

Just like the church in Ephesus, our faith, too, can become familiar. We need intentional reminders of the gift we have been given. Otherwise, the blessing becomes common, forgotten.

Don’t let your faith become so familiar that you miss the blessing. Battle familiarity by reading the Bible, speaking to God, and doing His good works prepared for you.

Recognize the blessings in that which is familiar around you today. Let the familiar be a reminder of the gifts in your life.

So much in life is not understood.

Events take place, some good some bad. Relationships blossom or are broken. Sickness occurs. Wins and losses happen daily. The why’s of the negative eat our lunch.

The tendency is to look at things from a worldly, fact-based standpoint.

But what if there is deep meaning in your life beyond what you know today?

A heard a saying once that went something like this:

Traveling the journey of life is like walking the path holding a lantern. You can see only about two feet in front of you. However, when you turn around, the entire path is illuminated.

In Matthew 16:6-13, a woman pours expensive perfume on the head of Jesus.

*While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.*

*When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”*

*Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing **to** me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”*

The perfume was expensive. From an earthly standpoint, this made no sense. However, what was defined as “waste” by the disciples was foreshadowing the death on the Cross. The purpose would be magnified later in life.

A friend shared a Chinese proverb, summarized below.

*A man’s horse runs away. Neighbors pity him, but he says, “Who knows? This might be a blessing.”*

*The horse returns with a strong steed — now they rejoice. The old man warns, “Who knows? This may bring misfortune.” The man’s son breaks his leg riding the horse.*

*A war breaks out and his son cannot go to battle because of his broken leg.*

*Later, war breaks out, and while other young men die in battle, his son is spared.*

*The proverb captures the essence of unknowns involved with events. Many times, one can’t correctly ascertain if situations are good or bad. Only time will tell.*

*Maybe today, everything is falling in line. The wins are accumulating. The wind is at your back. Remember, that wind changes direction. Rejoice in the blessings, knowing that all is temporary.*

*Maybe today, the facts are **pointing** negative. The world is not making sense. Sometimes, rather than trying to figure out the situation, we **have to** rest knowing that only time will provide the*

*understanding. Seasons do change.*

*Everyone will face positive and negative in life. It is uncontrollable. If we allow our emotions to direct us, life will be an uncontrollable roller coaster.*

The truth is that there is only One in control who has a view of our entire life’s journey.

Find rest in Him. He is the Anchor.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

2015 Super Bowl with 26 seconds remaining. Seattle down by 4. Second down on the Patriots one yard line. A certain touchdown and victory.

Coach Pete Carroll called a pass. Intercepted. Game over.

The press and public slammed Carroll for the call.

Four days later, he appeared on the Today Show and said, “It was the worst result of a call ever. The call would have been a great one if we catch it.”

Carroll knew the odds when he made that call. Out of sixty-six passes from the one-yard line, zero had been intercepted. In the previous 15 seasons, the interception rate in that scenario was 2%.

Carroll’s play call, based on the numbers, was not bad. The result was not good.

The above story was told by Annie Duke in her book Thinking in Bets. She went on to define the process in poker as “resulting,” the tendency to equate the quality of a decision with the quality of its outcome.

What if you don’t control the ultimate outcome of the company, your career, the strategy, your health, or the future?

Wisdom is used to prepare strategy, implement plans, prepare for the future. The wind shifts. The economy changes. The strategy doesn’t work as expected. Health evaporates. The unforecasted storm arises.

Prepare for the uncertainty.

Hold any strategy, any decision, with an open hand, as the uncontrollable will happen. Understand probabilities, as nothing is certain.

The comfort of knowing that a plan has a certain probability of not working, helps one mentally handle the unsuccessful downturn.

The longer I live, the more I realize the high probability of unforecasted storms, personally and in business.

Have an anchor in your life to manage the uncertainty. It is the only way.

“make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV

When you think about the internal conflicts in life, those that cause our emotions to run rampant, most deal with how others view us.

We want respect, admiration, and worship from others. When we feel like one of these qualities is not being met, anxiety, frustration, anger, and resentment take over. Pressure mounts.

We desire to be seen by others.

But the truth is, we are seen. God sees you right where you are.

“God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.” Psalms 47:8 NIV

When writing to his friends, Paul urges them to live a life that aims to please God.

“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.” 1 Thessalonians 4:1 NIV

Rather than desiring to be seen by others, let your ambition be a life that is pleasing to God.

Paul later follows this up with an insight on how one can live a life pleasing to God.

“and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV

Live a quiet life.

Is there any instruction that flies in the face of our culture than to “live a quiet lie?”

Culture demands that we shout our name to others. Make our name great in the sight of others. Demand the spotlight. Magnifying our name in the face of others drives just the opposite of the one thing we desire most, peace.

For one that strives to be known by others, peace will never be found. For one that strives to be known by others, joy and fulfillment are a mirage. To be known by others is an empty journey.

Take the pressure off. Flip the script.

Rather than focusing on others, focus on God. Live a life that is pleasing to God. Let your ambition be to live a quiet life, pleasing to God.

Joy, peace, security, and fulfillment will be found. He is the only way.

And grace is at the tip of his tongue.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV

Start today.

As I was running one day, I was listening to the Hootie and the Blowfish song “Time,” singing the words “time, why you punish me,” describing how we lose track of time as we travel life’s journey.

It occurred to me that time really shouldn’t punish. Not a great outlook on life.

In reality, time in critical areas of life is very predictable.

In fact, time will not sneak up on you. We have the information. There is no sneaking.

In the book From Strength to Strength, Arthur Brooks studied productivity in life. Everyone will naturally begin to decline much sooner than he or she thinks. Brooks did the research and the math. In general, decline happens twenty years after you begin your career. In some careers it’s much sooner, some a bit later. Great book to reframe your thinking based on facts.

Ninety three percent of time you spend with your kids is before they turn eighteen. An approximation, sure, but the math was done. As my son walked out of my house the morning of his first summer job, I thought about that stat. I know it to be true.

The average marriage in the United States lasts twenty years. A great marriage lasts, let’s say, forty to fifty years. Under normal circumstances, we know roughly how much time we have with our spouse.

The above three stats are averages. Of course, death or sickness or tragedy can cause each of those timelines to shrink drastically. Time is predictable; life isn’t. But rarely do the timelines increase.

The above stats give us approximations of our time in our careers, our time with kids, and our time with our spouses, three of the most meaningful things we have in life.

We have our timelines. It is predictable. It will not sneak up on us.

Indifference dissipates when we know the timeline.

So do what you need to do today.

Apologize, give grace, have the conversation, be bold, be the ultimate steward, pray, submit, create unity, all the things that make the timeline worth living.

All the things that build the legacy that you desire.

My second daughter is headed to college, and it hits again.

The realization that time together is brief.

The regular dinner conversations slow down. The face-to-face advice, now limited. The hugs, no longer daily. The nicknames or personal sayings you have for each other, now sent via text. The dumb dad jokes have no ears to receive. The in-person celebrations of victories, fewer.

The long discussions during the tough times, mostly by phone now.

The silly dancing, no more. The cheerleading from the stands, all over. The vacation drives in the car, full of excitement, drawing to a close. The busyness, the hustling and bustling around town, now calm. The beautiful noise in the house, none to be found. The sounds of the kids hanging together, laughing together, arguing, not any anymore. The Sunday morning rides to church, finished. The Sunday lunches as a family, over.

You receive advice as young parents to slow down, to enjoy every moment, and you certainly do your best. But there is no way to understand the magnitude of the advice, and there is no way to slow the clock down.

David understood how fast life was going by and described life as “fleeting.”

*“Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.” *Psalm 39:4

As parents, it is extremely difficult to grasp the speed of life. We are running fast and, before you know it, one-by-one, the kids walk out of the front door on their life journey. You stand in the drive way, waving good bye, wondering where the time went.

Goodbyes are never fun.

Jesus knew about goodbyes. In fact, we learn a lot about Christ in his goodbye moments.

When Jesus was arrested, Peter denied knowing Him, fearing for his life. As Jesus is being publicly beaten and ridiculed, there is a moment in the courtyard. If you read the Bible fast, you will miss it. The courtyard is crowded. Chaos is around Jesus, as people are cursing, beating, and spitting on him.

Having just acted like he didn’t know his friend, Peter helplessly watches the scene from the distance, across the courtyard. Then it happens. In the midst of the craziness, Jesus locks eyes with Peter (Luke 22:61). Imagine the penetrating look from Christ. Peter looks into the eyes of the friend he had traveled with for three years. They had fished together, laughed together, cried together. And Peter couldn’t handle it. He ran away crying. Peter’s seemingly goodbye to Christ left a deep feeling of his betrayal. He had to be depressed, upset, sick at his stomach.

So I wonder what was going on in the mind of Jesus when he locked eyes with Peter? I think we are

given a clue in Mark 16:7.

When Mary walks to the tomb, she is amazed to see it empty. Christ had risen, and Mary is the first to realize it. An angel tells Mary to “go tell the disciples and Peter.” And Peter! Did you catch that? The only disciple that the angel called out by name is Peter! The one who had betrayed Jesus.

Think about the heart of Christ. The last time that Jesus saw Peter, he was defeated, empty. Jesus knew the magnitude of that goodbye and the pain that his friend was in. So Jesus wanted Mary to deliver the message that He had risen uniquely to Peter, as if to say, “it is okay, my friend.” In this goodbye moment, we see the grace of Jesus.

In another goodbye moment, Jesus is dying on the cross, staring at his mom in complete anguish. In this moment of pain, Jesus looks at John and told him to care for her (John 19:26,27). After having been through complete turmoil, about to breath his last breath, Jesus’thoughts are on his mom. He wanted to make sure she was cared for by John. This goodbye shows the caring heart of Christ.

But the greatest goodbye from Jesus was the care he took when he was leaving the disciples. Jesus leaves a Helper to be with them forever.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,” John 14:16 ESV

And Jesus goes so far as saying it is good if he leaves, because the Helper will come.

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” John 16:7 ESV

A truth in Scripture is that the Holy Spirit indwells in those that have faith in Jesus. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is our Counselor, our Helper, convicts us of wrongdoing, and with us forever. This is how Jesus is able to say in Matthew 28:20 that he will be with us “always to the end of the world.” This is possible through the Holy Spirit. Jesus in us.

The Holy Spirit is paramount to goodbyes. The Holy Spirit allows you to find joy in the goodbyes to your kids. Dad cannot, will not, always be with them. But the Holy Spirit is with them, always available, loving, guiding, convicting, helping them on their journey. And Dad pales in comparison to what they have in the Holy Spirit.

As a parent, you will never love the Holy Spirit like you do when your child walks out that door. You can’t go with them, but their Friend, their Counselor will be there always. The One which can protect, guide, listen, comfort, and direct will be forever with them.

The Holy Spirit provides an Anchor for their soul as they journey, but also an Anchor for Dad’s soul as he waves goodbye, cheering them on.

*I have no greater joy than **to hear** that my children are walking in the truth. *3 John 1:4

A great friend, mentor, leader, and faithful man gave me a stat that rocked my world.

Ninety-three percent of the time you spend with your child will be completed by the time he is eighteen.

That stat will make you stop, contemplate your life, and adjust your priorities.

But this is an average someone calculated.

Dig deeper into this stat, all stats, and you will find variances. We can estimate 93 percent, but never be assured of 93 percent.

For example, sometimes that percentage is much lower than 93. Life ends too soon for Dad, and the majority of a child’s life is spent without him. Those uncontrollable low percentages are tough seasons, difficult storms.

And sometimes that percentage is much higher than 93. Many scenarios catapult it higher, such as the sudden passing of a child. Dad spends 100 percent of the child’s life with him, but Dad lives the majority of time longing for 93 percent. I have seen many walk through these seasons.

The point is not the percentage. The point is that we will not always be walking beside our children. We can’t control that time. Make it count. Consider the time precious. That 93 percent stat is impactful.

But there is a stat that is much greater than 93 percent. In fact, it is always, without a doubt, 100 percent. This stat is the time Jesus will walk with your child. In any and all scenarios the stat is 100 percent. Jesus promises in Matthew 28:20, “I will be with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

I present to you the greatest gift that a mother, my wife, can receive from the pen (or keyboard) of my son, an eighth-grader.

Leading at the Feet of Jesus

*Leadership is an amazing quality to have. Leading at the feet of Jesus is putting earthly things aside and focusing on him. A quality that Jesus showed in his life is being selfless. Jesus was always thinking about others and not himself. If there was a sick person that needed healing or making a lame man walk again Jesus would go out of his way to help the person. Being a Godly leader can be hard sometimes. People are always wrapped up in what others think, when they should be doing everything for the Lord and not caring about what others think.*

*Also** you need to do the right thing when others aren’t watching. An incredible example of this is picking up a piece of trash in the lunchroom.*

*We don’t need to have a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset can cause you to not try new things and get out of your comfort zone. **So** when someone with a fixed **mindset and** they see a piece of trash on the floor*

*they** won’t pick it up and think that the janitors will do it. As a Godly leader we need to have a growth mindset. We need to be dedicated to serving others. As Galatians 6:10 **says “**So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Having a growth mindset will help us reach others. Even when we can’t reach that person God has a plan for them.*

*Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. My friend Johnny (name changed) has been through a lot. His parents divorced and just recently his **Grandpa** died. On one Wednesday night, the teacher told us to think of one friend who is lost and needs Christ. Immediately Johnny’s name popped into my head.*

*The following week we are getting ready for 8th grade retreat. I **was praying** for the Lord to work in Johnny’s Heart. On the first day he gave his life to Christ. When this **happened** I was overwhelmed with emotions. Now I know that after I **die** I will see my best friend in Heaven.*

*We began to talk to Johnny about starting a discipleship group with him. When Johnny got saved me and the discipleship group needed to be Godly leaders to him. We have helped him understand more about God and continued to help him walk with Christ.*

*In conclusion, we all need to lead at the feet of Jesus. We can be Godly by being selfless. We need to have a growth mindset not a fixed one and need to lead others to Christ.*

The greatest gift of a mom is knowing that her son walks with the Lord. The 100% relationship. Jesus will never leave him.

Spend the 93 percent of your time with your children, pointing them to the One who will be with them 100 percent of the time providing, peace, guidance, and eternal safety.

Make the time count.

There was a practice long ago in which early followers of God commemorated or memorialized monumental events as they happened in their lives. These people were so moved by what had transpired that they paused in their lives to recognize the event.

Many examples are written in the Old Testament of people building altars, pillars, or stone monuments, commemorating encounters with God. Noah built an altar immediately after leaving the ark (Genesis 8:20). After receiving his calling and promise from God, Abraham built an altar.

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him (Genesis 12:7).

After an encounter with God where He repeated the promise of Abraham, Isaac built an altar.

So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well (Genesis 26:25)

Jacob built an altar after he experienced God in Genesis 33. Moses built an altar and twelve pillars in Genesis 24 at the foot of Mount Sinai after receiving the commandments. And Joshua, after crossing the flooded Jordan River, built a memorial to the event.

Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever” (Joshua 4:2-7).

There was a story of God behind each altar or pillar. In each event, the people paused, praised, and worshipped God. They recognized God as being sovereign over the events in their lives. Additionally, Joshua said the stones would be a monument where children would remember God. The practice passed faith from generation to generation.

Altars or stones of remembrance are a lost practice. Events happen, blessings come from above, miracles take place, prayers are answered, people are saved, God touches in unique ways, and life goes on. Rarely do we pause to commemorate what happened. The events fade into the history of our busy lives. We all miss an incredible opportunity to remember the blessings of God regularly in our lives and teach our kids about a faithful Father.

If we aren’t careful, with all that is going on in our world, we will miss God’s grace. We will look back over the past year as a time of struggle and hopelessness. But if you take a moment to pause and think, you will find evidence of God’s grace in your life. Maybe a time where God moved in a special way. Now might be a good time to recognize it, commemorate it, write it down, maybe start a journal of blessings or a jar with stones of remembrance. These memorials will be treasures to future generations. And your faith in a good God will grow.

*This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, 7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud,15 Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. 17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. *Matthew 1:1-18

The genealogy of Jesus is given in verses Matthew 1:1-18. In total, 42 generations passed between Abraham and Jesus.

The Messiah, Jesus, was promised to all of these generations, but they never saw physically him. They lived were before He came to earth. They had to trust and believe that He would come while they waited. But while they waited, God was perpetually with them, around them. He made His presence known, the sun, nature, His very presence.

During these 42 generations, many missed it. They didn’t believe the prophecies. They couldn’t wait. Many went through life with no hope, no trust, trying to fill themselves with the things of the is world. Solomon wrote about this in Ecclesiastes. Many were born and died, never trusting that Jesus would come.

Waiting made them lose all hope. They tried to find hope, happiness, and joy in the things of this world.

The same is true for us today. We are promised that the Messiah will come, but we have to wait. And waiting never sits well with humanity. The tendency when you wait is that you lose hope.

And if you think about it, hope brings joy. When you have something to look forward to in life, say a vacation, when you recall it, you have joy. Hang on, make it to vacation, and you will have a week of peace.

While we wait, God gave us perpetual hope through the gift of faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). This gift is the only thing that will fill the void of hope in life. All else is vanity, as Solomon said.

The highs and lows of life will pass like the seasons of weather. But faith sustains.

Trust and wait. He is with us right now, whatever your circumstances.

Recognize it by reading the Bible. The Bible provides the reminder of our faith.

There is one thing that every one of us wants in life.

Peace.

But it is incredibly elusive. Fear seems easier to find.

The stock market’s fear index, called VIX, tracks fear in the general market. Similarly, the CNN fear and greed index gauges the same thing. When the S&P 500 falls, both of these indices suffer. However, one quick turn in the market, and both of these gauges turn north.

Seems a lot like life, doesn’t it?

Both of the “fear gauges” mirror life. Up and down. Highs and lows.

We all have that place of fear, uneasiness that can wreak havoc. To fear is to be human. Maybe loss of money or job, life, death, sickness, how you are perceived, the crashing market, war, the presidential election, the future. You name it, and we fear it.

Fear lives in the shallows, but peace is found in the depths.

Peace can be found in your “why.”

Your “why” is your north star. Your “why” is your personal mission. Your “why” is what drives you. Your “why” is your reason.

Centering yourself on your “why” during the crisis, the storm, or even the blessings centers your soul.

A great way to start the day is grounding yourself on your “why.” Why am I doing what I am doing?

Your “why” is your path to peace.

Let your “why” be about others.

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” Viktor Frankl in Man’s Search for Meaning

Swing thoughts in golf are those last second things that are in your mind as you approach the ball before hitting. They help you clear your head, steady your mind, and focus on the shot. Keep your right arm straight, head down, follow-through, whatever the key parts of the golf swing uniquely are for you needed to be successful.

I worked with a guy that had perfected the use of swing thoughts at work. Before a presentation, we would run through the story, and we would talk through a few key things that we needed to make happen, points that we need to get across, ways we needed to present ourselves. These swing thoughts were key to having a successful meeting or presentation.

The Bible provides daily swing thoughts for life. If one reads the Bible the first thing in the morning, spends time alone with God, key principles will be given, swing thoughts to walk into the day.

One organized, systematic way to read the Bible is the One Year Bible series. The book lays out Bible readings daily, takes about 15 minutes to read, and is broken into an Old Testament reading, a New Testament reading, a Psalm, and a Proverb. After reading each of these sections, you have your swing thoughts for the day. This, of course, is not the only way to read Bible, but it is very effective.

Practically, how this works (from today’s reading).

Old Testament reading – Leviticus 22:17 – 23:44

Now, I know what you are thinking……Leviticus. But as I read through these verses, I was stopped in my tracks by the following verse.

*“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.” *Leviticus 23:22

In the middle of talking about the feasts that the Lord had designated, this verse captures a heart of generosity. In a world that teaches it is all about me, position, my power, my success, my stuff, this is a great thought for the day. Take care of the poor, those in need. Swing thought for the day: BE GENEROUS.

New Testament reading – Mark 9:30 – 10:12

*And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” *Mark 9:33-35

The disciples were arguing over who was the greatest. Despite all that was being taught and shown to them by Jesus, they still wanted glory for themselves.

We all end up here at some point. Jesus was a radical servant, teaching how to serve others. Swing

Thought for the day: SERVE OTHERS.

*Psalm reading – *Psalm 44:1-8

*You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob! Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who **rise up against** us. For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me. But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us. In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. *Psalm 44:4-8

The writer gives us a picture of humbly following God. He exclaims that he does not trust his talents or his weapons. His trust is in God as he takes on the battles of the day. Swing Thought: TRUST IN GOD.

*Proverbs reading – *Proverbs 10:19

*When **words are many**, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. *Proverbs 10:19

Control your tongue, watch your words. Use words wisely. Do not break others down, but build them up with words. Swing Thought: BE AN ENCOURAGER

There you have it. 15 minutes in God’s Word one morning, 4 impactful swing thoughts.

Be Generous. Serve Others. Trust in God. Be an Encourager.

The Bible is a gift providing great swing thoughts for the day.

*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 29:11*

If you search for peace in the world, you will never find it. It evades those that look to others or look within themselves.

If you look for joy in this world, you will never find it. It is not true that marriage or friends will bring joy. People only bring temporary happiness.

If you look for hope in this world, you will never find it. Any hope put in the things of this world is empty. Worldly hope will evaporate like mist.

The list goes on and on. Looking for fulfillment? You won’t find in the world. Looking for trust? Not found in this world.

And this is GREAT NEWS. If you put Jesus at the center of a marriage, a friendship, anything in this world, you find peace, joy, hope, fulfillment, trust, all the good things.

*Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8*

Take refuge in Him to discover that He is good.

Great legacies are always built on perseverance.

If this is true, why are we surprised, dismayed, confused, when our lives require it?

At the end a fishing trip in Florida, the captain was throwing the remaining bait fish into the water. One landed on the pier, one inch from falling into the water. It flopped once or twice and stopped, never knowing that it was so close to the water. One inch from home. One inch from peace. It finally mustered the energy to try one more time, and it fell into the water to freedom.

God orchestrates the journey. We never know how close we are to leaving the valley. We never know how close we are to succeeding. We never know how close we are to meeting the person we need to meet. We never know how close we are to the victory.

But He does.

Persevere.

One of the greatest acts of mankind is walking shoulder-to-shoulder helping another persevere.

Great legacies are built on perseverance, for sure, but it is better said that great legacies are built on helping others persevere.

In 2025, Kenyan Olympic Champion Faith Kipyegon attempted to become the first woman to run a sub-four-minute mile. The attempt was called Breaking 4.

In an article describing what it would take for the human body to achieve such a feat, three scientists talked about drafting, about managing energy in your reserve tank, and they talked extensively about VO2 max, a measurement of your body’s ability to take in oxygen.

Buried in the middle of the science was something “squishy.”

One of the scientists said a key was “the capacity to show psychological resilience when suffering physically.” How to keep going while in extreme pain and the mind is telling one to quit.

How does a long distance runner or sprinter develop a mind that perseveres?

There’s only one way. They have to put themselves in extreme pain over and over again to train the mind to fight through it. They have to force themselves to endure time and time again. Their body might be in shape to accomplish the task, but the mind is a different beast, altogether.

The mind has to learn to persevere. Much sooner than the body, the mind causes one to quit when faced with extreme challenges.

The same is true in the rest of life.

It is the mental game that causes failure. Those thoughts that daily enter our minds that make us think the pain, the risk of failure, the potential hit to our personal equity, none of this is worth it. The thought that the obstacle is too great to overcome. The challenge can’t be achieved. The mind causes one to stop, or, even worse, never start.

One learns to break through the mental hurdles the same way that Kipyegon trained. One must put themselves in difficult situations to learn to persevere.

The problem is that we naturally like to live in safe, comfortable bubbles. Stay within the bubble to avoid risk of harming ourselves, our equity, our position, our future, our family, our 401(k), you name it and we can produce a risk associated with it.

The mental obstacles mount so that we live with a safety net under us.

And if we manage our own selves by remaining in a bubble, think about how we manage our kids. The tendency is to remove all barriers, all obstacles and potential hinderances, so that they can live smooth, pain free lives.

Do hard things to learn to persevere.

The next time the doubt creeps in, the obstacle rises, the risk is emphasized, force action. Just like Kipyegon, there is no other way to learn to develop psychological resilience.

One must put themselves in positions requiring them to persevere to develop mental toughness. The mind learns to persevere along with the body.

And the result might be failure. What a risk for Kipyegon to put herself in the national spotlight to run a four-minute mile.

But buried in any potential failure or victory will be the gift of perseverance.

The faith to try it again.

Today, something will arise that will cause you to shrink back. Consider taking the step.

The most impactful life lessons are learned from observing people on their daily journey.

Think about people that have impacted you the most. It wasn’t the one -on-one lessons that they taught you. Anyone can be buttoned up for an hour and give a great message. Rather, it was observing the consistency of their daily walk.

Integrity is learned by watching someone that does business and life with full truth.

Great work ethic is learned by seeing someone full of joy in the trenches, showing up every day.

Love is learned by observing a husband and wife through 50 years of marriage.

Empathy is caught by seeing one run to another’s burden time and time again.

Faith is learned by seeing daily devotion in action.

Just as we learn, others are learning from us.

We are each surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Your life is on full display. You are being watched, so today absolutely matters.

Today’s actions will impact my company, my spouse, my kids, my teammates, my friends, even those in my outer circle. They are all seeing how I live.

So many times, we think our name must be in the lights to impact others. We must build something that the world glorifies. We must be on the stage to deliver the passionate message. We must be in the position to lead others. We must have the power to make the major decision.

But, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The position or stage doesn’t matter, but the daily consistency does.

The one that quietly sets their North Star and marches forward, remaining steady in the good and the bad times, consistent in their actions, steadfast in their decisions, impacts others lives the greatest.

The individuals that intentionally live this way leave a trail of lessons to be cherished.

And, they leave a legacy to be desired.

So, today, our lives are on full display. Know your direction and be consistent.

Stewardship is defined as “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.”

To be a good steward, you must recognize that everything you have is a gift.

If stewardship is lacking, so are proactivity, personal accountability, focus, and creativity. Fear, paranoia, laziness, and self-preservation reign.

However, when a steward walks in, pride walks out. The focus on number one is absent.

Stewardship naturally drives you to care for others, lift others up. Whether with a job, a coworker, a friend, a subordinate, a marriage, children, or health, when you sees these as a gift, companies and others are impacted positively.

Stewardship forces personal accountability. Stewardship drives proactivity and creativity. Stewardship finds a way to clear obstacles. Stewardship ultimately brings fulfillment and peace.

And when a group of stewards bands together, whether it’s a company, a team, or a family, trust reigns. And with trust a dynamic culture is built and mountains are moved.

Stewardship will create momentum in your life and that of others.

Flip the script today.

*Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. *1 Corinthians 4:2

This verse brings up 2 questions.

One, what is a steward? A steward “manages, supervises, keeps order, or looks after.” Said differently, a steward nurtures, works on, and takes care of whatever he is stewarding. The opposite of stewarding is carelessly looking after something. We all have things that we have carelessly managed. This is a dangerous spot to be.

Two, what are we to “be found faithful of?” This verse is specifically referring to the “mysteries of God” mentioned in the preceding verse, 1 Corinthians 4:1. Salvation is a mystery. The fact that Jesus could die on a cross, rise again, and give us faith is a mystery that one can’t fully comprehend until they get to Heaven. If you have faith in Jesus, it is a mystery, a gift to steward.

So the first thing all of us must do is to steward our faith well.

Under faith, we are to steward the gifts that God has given us. This, too, is a mystery of God. To think of anything that I have in life as my own or as things that I have earned is to lack humility. God controls all. I have heard God described as the “Great Alchemist.” He orchestrates people, places, events in my life. So whatever good things I have in life, be it relationships, jobs, health, you name it and God has given it as a gift. I must steward the gifts of God faithfully.

Under faith, stewardship becomes very unique to the individual, depending on the stage of life.

For example, those early in life, should be a steward of things like talents, for example a particular sport or the gift of art, relationships, even health. As one moves through life, gifts change and our stewardship of areas does as well. In college, stewardship will certainly be class or grades or area of study, relationships, etc. After college, stewardship moves to one’s career, money, etc. And later, marriage rises to the top of the list. As one thinks about what they should steward, the gifts or areas will jump out at them.

Now, a simple, 3 step process to preparing your Stewarding List (Goal List):

Step one, make a list of the areas that you will steward.

A great way to think about goals is what do you need to steward faithfully. The smaller the list, the better, as this will help you focus. Less is more. For example, in college, focus on faith, class, and relationships. If those are stewarded with excellence, you will find joy. For me, the list becomes crystal clear, faith, marriage, family, money, health. If I steward these 5 things well, my life well be fulfilled. So step one is to make your stewarding list, writing them down in order of importance.

Step two, write down the 1 to 3 things in each area that you will focus on to steward well.

Again, less is more. And be specific. For example, your list for faith could include, “read Scripture each morning before work, utilizing the One Year Bible.” A list for one in college with school on their steward list might include “study Chemistry each Tuesday night at the library.” For a job the list could include something like “manage excellently to achieve a Supervisor promotion.” A list for

a health might could include “run the St. Jude marathon in December.” The point is that the list is unique to the individual and stage of life. Write your list down in a format that fits you. Bullets, artsy, whatever, but let it please your eye.

The finished list would look something like this (in whatever format you like):

Faith — read Scripture each morning before work, utilizing the One Year Bible; create and keep a prayer journal

Marriage - weekly date night, every Wednesday; pray each night before bed

Family - quarterly trips with the family / schedule the year in January

Step three, have an accountability person or group.

Share your lists with each other. Have regular get-togethers with this person / people, could be weekly or monthly, to review the goals. Hold each other accountable. A group of friends holding hands together to help each other achieve goals has great power. A marriage aligned to goals, holding each other accountable, creates unity. Without someone to hold you accountable, the likelihood of achieving your goals is very slim.

That’s it. Those 3 steps, written anytime, will begin to pave the way for a great year. Set aside time to think through the gifts that you have been given that need to be faithfully stewarded today, tomorrow, and the rest of the year.

Steward faithfully caring for the gifts that God has given you.

My favorite Nick Saban quote: “Even when you don’t feel like it, do the things you need to do today to achieve the desired outcome.”

The tendency is to focus on the outcome. The sales target, the ideal weight, the resolution, the position, the title, whatever outcome is desired becomes the myopic focus.

Focusing on the goal alone stops movement. Execution falters and personal accountability is lost. A negative, defeated attitude transpires. When the dust settles, we place the blame on someone or something.

However, a focus on daily steps to advance the desired outcome, gets small wins along the way. These daily victories will add up to achieved goals.

One must do the work to get the win.

Have the outcome predetermined and focus on the daily activities that will get you there.

Just execute daily.

“ A woodpecker can tap twenty times on a thousand trees and get nowhere but stay busy. Or he can tap twenty-thousand times on one tree and get dinner.” Seth Godin, The Dip

Are you tapping on a thousand trees today?

We all are. We are rushed, meeting after meeting, decision after decision, both in our personal and professional lives.

The mad rush has a tendency to suck personal fulfillment.

But know that the busy schedule will always be. Personal fulfillment isn’t found in a calm calendar.

The key to fulfillment in our busy lives is to remember your purpose. Remember why you are running the race, then run.

Accept the busy, and focus on purpose. This changes your mindset, your life, your impact on others.

When you dive into the busy schedule today, remember that at the root of every meeting is your purpose. That is your why.

For extreme personal fulfillment, make your purpose impacting others positively.

Your life is an exhibit to the world.

One leaves an art gallery talking about the experience, what they saw, how they were moved by the work. Great art leaves a mark. A great exhibit is a powerful display.

Just as an art exhibit impacts others, so does the exhibit of your life.

Your family, spouse, children, friends, and co-workers all get a view of the exhibit daily. Every interaction, every experience builds your display.

Your life exhibit is your legacy.

Let personal grace flow freely for all of those times we are not proud of our exhibit. It is a new day.

“Make my way prosperous, not that I receive high station, but that my life be an exhibit to the value of knowing God.” Jim Elliot

My good friend Tim Shelton unexpectedly passed away Sunday, October 8, 2023, competing in the Memphis St. Jude Ironman race. Few have impacted my life as much as Tim.

Many would describe Tim the way that I describe him above, as a “good friend,” because to meet Tim was to have a “good friend.” And countless would also say that their lives were impacted by this man of God. To say that he left a legacy on this earth is an understatement. Each and every person that rubbed shoulders with Tim Shelton left a better person and left closer to Christ.

In the Bible, Barnabas was a great encourager. When he visited the new believers in Antioch, he didn’t question their faith, he embraced and encouraged. He recognized the grace of God and encouraged them to remain true to the Lord.

*News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. *Acts 11:22-24

This is Tim. In fact, if I had one word to describe Tim Shelton, it would be faithful encourager. Two words I know, but one word can’t encapsulate Tim. And if I am describing Tim, faith has to be a component. So yes, Tim was a faithful encourager. These two words perfectly describe my friend.

When I first met Tim, I knew him as this guy that left an incredibly successful, blossoming business career, as he felt called to the ministry. This was my first clue that he was different. When everyone was focused on material possessions and all this world could offer, Tim focused on Jesus. Tim’s decision to answer the call of God on his life would impact hundreds, dare I say, thousands of people.

There are so many ways that Tim influenced my life, which in turn, have influenced my family’s life and others. I’ll touch on a few but there are so many more.

Tim led me to deep Bible reading. He was the one that inspired (demanded) that I read the Bible in a year and journal as I read. This discipline literally changed my life. Tim would have these daily journals printed each year to assist in reading the Bible through in a year. For many years, he would pass these journals out to friends and family, and, my friend would hold me accountable throughout the year to see how the journaling was going. It stuck. Each year, I remember looking forward to getting that journal and diving into God’s Word because the previous year had been so impactful. In fact, this was so ingrained into my being that after I moved from Memphis, I used to have Tim send me a journal. Today, I have no less than 15 journals and have read through the Bible 15+ times. I don’t say that to point to anything I have done, I only state that to show the impact that Tim had on my life. For this discipline taught by Tim, I am forever indebted.

And running, Tim was a leader in pulling us together for early morning workouts. Some of you reading this know what I mean. You get that text from Tim that he has a plan for us to meet up every morning at 5 am and go for a 3 to 6 mile run through the streets of Germantown or at Shelby Farms. As we rolled our eyes, Tim felt it would be a great way for us to spend time together and start the year off right. So there we would be, in a circle, in 30 degree weather, following our encourager. A half mile into a fast pace, I would start to slack and that voice that I can still hear ring in my ear would say, “Push through it, Mike. Push through it.” I miss those runs, because there was something about being with Tim that made you start the day off right.

Tim was a rock in my life. He was always stop number one for me when I had a big decision. Tim offered me Christ-centered, Biblical counsel like no other. From moving from Memphis to leaving my job for small business to different ministries that I was involved in, Tim was in the background encouraging, leading, and coaching. I still remember many of those words of wisdom. And he didn’t mince words, but he had a way of encouraging while correcting. Once, I made statement like, “why wouldn’t God bless me?” Rather than pointing out that flaw directly, Tim asked me to clarify, to repeat what I had said. He then asked how God had already blessed me, and I quickly knew what he was saying. God had so richly blessed me, how could I dare say that about God? I had many, many lunches and counseling sessions with Tim offering advice. And this never ended. Living in Arkansas now, my first call when facing an important decision was always to Tim Shelton. I’ll miss my rock, my steadfast counselor.

Tim was indeed a great encourager, but he also challenged. Every time I was around him, I walked away encouraged, but he also had this ability of challenging. He was an incredibly creative thinker, so when he looked at my life, he would point out the great things, but also the missed opportunities that were unseen to me, the blind spots. He would look at my life, encourage me, and say things like, “but what if you tackled it like this, or added this, or did this.” It would often be a light bulb moment for me, as he encouraged, built my confidence, and sent me on my way. He strengthened me, straightened my thinking, and gave me optimism for the future, always Christ-centered.

Finally, my man Tim taught me how to manage the expense of kids. There was no one who was as dialed in to “kids eat free” restaurant offerings than Tim Shelton. We all had young kids, and we all needed to stretch our budgets. Tim showed us the way. Every Sunday after church, Tim would lead us to the restaurants where kids could eat free. The managers must have rolled their eyes as we came walking through the door. The restaurant would be out of control with all of our kids, food everywhere, and, upon leaving, we would all clean the table and floor really good because we felt so

As a river splits, the water creates new streams, each vibrant with new, independent life.

This is parenting. The river splits. Each child is different, creating their own stream, developing unique passions along the way. The passions change as the river meanders until something sticks. When that happens, the passion, the energy, the life explodes.

As a parent, I have learned to watch for the passion. Wait on it. You can’t force passion. Introduce, but don’t force. It isn’t your passion.

Eventually, the passion will be found. And when discovered, join in with your child. No preconceived thoughts. It is their passion. Be all in to support them tackling their passion, their dream. Never make it about you, as it is their river being created, their unique “why.”

There is no better place for your child than the middle of their unique “why” in life that ignites the passion. And what a gift for a child to have someone in their corner encouraging them to discover and go after their “why.”

So many go through life without a true “why,” a true purpose for living.

A great exercise is writing your “why,” your purpose in one sentence, a “why” sentence.

The sentence can then serve as a reminder for why you do the things you do, providing motivation on the tough days, acting as a North Star on those days when you need direction or feel out of balance.

Just like the encouragement that a child receives from a parent, others stand waiting to encourage, help you on the journey to living your “why.”

And others will be impacted by your purpose. Hearing someone else’s “why” is motivational, seeing someone live their “why” impacts.

A message on Father’s Day but might very pertinent for you today.

Father’s Day. A day to honor dads. Everywhere you look, you will see messages about the perfect dad. It is an awesome thing to celebrate dads, and it’s so needed. But every dad who reads those messages about himself or others recognizes his own gaps. No matter how proud, dads know deep down that they are imperfect.

I wrote extensively about my dad in The Anchor. I also wrote about my wife’s dad. With both of them passed away, I wanted my kids to have a picture of their lives to share with their children. They were both great men, different stories, different backgrounds, with sacrificial love for their kids. Were they perfect men, perfect husbands, perfect dads? Nope.

And so it is with me and every other dad. The best dad has gaps, holes in his role as a father, as a husband, that simply can’t be filled with any work, deed, job, money, anything that the world has to offer. On Father’s Day, culture, social media, the world will celebrate seemingly “perfect” dads. This is a great practice and recognition, so know that I am not against Father’s Day. But imagine the pressure or hurt for those without a dad. Or the hurt that is emphasized to the dad who is in a place of disco uragement, suddenly comparing himself to those “perfect dads.”

No dad is perfect. Despite the messages, every dad would wholeheartedly agree that he has gaps. Let this be an encouragement to any dad thinking he has missed it or any child wishing he or she had that dad they see on social media. There is no perfect dad. All are imperfect.

I suppose the perfect dad would offer perpetual encouragement, safety, and love through eternity. As a dad, I know all too well how much I can’t control. This reality hit me in the face when my then - eight-year-old daughter called me frantically, in my wife’s car, in the middle of a raging storm, with 100 mph winds howling in the background. She exclaimed, “Dad, am I going to die?”

I replied with what any dad would say at that moment: “You are going to be fine,” knowing full well that I did not know. I had no control. Rarely do I. I am imperfect. Despite my best efforts, at the end of the day, I have no control.

Don’t measure yourself against the nonexistent “perfect” dad. It is a fallacy. Father’s Day has a tendency to emphasize gaps.

So I wanted to give a quick message to imperfect dads like me. Those who have gaps. Those who do not measure up. Those who think they have run out of time or think it is too late to amend their mistakes.

Every dad has gaps. Some gaps may be a little wider or more emphasized, sure, but we are all the same. We don’t measure up. I think this is the truth that dads, kids, the world, need to hear.

I am not going to get overly spiritual, saying I have the answers. I don’t.

No one does. Just read John 1.

It is never too late to finish strong. Use your imperfections as a transparent example pointing those you love to the perfect Dad.

In fact, maybe the best a dad can do is to point those he loves to the perfect Dad. It is never too late for that.

My two daughters approached me with a request to get a tattoo that reads “all day all day.”

We are not exactly sure where the saying began, but it has been an exchange since they could barely walk.

I say, “How much does Dad love you?”

The return is, “All day all day.”

I can still remember those little girls and my son in their cribs, barely able to pronounce the words, saying, “All day all day.”

And it continues today. “All day all day” is always our parting saying to each other.

On the good days, in the midst of the storms, no matter the season, that is our cry of unity.

So when my daughters asked to get the tattoo, I was all in.

“All day all day” equals deep, unending commitment in our relationship.

Perhaps there is no greater quality in life, leadership, or business that impacts others.

Commitment makes you care. Commitment is the foundation of integrity. Commitment dissolves the worry of what others will think. Commitment motivates others. Commitment enables one to give grace. Commitment moves mountains.

When there is commitment between people for something greater, unity will be driven. The storms will be faced together. The wins will be celebrated with each other. You don’t worry about your back but focus on that which is greater.

Remove commitment, and the focus on self takes over. Relationships become strained. Cultures become political. Teams lack unity. Life becomes about personal survival.

It is interesting how culture seems to fight commitment today, from sports to business to relationships. Commitment is almost devalued.

However, it could be argued that no quality brings more unity or impacts more people in a relationship, in a leader, or in business than commitment.

Let your spouse, your kids, your team, your company know your commitment today. That will drive unity.

Through the spectacular miracle of the Passover, God led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, where they had been for 430 years. He had performed miracle after miracle until, finally, Pharaoh and the Egyptians feared the Lord, giving the Israelites gold, silver, and clothing on their way out of town. Spirits must have been high among the Israelites leaving Egypt. I can only imagine the emotion and celebration as they left the country. Parents happy for the future life of their kids, as now they had hope.

Immediately upon leaving the country, through the prompting of God, Moses implemented an annual ordinance commemorating the day of deliverance.

*Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. And when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast **to** the Lord. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory. *Exodus 13:3-7

Moses wanted all the people to remember what God had done. He knew the danger of forgetting the miracle of God, especially with the children and future generations. Emphasis is put on the adults to teach the children. In fact, the reason for the memorial was so that generations would remember the mighty acts of God.

*You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ *Exodus 13:8

*And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. *Exodus 13:13-14

The emphasis placed on remembering is critical for faith in God to be passed down from generation to generation, helping us know that the God of the past is also the God of the future. The way He delivered in the past is the way He will deliver in the future. Remembrance of God and His presence, His miraculous acts, gives us hope for the future. When things aren’t going well, remembering God stills the soul and provides peace.

Remembering is a critical piece of our faith.

We live in a fast culture. We have fast lives, and we are not good at remembering God’s blessings on our life. God shows up in a mighty way, orchestrates an event, heals a sickness, provides a job, answers a prayer, the dust settles, and we quickly move on to the next thing. As I type this, I think about ways He has shown up in my family, in my kids’ lives, at our company, and I am given peace and hope. The impact that remembering has on my marriage, my faith, my soul, my view of the

future is monumental. My children must remember what God has done in their family’s life.

This is precisely why I wrote The Anchor. As it says on the book jacket, “The writing of this book has already served its main purpose, a lasting gift to my children.” I want my kids to understand how God delivered their dad, worked in his life, saved him. By remembering this, they will have faith and hope for their own future. And this hope can be passed down for generations.

I created the Seasons Journal as an attempt to inspire others to do the same. It’s a place to write down events and remember what God has done in their lives.

My hope is that others, too, can pass down their faith, create a story for future generations to read about their own lives.

I receive many comments from people who have read the book, and I am always humbled that anyone would read it. I hope it is a motivation for some to write about their own lives for future generations. But the main purpose of the book is for my kids. Let them remember the awesome God they serve through seeing the thread of deliverance in their dad’s life. And may they pass this down to the next generation.

Today, remember what God has done in your life. If you write it down, it may very well be the greatest gift you give to your family, your kids, and future generations.

*“How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” *Genesis 39:9

These are the words of Joseph when he was confronted with a decision to do something that was against God’s words. Joseph turned away because of his commitment to God. He recognized the grace of God that had been given to him.

When he was about seventeen, his brothers threw him into a pit with the intention to kill him. Ishmaelites came by and purchased Joseph, selling him into slavery in Egypt. While he was living in Pharaoh’s house, working for the captain of the guard, the Bible says, the “Lord was with Joseph.” Through his experiences, he developed a deep relationship with God, evident in his life. Many years later, Joseph was reacquainted with his brothers and said, “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.” As difficult situations rained down on Joseph, God was with him, orchestrating events, blessing him.

Joseph knew, without a shadow of doubt, God was with him. With God’s presence, Joseph was committed to Him, so when confronted with a situation, he had already made the decision. He chose obedience. God and His Word drove his decision making.

My prayer for my kids is that they would have a biblical worldview. To have this worldview, they must know the Bible, not just the great stories of Noah, Moses, and Jonah, but the deep truths that can come only from personally digging into God’s Word. Only standing on this truth will they be able to withstand the twists and turns of the latest thinking in culture. When confronted with situations and decisions, they’ll use the Word of God as the filter.

Mistakes and bad decisions will, of course, happen, but perhaps mistakes offer the greatest value in knowing the Bible, an understanding of the deep grace and love of God. Knowing His grace compels us to offer grace generously to ourselves and others.

In the parable of the seeds, Jesus speaks of the value of knowing the Bible. In the story, the seed that Jesus speaks of is the Bible, the Word of God.

*“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed **sown** along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” *Matthew 13:18 -23

These verses show the value of knowing God’s Word. When one hears and understands the Bible, he is able to withstand “trouble, persecution, the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth,” all of which will come in life. God’s Word is a lifeline.

As I watched and listened to a few of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s interviews and speeches, I was moved by his fight for civil rights. He was an amazing leader with a rock solid foundation on the Word of God that was evident as he fought, spoke, and led. Dr. King had a surety, a rock solid faith, that gave him the ability to withstand “trouble and persecution.” Amazing man, amazing leader, amazing man of God, and a picture of the value of having a biblical worldview. Dr. King was indeed “one who produced a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Like a lot in the South, I grew up hearing the stories of God and Jesus. I had always heard the value of reading God’s Word daily, but I’d never applied it. One day, I decided to read God’s Word daily. I felt as if scales were ripped from my eyes as I read about the grace and love of God, the life of Jesus on earth, and his disciples. I was confronted with the truth of His Word versus the lies of culture. I would have never known the difference outside of personally digging into the Bible. The water, the gray areas of society, was too mirky.

“Lord, make my way prosperous, not that I achieve high station, but that my life be an exhibit to the value of knowing God.” Jim Elliot, a missionary who lost his life in Ecuador.

I am absolutely a “rules were made to be broken” person. Rules are simply guidelines. If there are rules or boundaries, I want to color outside the line. The other side seems better.

As I wrote in The Anchor, we all have threads woven into our personal fabric.

We are all given threads in life, certain characteristics and traits that make us who we are. Some threads we are born with, and some we acquire along the way. This is not a process we control; we do not select the threads we are handed. We can, however, control the weaving. We must. We cannot sit by idly and allow the world to make of us whatever it chooses.

Throughout my early years, I had to cut some of the threads being woven into my life so that they would not be the predominant colors of my fabric. Others, however, I embraced, allowing them to be more defining.

Done well, our threads can be a lifeline, a guide. Our threads can help us manage the journey through life. The uncontrollables are inevitable, but the threads that display who we are can provide a point of reference, a perspective from which to view the world, a deep understanding of who we are and where we are going.

Well, one of the threads within me is fighting boundaries. I am in good company, because we all have this thread to some extent. It started in the garden in Genesis 1.

In Genesis 1, everything that God created was described as “very good.” From the sun, to the moon, to the water, to the animals, to the plants, to the beautiful Garden of Eden, all was very good. In the middle of Eden, God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, apparently a tree that had incredibly enticing, beautiful fruit.

The first man, Adam, was given the job of tending and watching over the garden, a lush land full of rivers and incredible plants, a place of life and peace. He was simply to care for the garden, and he was not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the land. All else was his, under his control, but his boundary was not to eat the gorgeous fruit of this tree. The penalty for crossing the boundary was death. This was the first time that death was mentioned in the Bible. And death, as we will see later in Scripture, would be Adam’s separation from God.

Most of us have heard the rest of the story in the Garden of Eden. Adam crosses the line and is persuaded to eat the prohibited fruit. The fruit was just too beautiful to pass up. (As a sidenote, I once saw this amazing frog in the Amazon Jungle. As I was about to pick it up, my friend from Colombia urgently stopped me. He explained how the frog was poisonous and the law of the jungle is that if anything possesses that kind of beauty, it is deadly. There is a great lesson in life in that law of the jungle.) So Adam ate the fruit, lost his job, and was separated from God and the garden.

Adam’s story is the story of mankind. Each and every one of us has boundaries, and, for many, including myself, boundaries are this line that we should dance around, consider crossing. This is just a natural desire inside of us. The problem is that by focusing on the forbidden, we miss the freedom that we have within the boundary. This is what happened with Adam. He had it all,

literally, but he was enticed to eat the forbidden fruit.

By focusing on life outside of the boundary, we miss the true joy, peace, and abundance that are found within the boundary. Said differently, we miss the gifts that we have been given because of what we don’t have. We, naturally, always strive for what is on the other side.

It is true that in the Bible, followers of Jesus are called to a different way of life. There are absolutely boundaries. God created man and God has commands. Just like Adam, within God’s words written to mankind, there are boundaries. But society seems to have painted these boundaries in a negative light. The boundaries are perceived as a set of rules and regulations that must be followed. The focus naturally becomes life outside the boundaries.

This viewpoint could not be further from the truth. To view life following Christ or the Bible as some type of filtered life is to miss the joy, the freedom, the life within the boundaries.

*Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. *Psalm 1:1-3

Who doesn’t want to “bear fruit in each season?” Who doesn’t want to live well in each season of life?

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, followed this up by saying that a key to a joy-filled life was to live with discipline.

*Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. *Proverbs 1:2-3

Nevertheless, as I already admitted myself, mankind will always seek life outside of the God-given boundaries. We will always begin to focus on life outside the lines, which is exactly the reason that Jesus came to earth. He came with a message of grace and forgiveness for life lived outside the boundaries. He came with a call to steward well the life, the gifts that we have been given within the boundaries.

So next time you are enticed to focus on what you don’t have, remember what you do have. Remember the gifts you have been given. They are gifts to be stewarded with excellence. And for us all, we must remember the grace that Christ has given us when we cross the line. He died, giving us grace.

Thank God for the life, the gifts, within the boundaries.

Headwaters form massive rivers.

The headwater of the Mississippi River, flowing 2,340 miles, is found in Itasca State Park in Minnesota, an 18-foot, knee deep pool of water. The source creates a massive river full of momentum, full of impact, full of life.

Ever consider the headwater of your life, your source? What creates the desire, the energy, the drive, the will to win?

Throughout the course of the day, the journey will be filled with good and bad, wins and losses. Emotions from these events will drive the momentum of your life.

If the headwater, the source, is personal gain and selfish ambition, fulfillment will not be found, and others will be impacted negatively.

However, fulfillment increases if the source is a focus on others.

Remembering your source cuts through the emotions, settles your soul, looks out at others versus yourself.

Before jumping onto the field today, take a second to remember your headwater.

Know your why. You and others need it.

*“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will **find so** doing when he comes. **Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 24:45-51*

A faithful steward is one who fully believes and trusts in his master. Belief and trust drive the steward’s actions, which match the master’s desires. Because of the stewardship, the servant is given more and more responsibility. With trust comes great responsibility. The risk is always for the steward to become disobedient and indifferent when the master is away. As the disobedience increases, the once faithful steward loses concern for his master. The silence of the master leads to the complacency of the steward.

Jesus is painting the disciples a picture of the times to come. He will indeed be going away, crucified on the cross. But he will indeed be coming back. There will be a period of waiting for his return. Jesus says that no one knows when He is coming back, only God, but he will be back for his faithful stewards.

One of the things that opened my eyes and mind to the truths of the Bible was reading about the stewardship of the disciples. They were faithful stewards after Jesus left earth. Their lives were a picture of radical belief, unrelenting passion for God and others, and great love of people. They worked hard, invited and expected persecution, and had a myopic focus on the words of God. You read about their lives, and there is no doubt what they believed, who they followed, what side of the fence they fell on. Their lives matched the words of the Bible. They lived by the words of Jesus and the Scriptures. The correlation between their lives and the words of Scripture stopped me in my tracks as I dug into the Bible.

The original disciples and those who came after them in the Bible were faithful stewards.

It is challenging to be a faithful steward of God. The world calls. Culture creates a wide, comfortable gray space to rest. In the gray space, words and beliefs are twisted in ways that seem right and good to man, creating movements with momentum. It is challenging to stand on the words of Scripture, easy to be deceived and rest in the gray space.

To understand the deception, you must know the Bible deeply. There is no other way. And when you read the truths of the Bible, the deception is illuminated.

Then you have a choice, a difficult one. Often, to stand up for truth in the Bible is to stand against society, what feels right to mankind.

A faithful steward locks in on the words of God.

John 10:27-28 says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Failure to be a faithful steward is imminent but not permanent.

*The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Lamentations 3:22-24*

Above all else, God is love. He knows we’ll fail, but his mercies are fresh each morning. Let not our certain failures quench the desire to be a faithful steward.

en·trust – to deliver something in trust; to commit to another’s care with confidence in their faithfulness.

We are all entrusted with many things. We have been granted things, free gifts, to care for with faith.

From a business or job standpoint, someone, be it a Board, someone who gave funding, or a boss, has entrusted something to us. It could be a company, a team, or a specific job. Whatever the case, we have been trusted.

The tendency is to get hung up in the value of what has been entrusted, the power of the position, the number of people on the team, the size of that which is managed. The value of what was entrusted doesn’t matter. The value comes from the personal fulfillment of caring for the gift with excellence.

From a family or personal perspective, we may be entrusted with a spouse, children, aging parents, or another family member or close friend. Each of this relationships has been entrusted to you with faithfulness. The role of entrustment is greater than emotion. It is a duty.

The tendency is to allow emotions to dictate entrustment. Emotions change fast. The role of entrustment is greater than emotion. The tendency is to elevate personal fulfillment over faithfulness. Entrustment means checking yourself at the door, focusing on others.

What does it mean to entrust?

You are a steward of what has been entrusted.

You recognize the gift of what has been entrusted.

You are a faithful follower of the one who entrusted.

You wholly trust the one who entrusted.

You are all in, 100% committed to that which has been entrusted.

You humbly receive that which has been entrusted, recognizing grace.

A view that someone entrusted something to you changes your day. A view that you have been entrusted with another’s life changes your life.

We all fail regularly, so let today be a day of personal grace to yourself. You can’t do anything about yesterday.

But, today we can view others, our job, our life us objects which have been entrusted, faithfully given to us for stewarding.

To my friend, inspiration, and mentor.

The Bible is not a passive, leisurely read. In fact, the truth in God’s Word is tough, and it easy to step away because of the penetrating words that move the soul. It is difficult to stop, think, and come to terms with what Scripture says. However, as I mentioned yesterday, if God is the Creator as described in Genesis 1:1, His words, all of His words, are truth.

Perhaps nothing is more penetrating than the way the Bible describes humanity.

To understand the Bible is to understand the gap that exists between man and God. There is really no way to sugarcoat what God says about humanity. Reading through Genesis, the beginning of the Bible, the language that God uses to describe humanity is striking.

*The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was **consistently** and totally evil. **So** the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. *Genesis 6:5-6

Because of the wickedness, God destroyed mankind by flooding the earth. After the flood, God says the same thing about humanity.

*I will never again curse the ground because of **the human race**, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things. *Genesis 8:21

The difference is that in this verse, God vows that he will never destroy all of humanity again. Later, in Genesis 9, He confirms this covenant and gives a sign that He will never flood the earth again.

*I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the **floodwaters** destroy all life. When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth. *Genesis 9:13-16

God’s words about humanity are penetrating, maybe harsh. However, I believe we would all agree that deep down, we all are disobedient, not good, dare I say, evil. Even if our actions are crystal clean, we all have wrong thoughts, motives, and intentions. This is the truth of humanity.

A gap exists between the holiness of God, the Creator, and mankind. God is holy and man is far from it. This gap is laid out for us in the Old Testament, and, after an estimated 300 prophecies of the Messiah, the solve of the gap arrives in the New Testament.

God’s words are harsh, but His love is greater.

The New Testament begins with the arrival of Jesus. The gap is the reason that Christ came to earth. He came not to the “holy” or the self-righteous, as they lacked the humility to believe there was a gap. The prophet Isaiah said that the Messiah came to the region of Galilee “where so many Gentiles live.” The Gentiles were not the religious of the day but were the unchurched. They could be described as more of the outcasts.

Jesus filled the gap for all that would humble themselves, not only Gentiles, but all. He came with a simple message.

*From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” *Matthew 4:17

And through the cross, He filled the gap between God and man. Man is still evil, but, to those that humble themselves before Christ, there is no gap. Man is unified with God through Christ. This is the Gospel.

*From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” *Matthew 16:21-23

Peter was a committed follower of Jesus. As Jesus explained for the first time that he would suffer and die on the Cross, Peter would not have it.

Of course, he wouldn’t. Peter knew that Jesus was the Son of God. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to Him. He would honor Him, remain loyal to Him, defend Him at all costs. Logically, from man’s point of view, this would be the certain plan of action. Attack. Defend Jesus.

Jesus clearly told Peter that he was “not setting his mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Peter was considering things from man’s point of view. He was selfishly focused on what he wanted, what he thought should happen, what was best to him. He failed to consider what God wanted.

Then Jesus taught about viewing things from man’s point of view.

*Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. *Matthew 16:24-25

Jesus dived deeper into what it truly means to consider things from God’s point of view. Jesus gave a picture of what it takes to follow Him, and it isn’t comfortable.

Complete selflessness. Deny oneself. Take up your cross and follow Me. The cross was an instrument used to put people to death. The thought is to completely lose yourself for Christ.

Lose your life for Christ, then you will find your life. Every motive, every action, every thought, let it be about Christ.

These are the direct words of Jesus in the Bible, not the writer. Interpretation may be a bit different, depending on the interpreter, but these words are pretty clear. What Jesus asked Peter and the disciples to do was impossible. For us, when we read these words, we feel the impossibility. Try as we might, we will never achieve what Jesus is calling his followers to do.

Divisiveness among Christians seems to exist more than any other time in our lives. We hear statements like, “I can’t believe that he (or she) calls himself a Christian and thinks like that.” Or maybe a phrase like “The church is missing it” or “messed up” or “lacks insight.” As believers, we know we are all hypocrites. All of us have gaps. None of us is pure in our thinking. Humanity and the church will always have gaps. We are mankind, and we think like mankind. Jesus had a word for us all when he said, “Before we worry about the splinter in our brother’s eye, we should remove the log from our own eye.”

So what do we do about it? Following Christ, having a mind like Christ, is impossible without Jesus. Romans 12:2 gives us a great pattern to follow:

Do not conform to the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you by changing the way you think, then you will learn to know God’s will which is good, and pleasing, and perfect.

Step 1, do not conform to the behaviors and customs of this world. Keep your eyes wide open to the culture. Don’t go after or believe things that seem right in man’s eyes. The things of this world are sugar-coated and sound great, but in the end they may be against God’s Word. The key to not conforming to the culture is knowing the Bible, the inerrant Word of God.

Step 2, let God change the way you think. You can’t do this; only God can. Romans 12:2 is a great prayer. Ask God to allow you to see the world as He sees it, to transform your mind. He will change the way you think. You have to go directly to the throne, not to man. Every man has a little bit of the world in him.

Finally, you will learn to know His will. It is good and pleasing and perfect.

Man indeed has a gap and always will. This is the beauty of grace, my favorite word in the Bible. His grace fills the gap.

*Scripture**: 2** Corinthians 12:9*

We regularly miss the point. And, even worse, we make others miss the point.

We talk of another person’s faith, maybe how they treat others, how they lead others. Or, maybe we see the acts and equate that to love of God. For example, the giving, the knowledge of the Bible, the attendance at church, the servant heart that is displayed.

“He loves the Lord.”

“She has great faith.”

“Look at what he did.”

The point is not how much I love God, but the point is how much God loves me.

The tendency is to point to the person versus the Savior.

*“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” *1 John 4:10

Not that we love God, but that He loves us.

The point is that He loves us. The Creator chose us. Jesus picked us out, made us a new being, and actively works in our life. He knows our past, present, and future. He overlooks the mess we are.

But, culture pushes us to miss the point. This has always been the case. Man desires glory. Look at me! Naturally, I want my faith to be greater than others. I want my works to stand out. It is an innate desire. I crave glory.

I read the Bible daily. I give more. I serve constantly. My name is on the building or the book or as the keynote speaker. Every time the doors of the church are open, I am there.

This desire for glory creates a hole in humanity.

We look at others, and we have a gap, like Moses at the burning bush. I am not good enough. I don’t know the Bible like him. Look at how she is serving, what am I doing?

Or, worse, we look at our works and the ego builds. I am in church constantly. My leadership is great. My sermon was incredible. Look at my name on the building. I have strong faith. Look at how many people are in my class, my church.

The hole in humanity grows and grows. And, we perpetuate the hole in humanity with the way we live, teach, and act. Our heart is drawn to the worship of ourselves.

But, God’s knowledge of us is greater than our heart’s pull to glorify ourselves. He knows us. He understands. He forgives.

The only way to fill the hole in humanity is to recognize the love of God. Because of His grace, I do (fill in the blank). He is the only reason.

So, take a deep breath. Let His love for you be a pressure relief valve. He loves. He cares. He knows. He doesn’t compare. He knit you in the womb. He has your future planned. The mistake you made, it is okay. The gap you think you have is not a gap in His eyes.

It isn’t what you can do. It is what He did for you.

*Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. *John 15:13

If you only know the famous stories of the Bible, for example, Moses and the parting of the Red Sea or Jonah and the whale, you do not know what I am about to share with you. It is the greatest question ever asked.

Jesus is with Governor Pilate, standing outside on a balcony, before an irate crowd screaming for him to be hung on a cross. Deep down, Pilate knows he is innocent. He pulls Jesus inside to talk to him and asks him if he is a king. Jesus stops the conversation and looks Pilate dead in the eye.

*For this **purpose** I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. *John 18:37

He makes one of the most important statements in human history. Jesus says that he came to earth to testify to the truth.

In return, Pilate asks THE most important question in history. The question that has reigned on people’s mind since the beginning of time. The question that people try to answer their whole lives. The question that the world is struggling with today.

Pilate asks, “What is truth?” (John 18:38)

And look no further than the next day to see truth hidden from the public. When Jesus rises again, the leaders get together and create fake news so that people will not believe. The leaders create a scenario where they say that his disciples stole the body.

So what is truth? Humanity drives itself mad trying to answer this question. Man will never discover the truth on their own, but we look and search endlessly for answers in media, government, religion, history, family, and friends.

Media is at our fingertips. I wake up and the top news stories hit me in the face from all of my various feeds. All media outlets (I stress all), jockeying to capture my mind and form my thoughts and opinions for me. By the time I read all the different sources, I have no clue of truth. Additionally, no government policy or leader is going to deliver perfect truth. Don’t wait for it, because it is not happening. Religion is as divided as it has ever been. Many people have different variations of history. And family and friends all have a little world in them. Truth from any of these sources will fail you. All of these sources provide ever-changing “truth.”

So what is truth?

There is another story in the Bible about Jesus walking unidentified with two men after he has risen from the grave. The men are distraught about the death of Christ. They are bewildered, confused, hopeless. They have no idea of truth. The Bible says this:

*And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. *Luke 24:27

Jesus explained that the Bible was a story about him. He opened their minds. They said that, “their hearts were burning” while he talked. Later, when he was with the other disciples, the Bible says that Jesus “opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures.”

All of these people knew the Scriptures. They knew the stories. They knew the prophecies. However, they did not recognize that all of this pointed to Jesus.

He enlightened them and, suddenly, they understood the truth.

So what did he open their minds to? There are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament about Jesus, written thousands of years before he hung on the cross. For example, read Isaiah 53, written about 700 years before Jesus appeared. Or, check out Psalm 22, written by King David, 1,000 years before Christ.

The truth was illuminated to the disciples.

There is only one version of the truth that is, was, and will be, and man can’t discover it by themselves. Don’t take my word for it. Only God illuminates. Read.

Pilate asks the question in response to Jesus’ stated reason for his ministry. Jesus had said that he came “to testify to the truth.” It seems he asks this question in jest, like truth doesn’t exist. From Pilate’s viewpoint, if there is no truth, what does it matter if he hands Jesus over to be hung on the cross. Did anything really matter?

If there is no truth, nothing matters. If there is a truth, everything matters.

What did Jesus mean when he said that he came “to testify to the truth?” We find his answer in the last chapter of Luke, before he departs earth.

*He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” *Luke 24:44-47

Jesus said that he came to fulfill the writings in the Old Testament. Everything written thousands of years before he came was being fulfilled with his arrival, his death, and his resurrection. In this moment, Jesus “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Jesus opened the minds of his disciples so that they realized that was written in the Old Testament was about him. They now knew the truth.

And everything in their life changed with this truth.

When Peter spoke to crowds, his goal was not to use flowery, convincing language. He simply connected the Old Testament writings to Jesus, testifying that it is true. You see this consistently in his speaking. In Acts 2, Peter connects the Old Testament writings of Joel and David to Jesus, and in Acts 3, he connects the words of Moses, Samuel, and Abraham to Jesus.

Everything in the Old Testament had been fulfilled through Christ. This was the truth. And for the rest of their lives, the followers of Jesus lived a life on mission, of purpose, of passion, of love for others.

The truth changes everything.

Without truth in life, there is uncertainty, indifference, and no purpose. Life is empty.

But with truth, there is certainty and purpose. Everything matters. My next conversation matters. Each day is material. Each second is precious.

In Acts 1 and 2, the Bible refers to those that understood this truth as “believers.” And in Act 2, we are given a picture of what living as a group of believers of the truth looked like.

*They devoted themselves to the apostles’teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to **meet together** in the temple courts. They broke*

*bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. *Acts 2:42-47

Notice the lives of these early believers. Unity. Selflessness. They cared for others needs over themselves. Not materialistic. Gathered in homes. Ate together. They were glad and sincere, not fake. They praised God.

This is a description of a believer, those that discovered the truth. Jesus came to “testify to the truth” and now we see the impact of believing the truth. I am reminded of a verse that James wrote that says, “faith by itself isn’t enough. unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” The knowledge of the truth in these believers produced “good deeds.”

So today, we desire to live like the believers mentioned above, but we fail. It is inevitable. The desire never leaves, but our actions don’t match our desires.

Thank God for grace. Not automatic grace, but grace given to us through Jesus when we ask. There is no room for self-righteousness, only grace, knowing we all fall short.

The Bible exists for a reason. It points to the truth. The Bible is the one place to find peace, clarity, certainty, and meaning when the world around is unraveling.

What is truth? The answer to this question quite possibly defines and dictates a life journey more than any other question. One lives what they truly believe.

Back in the year 30 (approx.) in John 18, the Bible records a private conversation between Pilate, the king who ultimately has the power to crucify an individual in that day, and Jesus.

*Pilate said, “So you are a king?”*

*Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. **Actually, I** was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”*

*“What is truth?” Pilate asked.*

*Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.” *John 18:37-38

Pilate asked the question sarcastically. One can hear him scoffing as he asked “what is truth?” He did not have a grasp on truth, and he did not rule by truth.

After all, after saying that Jesus was guilty of no crime, he had him crucified. Pilate was ruling to please the people. In his mind, there was no such thing as truth. There were no absolutes.

But Jesus, on the other hand, claimed to be truth. He claimed to have come to “testify to the truth.” Jesus claimed to be the promised Messiah.

The religious people of that day, knowing the Old Testament, believed that there would be a coming Messiah. Jesus claimed that he was that Messiah. He came to fulfill all that was said about the Messiah in the Old Testament.

Scholars have said that there are over 300 prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. For example, Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53, written 700 years plus before Jesus came, give great detail of the crucifixion of Christ.

Either Jesus was truth, fulfilling the prophecies of old, or it was all a lie. Truth would come from somewhere else.

Truth determines what path we will follow in life, what we will worship, what will be most important to us, and maybe most important, where we will lead others. If my truth is buried in material possessions, I will worship money. If my truth is buried in power, I will worship my career. If I have no truth, I follow the latest thinking of culture. If there is no God, one will worship the world, people.

Paul, the writer of Romans, wrote, “because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator,” (Romans 1:25).

He said that people exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and, if you read this chapter you see that their life followed their belief. One’s answer to the “what is truth” question defines and dictates one’s life. A person’s life follows their beliefs.

After Jesus died on the Cross, the Bible states in Acts 1 that there were 120 followers of him gathered together. It is estimated that 300 million people lived on earth at the time. Amazing. Out of those 120 people came the message of Jesus known worldwide today. What those 120 people believed, their truth, changed everything about them. What they worshipped, what they followed, what was important to them, and how they led people. They influenced a world.

The truth dictated their life.

If there is no truth, nothing matters, no decision matters. Like a game of wiffle ball when I was a child, we make up rules as we go. When the twist and turns of life arise, we make decisions as we go. We have no boundaries, leaving the definition of truth up to society and whatever our minds believe is right. New thoughts arise, they seem logical and wise, and we pivot to a new truth, maybe to what we believe is a higher level of truth.

But if there is a never-changing truth to hold onto, one’s life is radically different. The journey of life has a different look and feel. Decisions have already been made prior to the twists and turns of life arriving. New thoughts never override the foundational truth. There is an anchor, a place where one leans for direction.

Truth is a controversial topic, and maybe this is why it is easy to kick the can down the road. It requires deep thinking to understand what you believe and why believe it. Few will ever take this journey.

The Bible offers a consistent, detailed, foundation of truth covering topics from marriage to money to a value system. When faced with questions in life, the Bible offers a place to go for a foundation, “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” (Ephesians 4:14)

To understand the Bible, one has to dig in, personally. A sprinkling of a verse here and there may cause confusion and lack of understanding. God gave us the whole book for a reason.

There is no better time to start the journey of understanding the Bible than a new year. The world will confuse, but the Bible provides the Anchor.

Reading through the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John chronologically, slowly penetrates the soul. I have read the words many times, but, when I stop and think about what I am reading, it is mind-blowing.

When you read about Jesus, it is unbelievable. It reads like a fairy tale. You either shelve the writings of the Bible, particularly the gospels, or you stand amazed at the truth that any person could do these things. Because, if it is true, everything changes.

Consider this: Jesus gave a blind man his sight again. He walked on water. He fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. He pulled demons out of people. Jesus made a dead man, already in a tomb wrapped in cloth, walk out alive. He turned water into wine (that seems like an easy one in comparison). He was transfigured and had a conversation with Moses and Elijah, who both had been dead for over 1,000 years. He healed the deaf. They couldn’t hear a thing, then immediately they could hear.

He especially loved kids. As a family mourned over the death of their daughter, he walked in the room and brought her back to life. He pulled evil spirits out of adults and kids. Jesus healed the lame. They got up and walked normally.

He controlled nature. When seas were rough, he simply spoke and the water stilled.

And Jesus died on a cross, was put in a tomb, and came back to life three days later.

Either these writings are the truth, or they are a fairy tale.

Consider this: The calendar that controls our lives is marked BC or AD, with the dividing point being the birth of Jesus. The world stops on the birthday of Jesus. Everything stops. We also celebrate Easter, the day he rose again. The number one selling book in the world is the Bible, selling over an estimated five billion copies. Most of you certainly have one in your home.

The cross is a symbol recognized immediately. Nearly everyone recognizes the symbol and knows what it means. Mention the name of Jesus, and the room is divided like no other name can do. People died for his name throughout the Bible, and, today, people across the world will die for him.

It is estimated that over two billion people believe in Jesus and worship in thirty-seven million churches. These are estimates, but let’s assume they are close. The Bible mentions 120 believers after Jesus died. At that time in our history, world population was about 300 million. Out of these 120 believers came billions of believers in Jesus. Even if these numbers are way off, we are talking about a crazy wildfire that spread.

Either Jesus and his miracles are truth, or they are a fairy tale. It can’t be somewhere in the middle. It takes deep work, deep thinking to consider these truths, and few people will do the deep work. And these truths are the most important things in life we will ever consider. The only place to confront the truth is in the best-selling book in the world. And you probably have it in your home.

Truth or fairy tale? If it is true, everything changes.

Important question, because Paul’s message is vital for us today. His message is inclusive.

Paul was paramount to the New Testament. When you read the New Testament, odds are you are reading his writings. In fact, he wrote almost 50% of the New Testament, 13 of 27 books. Paul started 10+ churches around 50 AD and is responsible for much of what Christians believe and teach today.

Paul’s message was consistent, steadfast, clear, simple. Jesus was the promised Messiah, prophesied in the Old Testament. Jesus came for everyone, the Jews, the Greeks, the Gentiles, all people, all nationalities. A different message than the “religious” were used to hearing that day from a passionate man that wholeheartedly believed.

But Paul was human. Paul was simply a passionate man with a message. Many passionate leaders bring messages to the forefront, moving people and society. Why believe Paul, and, therefore, 50% of the New Testament?

If one studies Acts and Paul in depth, one is sure to have this question. Why should I believe this man? Three answers that can help find stability in Paul and his message.

Why believe Paul’s message?

1. Paul’s testimony. Luke wrote Acts. Per Luke’s testimony, repeated by Paul throughout the New Testament, he was approached by Jesus himself, about 30 years after He died on the Cross. Prior to being approached by Christ, Paul was traveling to find anyone that followed Christ and arrest them, stop them, potentially kill them, like Stephen. Paul’s life abruptly, immediately changes after coming face-to-face with Jesus. For the next 30 years, all he does, literally, all he does, is spread the news of Jesus. Paul went from a murderer of the followers of Jesus to a follower of Jesus, immediately. A radical change in his life. In fact, in his early 60’s, he was beheaded for this belief. Read the details of this event in Acts 9.

Testimonies impact people. When you read or hear a testimony of faith like Paul’s, at a minimum, it causes you to confront your own beliefs. What do I believe enough to die for? There is no more impactful message to give to others than your personal testimony on anything. If I want to learn about a restaurant, I read testimonies of people that have eaten there. That offers credibility. If I am considering a vacation to a foreign country, I want to hear testimonies of those that have traveled there. Their experience gives me a picture of what the place is like. Is there a more impactful way to talk about Christ than to personally share your experience, how He has impacted your life?

2. The faith of Paul was confirmed by the disciples. Paul did not do life, carry his beliefs, in a silo. He walked shoulder-to-shoulder with the apostles who walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Jesus. He knew Peter, James, and John, the three disciples closest to Christ during his time on earth. The apostles had walked with Jesus, they were the leaders of the early church, and they met, confirmed, and were behind Paul. Read Acts 15 for reference.

To not believe Paul is to not believe the apostles. Throughout the New Testament he traveled with them, worked with them, debated with them, and worshipped God with them. He was not divided against the disciples, but he was completely aligned with them and their message.

3. The Cross. To get to the writings of Paul, there are deeper waters one must swim in Scripture. Greater hurdles than the belief of Paul’s message exist in the Bible. The virgin birth happened. A teenage virgin literally gave birth to the child of God. Jesus was crucified and died on the Cross. Three days later, he walked out of a tomb. He was literally in a grave three days and walked out.

Ultimately, Christ has to open one’s eyes to believe in the Cross. If this happens, belief happens. If one believes the Cross, one believes Paul. If one has trouble with the truth of the Cross, Paul’s writings and 50% of the New Testament is up for debate. In fact, all of Scripture is up for debate.

So if you believe his testimony, the early disciples of Jesus, and the Cross, you believe the message of Paul.

And Paul’s message is timeless, vital for us today. Through Christ, Paul broke down the barriers of inequality and race. His message was that the Gospel, belief in Jesus, was for everyone. Everyone, nobody excluded. Prior to Paul, and even today, there was exclusive thinking by the “religious” of the day. God only loved, only chose, some. Some, because of their race were excluded. Paul battled this falsehood head on for 30 years until he died.

*For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first **and also** to the Greek. *Romans 1:16

*This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. *1 Timothy 2:3-6

Inclusive truth.

Paul’s message is centrally about the Cross, about the risen Christ. His message is that the Gospel is available to all. There are no levels, no “religious,” no favorites in God’s eyes. As he says in Romans 3, “there is no distinction among people,” as all fall short of the glory of God. To believe Paul is to believe Jesus. To believe Paul is to be for all of mankind.

*All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness; *2 Timothy 3:16

Christmas is a celebration of what the prophets claimed thousands of years ago, what happened approx. 2000 years ago, and what will happen in the future.

Long ago, there were prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. In fact, there are over 300 prophecies about a coming Messiah in the Old Testament.

None clearly articulate Christ and his death on the cross more than Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, written over 500 years before Jesus was born.

*But he was pierced **for** our transgressions; he was crushed **for** our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. *Isaiah 53:5

they have pierced my hands and feet, I can count all my bones — they stare and gloat over me; Psalm 22:16,17

Hundreds of years before his arrival, all the Old Testament prophets told about a coming Savior. Then it happened. Christmas. The event which we celebrate today. The event that was foretold for hundreds of years before it happened.

*And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling **cloths** and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. *Luke 2:7

After his birth, many recognized Jesus as the prophesied Messiah, but many didn’t. One of those who didn’t believe was Governor Pontius Pilate, who ultimately gave the green light to crucify Jesus. Right before he was nailed to the cross, Jesus told Pilate –

*Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this **purpose** I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” *John 18:37

Jesus told Pilate that he came into the world to “bear witness to the truth.” He said that he came into the world to show that the Old Testament prophecies were true. Then Jesus was hung on the cross.

After his death on the cross, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus appears to a couple of guys saddened and perplexed by events of the day. Jesus had died on the cross and now his body was missing. The resurrected Jesus joins the conversation, explaining how he was the Messiah that was talked about in the Old Testament.

*And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. *Luke 24:47

So today, we celebrate the birth of the One that the entire Bible is about. We celebrate the birth of the Christ that the prophets talked about for thousands of years.

But we also celebrate the future picture we are given in the Bible. We celebrate the One that is prophesied about in Heaven. The Lamb that sits on the throne.

*After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” *Revelation 7:9-10

Today, we celebrate the life Christ has given us. We celebrate, and we wait.

*He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. *Revelation 22:20

Today, as you are reminded of the virgin birth, as you read the Christmas story, remember you celebrate the birth of the One that the message of the Bible is about. The Bible is a masterpiece of continuity. It is good news.

Merry Christmas.

The understanding of the miracle birth of Jesus and the events surrounding it are foundational to our faith.

However, the magnitude of that birth isn’t fully realized without understanding the why behind the delivery. Thinking about the why behind our celebration of Christmas gives us an opportunity to refocus on what it is we believe and why it matters. What happened on the night that Jesus was born has incredible significance on your life, right now.

Paul highlights the magnitude of Christmas in 1 Corinthians 15.

*For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five **hundred of the** brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of **God** I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them — yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. **Whether,** then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. *1 Corinthians 15:3-11

To celebrate the birth is to celebrate truth, the resurrection, and grace, while being called to a perpetual challenge.

Christmas is a celebration of truth.

Right before He is brutally murdered on the cross, the Bible records a conversation between Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor who ordered the execution, and Jesus in John 18:35-37.

*“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”*

*Jesus said**,”My** kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”*

*“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.*

*Jesus answered**,”You** say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” *John 18:35-37

Pontius Pilate is trying to understand what Jesus had done and why. Jesus states that the reason he was born was to “testify to the truth.”

Jesus is saying that everything written in the Old Testament, the Scriptures, was fulfilled through Him. From the detailed accounts of the crucifixion in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, written over 500

years before his birth, to the over 300 prophecies of a coming Savior, all of Scripture is about Him. Jesus claims that His life is fulfilling the Old Testament Scripture.

Jesus was born to display truth, and Christmas causes us to refocus on what we believe is truth.

The world can become mirky on the question of “what is truth,” but, if Jesus is who is says He is, then what the Bible says matters. The truth from the Bible stands in front of any truth of the world. Absolute truth came to earth. The magnitude of the birth of Jesus, of Christmas, is increased.

Christmas causes us to refocus on the resurrection.

Without the resurrection, Christmas loses it’s magnitude. Paul argues that if Jesus did not resurrect to life after being dead, any faith we have is in vain.

To prove the resurrection, Paul points to over 500 eyewitnesses of Jesus after his death, saying that many of them were still alive at the time of his writing. And in verse 8, Paul says that Jesus appeared to him (written about in detail in Acts 9).

The resurrected Jesus approached Paul. The same is true of anyone that has ever believed that Jesus is the Christ. The resurrected Jesus approaches people just as He came to Paul.

The celebration of Christ should cause us to celebrate the resurrection, the fact that Jesus defeated eternal death.

Christmas causes us to refocus on grace.

Before being approached by Jesus, Paul brutally murdered and attacked the church of God. He was present and behind the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7. Paul was steadfastly against anything of God.

Then Jesus gave grace. He showed up, erased Paul’s past.

*“**and** last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” *1 Corinthians 1:9

This grace changed Paul forever. What kind of God freely gives grace, past failures, past sins?

Perhaps the most impactful part of the celebration of Christmas is the refocus of grace. All of us have fallen short, just like Paul, and we have received or can receive grace in an instant. Grace is a free gift that should be magnified at Christmas.

Christmas offers a perpetual challenge for the new year.

1 Corinthians warns us not to believe Jesus is the Christ in vain. Said differently, if Jesus is who He says He is and did what He says He did, then followers of Him should aspire to love, to obey, to live as He did.

*By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. *1 Corinthians 15:2

*But by the grace of **God** I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them — yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. *1 Corinthians 15:9-10

There is no greater love than a person laying down his life for another. And there is no greater gift than the free gift of grace. The challenge of Christmas is not to receive the grace in vain, but to fully follow Him.

This year, as you celebrate the miracle of Christmas, let it be a time to reflect and refocus on the depth of the what the birth of Jesus means.

The celebration of the birth of Jesus is a call to each of us to refocus our lives on Him.

Immanuel changes everything.

The prophet Isaiah said it long ago, “A virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall name him Immanuel.”

About 750 years later, it came true. In Matthew 1, this verse is repeated. And this time, the meaning of Immanuel is given, “God is with us.” Everything changed. God was with the people. He loved, ministered, taught, led, and lived alongside the people. Nothing mattered to those that believed except “God is with us.” They now had hope, peace, and grace, forever.

I had become a believer many years prior, but I was going through a valley that I had never experienced. A deep trough that felt hopeless. On my own, there was no way out. I did the only thing I knew to do and began praying, only I didn’t have words. I couldn’t muster up anything that seemed adequate for my situation, so, I sat weeping. Suddenly, my mind was filled with a bible verse, Matthew 28:20. Not the entire verse, I might add, but the end.

*...and, lo, I am with you always, even **unto** the end of the world. *Matthew 28:20

I immediately knew that was enough. Despite everything that was going on around me, Immanuel was enough.

Jesus said the above verse to his disciples at the end of his ministry, encouraging them that they would never be alone, without him. And it was these words that immediately brought me peace and hope. He was with me.

The Bible is full of deep, theological truths, but the most meaningful to me is Immanuel. This is the light that shines no matter the situation.

Ever find it hard to forgive? If God is with you, you forgive. Ever find it hard to love? If God is with you, you love. Are you hopeless? God is with you provides hope. Confused? God is with you provides clarity. Angry? God is with you settles. Every minute, every day, every situation, He is there.

So this Christmas, recognize Immanuel. God is with you. Peace is yours if you believe.

*“**Peace** I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” *John 14:27

In Genesis 1, God said “let there be light” to a dark world.

And “it was good.”

God’s creation of light is captivating. In a world of darkness, light was created. And light was good.

After creation, light is used repeatedly throughout the Bible to describe God. For example, in 1 John 1:5, the Bible says, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” God provides light, God is light, and He is good.

We enter each year with areas of life that seem to be clicking on all cylinders, areas of light. They are good.

However, each year we also enter with areas that need change. Areas that are not where they need to be. Areas that have not been tended to. Areas that require focus. Areas of darkness.

This realization of light and dark areas is great news. This ability to recognize the dark areas of our lives tells us we can see the issues in our lives and change.

Areas of darkness need the illumination that only God can provide. In fact, we will never be able to change many of the dark areas. They will remain dark unless God intervenes. When God takes hold of the darkness, things change. When He says, “Let there be light,” it is good, it is peaceful, it is as it should be. God, let there be light in the dark areas of our lives.

A simple fifteen-minute reading of Genesis 1 gives us a profound truth: God is light. This truth changes thinking, prayers, and desires. Light equals hope. Imagine this hope happening 365 days a year as you read the Bible each morning. The hope is new each morning. Imagine the mindset shift, the life shift, that occurs day by day.

We don’t read the Bible; the Bible reads us. God uses His Word to speak, to guide, to understand His will for life. The Bible never gets old, tired, repetitive, or boring. Never does one walk away from God’s Word unchanged, but amazed, challenged, joyful, and hopeful.

We all know the definition of insanity: continuing to do the same thing over and over expecting different results. My prayer is that these readings can give you a different way to start or end each day.

Let there be light.

Mary Magdalene did nothing. She didn’t deserve it, didn’t even ask for it. But she was changed. And her love, her unashamed devotion, her care for Christ, are a picture of loyalty, faith, and obedience. Very few have impacted so many people as Mary Magdalene. You’ll find no pride, no self- glorification in her story.

*Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, **and also** some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, *Luke 8:1-2

Mary Magdalene was very sick. The above verse is all we know about her illness. Commentaries point to different illnesses that the “seven demons” could represent. We do know that convulsions or mental illness are a couple of symptoms of those impacted by demons in the Bible. Regardless of what exactly the “seven demons” were, we know that Mary was a very sick lady.

Mary Magdalene most certainly didn’t have hope for her future. She more than likely lived in fear about her illness. She saw the world from a very distorted perspective. Her view of life was anything but optimistic. For reasons unknown, this was the burden she was given to carry.

But this is why Jesus came: to help the sick. Mary Magdalene’s life was indeed in shambles, but Jesus took away all the pain, the confusion, the hurt, instantaneously. Immediately, Mary moved from pain and confusion, maybe bitterness about her life, to a life of hope, peace, and joy.

The Bible doesn’t give us a clear picture of the actual healing, but we get crystal clear imagery of how Mary Magdalene’s life changed. The woman miraculously healed by Christ became a passionate follower of Jesus, a picture of serving by his side. Imagine all the miracles, the teaching, the power that she witnessed at the side of Jesus.

Mary definitely experienced some good times, but she also experienced the depths of pain and sorrow while following Him. She watched from a distance as Jesus was crucified.

*There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. *John 27:55-56

Imagine the pain and anguish witnessing the brutal killing of Jesus. The One who had set Mary free was now hanging on a cross. When Jesus cried out with his last breath, imagine Mary’s cry, the hopelessness, the despair, the finality.

Mary was also loyally at His tomb. In fact, she was one of the first to visit. The sun had not yet risen that morning.

*But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she **wept** she **stooped** to **look into** the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.*

*Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).*

*Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord” — and that he had said these things to her. *John 20:11-18

What a scene. Jesus personally, uniquely appears to the one who is completely defeated, destroyed, in a state of desperation. Once again, Mary is given hope, joy, and peace, instantaneously. Imagine the excitement as she ran to tell the others. She had a new vision of her own life.

What was true 2,000 years ago is true today. Jesus uniquely, personally, impacts lives. Sometimes the miracle may happen. The sick may be made well. Or maybe the one mired in a destructive lifestyle immediately receives hope and peace. Maybe it is an event, a hopeless situation where He rescues. These changes in direction happen every day. I wrote about a few of these instances from my own life in my book The Anchor.

But sometimes it looks different. Sometimes what we think of as a miracle doesn’t happen. In fact, it is invisible to the eye. Sometimes it is His presence being felt, made known. His presence provides peace, joy, security, hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. His presence provides an anchor to hold onto as the waves rock. We will all have this storm in our lives where we have to cling to the Anchor.

At some moment in life, He will be the only answer. But He will be there. He was uniquely, personally there for Mary, and He will be there for you. He promised that for us, and His promises always come true. And His presence gets us through the moment.

Like Mary, a life Christ has touched looks different. A light shines through this life. A light that is desperately needed to give hope to others. Nothing fulfills like a life spent for others. Be the light today.

By the way, the above story is the Gospel through the life of Mary Magdalene. If you ever have trouble describing the good news, think about Mary. Her life is a picture of the value of knowing Christ.

The question that can bring peace.

Nicodemus was a Jewish leader and scholar. Out of all the people in and around Jerusalem that day, he was the one that approached Jesus. He didn’t go to one of the disciples that were with Christ. Rather, Nicodemus went directly to the source. He went to Jesus. After Christ talked to him about being born again, Nicodemus had an honest question.

“How can these things be?”

A very logical question. The things that Jesus was saying made no sense from a human standpoint. Christ was explaining how to have eternal life, and it was impossible to believe without the gift of faith.

Jesus answered the question by pointing to Himself. How can this be? Only by Jesus was the answer.

The question of Nicodemus is still the question we should ask today.

“How can this be?”

The answer reveals dependence.

One answer reveals dependence on yourself. My hard work, my wise decisions, my efforts. Or, my mistakes, my faults, my issues. The dependence on oneself robs fulfillment, steals peace, offers no security.

As Nicodemus learned, the other direction, reveals dependence on Christ.

How can this be? Because of Him, I am where I am. Because of Him, I am who I am. He has brought me here, given me what I have, and has a future for me. He brings fulfillment, peace and security.

How we answer this question today reveals dependence and drives allegiance.

So, today, remove the pressure or glory from yourself. Glorify Him.

When you answer the question with a dependence on Christ, a grateful heart naturally follows.

Ever been overcome with emotion? Ever had one of those times when you just couldn’t hold it in? Whether from joy or pain, the tears flowed or your heart skipped a beat.

Most of us wake up on Easter morning emotionally flatlined. We wake up dreary, maybe worn out from the past week or the hustle and bustle of life. Our fast-paced life is winning. Or our previous failures have won. Hope, excitement, and emotions are anything but bustling this morning.

But on that Sunday morning 2,000 years ago, things were a bit different. Emotions were getting ready to explode, especially for four unique individuals, each with a different perspective on Jesus.

Mary had a unique view of Jesus. Of course she did. As a teenager, she was promised a son. And love between a mom and her son is a bond that only a mother understands. So to say she was excited is an understatement. She never quite understood that He was to be Savior of the world. And she often asked, “Why me?”

She raised Him, cared for Him, watched Him grow up, and deeply loved Him. Mary saw the miracles, knowing Jesus was the promised one. She saw him bring joy to many. She saw him change lives. She cried with happiness as He brought life to the destitute.

Then she watched at a distance as her son was beaten, spit on, ridiculed by the mob. She followed him as he went through the ordeal of the trials, with everyone pointing at her son and laughing at Him. Mary was there at a distance and did what any mom would do. She walked behind her son as he stumbled his way to Golgotha to be nailed to the cross. Mary sat at the foot of the cross, watching, hearing the loud cry from her son.

In pain and turmoil, she went to the tomb early Sunday morning. She just wanted to see him once more. She knew she couldn’t move the stone to anoint her son’s body, but she went anyway. When she arrived, her heart jumped out of her chest with joy, amazement, and excitement. Her son, her baby, was alive. And she had a message to take to Peter, to the disciples, to the world.

Mary Magdalene was healed because of Christ. There was no reason Mary should have bumped into Jesus that day. She had lived a life of torment, no peace. Hope, joy, and happiness had been destroyed by the demons of life. But Jesus spoke and miraculously cleansed her. He gave her new life. His compassion ran through her veins.

And she never left his side. She was forever compelled to follow Him, knowing who He was, taking care of Him as He changed the world. And she watched in horror as He cried in agony and pain. She saw the crowds turn on the Righteous One. Mary Magdalene heard Him scream in agony from the cross.

And after His death, she had nothing. There was no hope, nothing to do, nowhere to go. So she connected with Mary, Jesus’mother, and went to anoint His body in the tomb. When she arrived, the smile must have spread across her face. Tears must have welled up in her eyes. Her Savior was indeed alive! And she ran with news that would change the world, just like her life had been changed.

To Peter, Jesus was the Savior, the King, the One who could do anything. Ever since that morning on the beach, he was all in. He saw the miracles, the dead brought back to life. He laughed, cried, ministered, walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Jesus. Peter had his back, no matter the situation, no matter the enemy. In fact, he would cut off a soldier’s ear defending his friend. Peter followed. Peter helped. Peter worshipped.

Then at the darkest moment in Jesus’ life, he left Him, turned his back. Fear overcame Peter, and he lost the battle. He denied that he knew Jesus. He watched as his friend was beaten, mocked, and mutilated. Then in the midst of the crowd surrounding Jesus, Peter’s eyes met the eyes of his best friend. Jesus’s eyes were not those of condemnation as he looked at Peter, but his eyes brought love, grace, and compassion. And Peter couldn’t handle it. He ran away crying.

He was at the cross, saw the death of his best friend that Friday. That Saturday, he probably did the only thing he knew to do. Hopeless, he went back to work, to fishing for a living. The sea must have been quiet that day as he thought about nothing but his best friend, now gone. Peter woke up the next morning probably hoping it was all a nightmare, but it wasn’t. He probably started preparing the fishing nets for the day’s work.

But Mary ran in and broke the silence with an unbelievable message that gave him chills. Could it be true? He grabbed his close friend and in a dead sprint ran to the tomb. The stone was gone; Jesus’s body was nowhere to be found. It was all true. Everything that Jesus had predicted happened. His best friend, his hope, his Savior was on the move!

Judas was chosen. He was selected as one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. There were many people around, but Christ put his hand on Judas. What an honor! And he witnessed the unbelievable. Miracle after miracle. The blind could see. The deaf could hear. Judas even saw a twelve-year-old girl brought back to life. He couldn’t deny that Jesus was different. His words changed hearts. He brought hope and peace to the destitute. He could do anything.

But there was something greater than the miracles of Jesus that captivated the heart of Judas. In Jesus, Judas saw an opportunity. He was in the inner circle, and he knew he had valuable information worth a whole lot of money.

So Judas went to the officials and made a deal. Maybe he thought he had it figured out. Surely, the King of the world could fight off the soldiers. They wouldn’t, couldn’t hurt Jesus. He was too powerful. Jesus would ultimately be okay, and Judas would have his money. His future would be set. It was a no-lose situation. So Judas led the mob to his friend as He was leaving the garden. When Judas saw Him, he ran to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek, signifying his identity.

All hell broke loose at that moment. The momentum couldn’t be stopped. After all, that wasn’t the ultimate plan. Judas watched them beat the one he followed for three years. He must have been sick to his stomach, as he couldn’t handle what he had done. He returned the money and ultimately ended his life because of his denial of Jesus.

Four different views. Four different experiences. Four emotion filled Sunday mornings.

These four were there. They experienced the greatest miracle of all time. They knew the truth.

Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Peter received hope, grace, and a new mission on life. They had no idea of the role they were about to play in humanity. Their passion, telling the truth, would ignite humanity with the story of all stories. Their testimony would change people, bring hope, secure eternity for many. Nothing could hold them back.

But Judas sold his soul for money and quickly found out it wasn’t worth it. Jesus had taught about the dangers of money more than any other topic. He taught about how the worries of the world could drown out the truths of God. He taught how riches and the pleasures of life can easily become more important than Him. Judas knew the danger, but he was drawn to the things of the world. He played with fire, not believing he would get burned.

And we are all guilty just like Judas. Just like Peter. But this is the exact reason for Easter, for Resurrection Sunday. This is the exact reason Jesus died on the cross. Because we are all guilty.

Jesus is grace. Easter, Resurrection Sunday, is hope, a reminder of whom we worship. An opportunity to follow.

This morning brings hope for all.

Easter brings many to church, and as we all walk in on Easter morning, we’ll see both new and familiar faces. People will offer shallow greetings, not understanding the depth of your life, your journey, the perspective you bring to the table, the unique threads woven into your fabric, and where you uniquely stand at the moment.

And some walking in to church may think their current situation, their journey, their life doesn’t exactly lend itself to acceptance at church. These thoughts miss the point of Easter. The point is grace. Grace would not be needed if lives were perfect, if we didn’t all need it. In fact, grace is the great equalizer. Everyone needs it, and Easter gives us a fresh look at grace.

A great picture of grace is revealed through the eyes of Simon Peter.

Simon was a fisherman, the sea his hunting ground. One day, as he was pulling his net in on the beach by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus approached him, looking deep into his eyes. The Bible uses the Greek word emblepo to describe the gaze. Emblepo means to “look upon” with a “close, penetrating ‘look.’” Jesus, being God, looked at Simon and knew all that would happen in his life. He knew that Simon would say he was committed but turn his back on Him at His darkest hour. He knew that Simon’s passion and tendencies to speak his mind would get him in trouble throughout his life. And He knew that Simon would never, could never, live a life without failure.

Yet, even knowing all of these shortcomings, Jesus didn’t condemn or pass Simon by to find someone who could better measure up. Not Jesus. Not Him who was grace, Himself. Instead, at that moment, looking into his eyes, Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter, meaning “rock.” At that moment, Jesus said Peter would be a rock for His ministry, the church. Jesus overlooked the failures of Simon and welcomed the man Peter with open arms, giving him a life of immeasurable purpose, joy, and hope. In a moment, Peter’s life changed forever.

As Jesus foreknew, Peter’s final act toward Him prior to his death was betrayal. As Jesus was getting brutally beaten and murdered, Peter refused to help.

Worse, he pretended that he did not know Him.

At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly” (Luke 22:61-62).

In the courtyard, Peter’s eyes locked with the eyes of Jesus after He had been brutally beaten, on His way to the cross. Those same eyes that offered the penetrating look in the carefree moments on the beach a few years earlier were now locked with Peter’s in the darkest moment of His life. Peter couldn’t handle it and ran away crying. He would seemingly fail Jesus at the one time when He needed him most.

But this was the way it was supposed to be. This was the entire reason Jesus was headed to the cross. Grace for man’s shortcomings.

After the crucifixion of Jesus, when Mary went to the tomb early Sunday morning, the stone had been rolled away and an angel was greeting her. Mary must have been startled beyond belief. She looked on in amazement. Jesus had risen! Everything He said was true!

Peter! The one who had denied Him and refused to acknowledge Him. The one who was certainly hurting more than anyone else because he had turned his back on Jesus. The angel said to make sure Peter knew that Jesus had risen. Jesus cared for Peter and wanted him to know that everything was okay. It was as if Jesus was saying, “Forget about the sins, Peter. Just know that I have risen.”

This is Easter.

After receiving the news, Peter recklessly told others. As Jesus said in Luke 7:47, Peter had been forgiven much, so he loved Jesus much.

So at Easter, don’t let your past keep you from the cross. After all, this is the whole reason we celebrate Easter.

Thank God for a Christ who overlooks it all and clears our guilt. He who has been forgiven much loves Jesus much. This is the definition of grace. May it be true in your life, as well.

The Anchor holds.

*Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, **and also** some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, *Luke 8:1-2

Mary Magdalene was very sick. The above verse is all we know about her illness. Commentaries point to different illnesses that the “seven demons” could represent. We do know that convulsions or mental illness are a couple of symptoms of those impacted by demons in the Bible. Regardless of what exactly the “seven demons” were, we do know that Mary was a very sick lady.

Mary Magdalene most certainly didn’t have hope for her future. She more than likely lived in fear about her illness. She saw the world from a very distorted perspective. Her view of life was anything but optimistic. For reasons unknown, this was the burden she was given to carry. Check out the first few episodes of The Chosen for one person’s picture of what life could have been like for Mary.

But this is why Jesus came, for the sick. Mary Magdalene’s life was indeed in shambles, but Jesus took away all the pain, the confusion, the hurt, instantaneously. Immediately, Mary moved from pain and confusion, maybe bitterness about her life, to a life of hope, peace, and joy.

The Bible doesn’t give us a clear picture of the actual healing, but we get crystal clear imagery of how Mary Magdalene’s life changed. The woman miraculously healed by Christ became a passionate follower of Jesus, a picture of serving by his side. Imagine all the miracles, the teaching, the power that she witnessed at the side of Jesus. She definitely experienced some good times, but she also experienced the depths of pain and sorrow following Him.

Mary watched from a distance as Jesus was crucified.

*There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. *John 27:55-56

Imagine the pain and anguish witnessing the brutal killing of Jesus. The One who had set Mary free was now hanging on a cross. When Jesus cried out with his last breath, imagine Mary’s cry, the hopelessness, the despair, the finality.

Mary was also loyally at His tomb. In fact, she is one of the first to visit. The sun had not yet risen that morning.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her,

“Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her,

*“Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord” — and that he had said these things to her. *John 20:11-18

What a scene. Jesus personally, uniquely appears to the one who is completely defeated, destroyed, in a state of desperation. Once again, Mary is given hope, joy, and peace, instantaneously. Imagine the excitement as she ran to tell the others. She had a new vision of her own life.

What was true 2,000 years ago is true today. Jesus uniquely, personally, impacts lives. Sometimes, the miracle may happen. The sick may be made well. Or maybe the one mired in a destructive lifestyle immediately receives hope and peace. Maybe it is an event, a hopeless situation where He rescues. These changes in direction happen every day. I wrote about a few of these instances from my own life in The Anchor.

But sometimes it looks different. Sometimes, what we think of as a miracle doesn’t happen. In fact, it is invisible to the eye. Sometime, it is His Presence being felt, made known. His presence provides, peace, joy, security, hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. His Presence provides an anchor to hold onto as the waves rock. We will all have this storm in our life where we have to cling to the Anchor. At some moment in life, He will be the only answer. But He will be there. He was uniquely, personally there for Mary, and He will be there for you as well. He promised that for us, and His promises always come true. And His Presence gets us through the moment.

Like Mary, a life Christ has touched looks different. A light shines through this life. A light that is desperately needed to give hope to others. Nothing fulfills like a life spent for others. Be the light today.

By the way, the above story is the Gospel through the life of Mary Magdalene. If you ever have trouble describing the good news, think about Mary. Her life isa picture of the value of knowing Christ.

When the sea is rough, when the cards are stacked against you, when the road ahead offers little hope, how do you react?

Emotions have a domino effect throughout a family and business.

Emotions quickly change the scene, the surroundings, the mood, the motivation, the team.

This is precisely the reason Mark Cuban said he likes to hire “stress reducers,” people who are even-keeled.

There is something about having someone who is even-keeled in the boat with you. That person who is not shaken. The one who steadies the ship when things look bleak, dire, hard, impossible. The calming voice that enters the huddle and says, “We’ve got this.”

There is no gift quite like one who steadies the ship, calms the sea.

Appreciate those who play that role for you today.

And play that role for others — your team, your spouse, your kids.

Be the domino that creates positive mo.

*“ Then** the Pharisees and Sadducees came.” *Matthew 16:1

It seemed that any time things were going great in the ministry of Christ, the Pharisees and Sadducees showed up. Sometimes they were described as the “religious leaders” or “teachers of the law.” These people had an esteemed position in society, demanding respect. They were antagonists of Jesus, always critical, skeptical, never positive. They had a motive of defaming Christ. They were not interested in the people, the healing, the good that Jesus was doing.

Instead, they picked Jesus apart, trying to humiliate Him.

And when they came around, Jesus almost always used them as a lesson for the disciples. Earlier, Jesus said to the disciples concerning the Pharisees, “They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind both will fall into a ditch.” (Matthew 15:14)

Jesus told the disciples to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” The disciples initially misunderstoond, but they eventually figured out the warning.

“Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:12).

When baking bread, an extremely small amount of yeast, one percent to two percent is used. A very small amount of yeast works its way into the entire loaf, impacting the rising and taste of the bread.

The warning was clear. A little bit of the Pharisee teaching could multiply. So what was the teaching? Jesus gives the description below.

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others (Matthew 23:2-7).

The Pharisees were about themselves, not others. They practiced religion for all to see. They wanted fame and glory. They wanted the crowds to see how “religious” they were. They did not want anyone receiving the glory or attention they were to receive. When they were around Jesus, the slander, the negativity spewed. They wanted to tear Jesus and others down, so they would be lifted up. This type of attitude and behavior was contagious, multiplying among the people.

On the other end of the spectrum, Jesus taught humility and a servant’s heart. After making the statement about the Pharisees above, Jesus said, “But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles

himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:8-12).

From the start of His ministry until His death on the cross, the life of Jesus was one of humility and servanthood. Jesus was about other people, not receiving glory for Himself.

When one glorifies himself, others must be put down. Often, this takes the form of slander or negative talk. And it is amazing how contagious this type of behavior is. When the slander starts, everyone seems to join in. When the negativity enters the room, it spreads rapidly. It is true that a little bit of yeast can destroy the whole loaf.

Today, follow the example of Christ, and be about others. Let your positive example impact others.

*I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. *Mark 14:49

The disciples had just finished their last supper with Jesus. Judas had left the supper to go get the multitudes that were against Christ. Jesus had cried out in prayer at the Garden of Gethsemane, finally telling God, “not my will but your will be done.” Jesus was about to die on the cross, and He made the above statement to those that were arresting Him. The scriptures were being fulfilled.

Jesus had a purpose on earth.

*Therefore** Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this **purpose** I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” Pilate aid to Him, “What is truth?” *John 18:37-38

In another discussion with Pilate hours before he was hung on the cross, Jesus states His purpose for coming to the world, “to testify to the truth.” Earlier in the Garden of Gethsemane, He had said the same thing “the scriptures must be fulfilled.” His purpose in coming was to testify to the truth. To fulfill the scriptures.

So what did the Scriptures say? I encourage you to read Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, both detailed prophecies in the scriptures about Jesus. A few verses from Isaiah 53 are below.

*He was despised and abandoned by men, A man of great pain and familiar with sickness; And like one from whom people hide their faces, He was despised, and we had no regard for Him. However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself bore, **And** our pains that He carried; Yet we ourselves assumed that He had **been afflicted, **Struck** down by God, and humiliated. But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; The punishment for our [well-being was laid upon Him, And by His wounds we are healed. *Isaiah 53:3-5

Biblical scholars have said that there are about 300 prophecies in the Old Testament about the coming Messiah. So Jesus clearly said that he was the Messiah. He said that He came to fulfill prophecies. He came to testify to the truth.

The core question of that day for Pilate is the greatest question before us today, true or false? The question that divides. Is the Bible true? Is Jesus true?

Because, if the Bible and Jesus are true, things change. Personal lives change. If the story of the Bible is true, hopeless becomes hopeful, no peace becomes everlasting peace, security is found in a world of chaos, absolute truth is found in the middle of the gray areas of life.

If this is the greatest question before us or, at a minimum, one of the greatest questions, I encourage you to dive into the Bible for yourself. Rather than taking anyone’s word for it, a friend, a preacher, a religion, a denomination, the media, dig in to see what the book says for yourself. Not just the famous stories of Moses and the Red Sea, Jonah and the whale, etc., but the details of the book.

Scripture is a daily resource and guide in a confusing world.

*For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him? And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today? *Deuteronomy 4:7-8

Moses is speaking to the Israelites, the chosen people that God saved from slavery in Egypt and was leading to the promised land. After 40 years, the people are days away from entering the land, and Moses is giving them final instructions. He is about to pass the baton to his mentee, Joshua, as the new leader to take the people into Canaan.

In this last message, Moses focuses on obedience to God telling them when they enter the land, follow the statutes and commandments given to them directly from God and guard against the worship of other gods. The decrees and regulations were “righteous and fair,” a gift to guard the hearts of the people.

Other people would recognize their wisdom through these statutes.

*Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’ *Deuteronomy 4:6

Moses leaves no doubt for the people, remember and observe the commandments from God. This is the key to wisdom and life. Very simply, be obedient to the words of God.

Fast forward 3,000+ years, and Jesus is teaching the multitudes. He makes a statement about following God.

*“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? *Luke 6:46

Sound familiar? Just like Moses said to the people, Jesus says in His sermon to do what He says, follow His commands. And then, Jesus talks about the value of knowing and following His Words.

*I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the **floodwaters rise** and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of **ruins.”** *Luke 6:47-49

The question for us is what did Jesus say to do, what are His commands? An example is what Jesus said immediately preceding the above verses.

*“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. *Luke 6:41-42

In this passage, He clearly, simply said not to judge others, don’t talk about others, don’t point fingers, don’t consider yourself better or more enlightened. No, examine yourself. Following these words of Christ would solve much of the world’s woes today.

And this is a small snippet of the words of Christ. The Bible is full of the wisdom and truth of His Words that lead one to live a fruitful, wise, life. The words of Christ free, teach practical wisdom, teach love.

But we have the duty of knowing the Bible for ourselves through the personal reading of His Word. If we are to follow Him, we must know what we are following. Books and other people’s thoughts may be great, but must never take the place of knowing what Christ said, personally for yourself. After all, how can you call Him, Lord, if you don’t know what He says?

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, the Bible is a consistent wealth of wisdom for practical, daily life.

Ever pondered, prayed, or shouted what is God’s will for my life?

Great prayer, great mindset, great desire.

However, if you are anything like me, the thought of “finding” God’s will for my life brings great pressure.

My favorite pastor, Adrian Rogers, gave me a great thought. God’s will for my life is before me in the Bible. His words are in front of me. This thought convicted me to become Biblically literate and obey.

Rather than the struggle to find God’s will for my life, know His words which have been given to me. God’s will for my life has been revealed to me through His word.

So instead of waiting for a burning bush, or an audible voice from God, read your Bible and rest knowing that He is in control.

He has spoken. We have His Words.

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” A.W. Tozer

Interesting quote. What Tozer is saying is that what we think about God defines us. What we think about God directs our life. Who we think God is dictates our actions, our every move.

If one believes there is no God, the life is naturally lived as if there is no God. If one defines God themselves, the life is directed by the definition that they made. If one clings to the words of a friend or a church for the definition, the life will be patterned after the words of another person.

A life is different depending on the answer to the question “who is God?”

So who is God?

The world is full of man-made definitions, partial truths. Definitions that emphasize certain qualities and assume certain actions based on these qualities.

God’s name seems to be prominently on display in the world today.

Recently, I heard a popular talk show host definitely define God or at least her definition of Him. We regularly hear politicians imply an answer to “who is God” by using His name to rally people. If one has no answer to the question “who is God,” there is a culture to define Him for them. Follow the leader.

The Bible gives us a warning.

*Know His name “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” *Ephesians 4:14

People are tossed to and fro because they cannot rightly answer the question, “who is God?”

And I by no means am pointing a finger at others.

Personally, I believe my definition of God has changed over the years, through different seasons. I created my own definition, essentially what I wanted Him to be like. I was tossed “to and fro.”

In Romans, the Bible says that the people “began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.” Then “God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.” (1:21-24)

Whatever their hearts desired.

That is a dangerous place, doing whatever your heart desires with whatever definition of God you come up with.

One can twist the definition of God to emphasize His love. He is absolutely pure love, but He defines

love. In fact, pick a quality, even grace, and one can enter into dangerous territory if the definition of God’s grace is from man.

So how do you rightly, humbly answer the question “who is God?”

Read the one book this is in almost every house today, the Bible. When you humbly, openly, submissively read Scripture, the definition of God is lifted off the pages.

A mind shift takes place when one answers the question “who is God” using God’s definition only found in Scripture. Not from man, but from Him. The Author.

The answer to the question, “who is God” is right before us. Maybe the answer hurts, convicts, so we avoid. I certainly did.

Over 100 years ago, Tozer said that one’s personal definition of God is the most important thing about them. The same is true today.

So “who is God?” Answer that for yourself and hold on to the Anchor.

*“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1*

My favorite pastor used to say, “If you can believe Genesis 1:1, you have the Bible licked.” So true. From the first verse, the Bible is a book of faith.

Depending on the translation of the Bible, the word faith is used 336 to 458 times throughout Scripture.

Biblical faith is defined in Hebrews 11:1 as “being sure of what you hope for, certain of what you cannot see.”

Belief is faith in the unseen, like believing in the wind. I can’t see the wind, but, after a tornado flew over our house with 100 mph winds, I believe the wind exists. I saw evidence of the wind.

In Matthew 8 and 9, Jesus is about thirty years old, and his ministry has much momentum. He is preaching and healing the multitudes. In these two chapters, God gives us picture after picture of what faith looks like, and Jesus always responded to faith.

*A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Matthew 8:2-3*

*When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. … Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment. Matthew 8:5-8,13*

*While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” … After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. Matthew 9:18, 25*

*Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. Matthew 9:20-22*

*As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. Matthew 9:27-30*

One commonality in these stories is that faith was very personal to each individual. Each person believed enough to act. The miraculous happened because they exercised their faith.

Faith is a great act of grace. In Ephesians 2:8, the Bible says “faith is a gift from God.” God gives faith freely as a gift. My ability to believe in the unseen is a gift from God. With this grace, I am compelled to exercise my faith. And when I exercise my faith, my belief increases.

Zig Ziglar, an author and speaker, illustrated this as he talked about goals. If you are standing at point A, point C looks impossible to reach from your position. He said you can’t get from point A to point C without going through point B. When you get to point B, you will see things differently. Point C will look achievable.

And so it is with faith. As you exercise faith, your belief will increase. Exercising can look like reading Scripture, praying, serving others, etc.

The greatest thing about exercising your faith is that you will impact others more than you will ever know. Do you have faith? Praise God for the gift, and exercise it.

Do miracles still happen?

A distinct change happens in the lives of the apostles in Acts after receiving the Holy Spirit. Miracles happen in their lives, over and over. And the miracles always have an intended purpose.

It is easy to flippantly skim through these mighty acts of God. For example, in Acts 5, we see an amazing miracle happen when the apostles are arrested and placed in jail.

*The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!” **So** at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching. Acts 5:17-21*

Amazing miracle. And this is just one example.

In the book of Acts, in particular, these miracles become common sight. God gave the believers in Jesus the Holy Spirit. And God worked miracles in their lives, always for a purpose: to make His name greater so that people would believe in Him. The miracles were so His name was magnified.

Do miracles still happen?

Of course. Without hesitation, absolutely. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The same Holy Spirit that is in the Bible is in the life of a believer.

So a believer must know and rest in the security that miracles happen today.

And the miracle always serves a purpose: to glorify His name. To make His name greater so that many will understand.

Back to the story in Acts above.

The miracle happens, the jail doors open. The apostles are given specific instructions to, “Go to the Temple and give the people the message of life!”

And the apostles obeyed. “So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching.”

The pattern. A miracle followed by obedience.

Everyone reading this message is in one of three places (from the words of Adrian Rogers): headed to a storm, in a storm, or coming out of a storm. Let me put descriptors to each of these.

You may be high on life. This is an awesome place to be on the journey of life. Things are clicking, and no storm is in sight. But no doubt, a storm will happen.

You may be tired in life. With what our nation has been through, many are in the midst of a storm right now. The world may be a dark place and a miracle is needed.

You may be refreshed in life. Coming out of a storm is great relief, full of hope. Maybe a miracle has happened, and you are thankful for the next stage of life.

Whatever stage you are in, make no mistake, you are not alone. Everyone will experience all of these stages on the journey, and we each have a purpose in every part of our journey.

For those of you “high on life,” praise God and look to help others. I am quite sure you can point to miracles in your life. Be obedient. God gives times of peace for a purpose. Battle complacency and bless others. Pray right now for those in storms.

For those of you “tired in life,” hang on. Storms pass. Pray, read His Words, and ask for and receive help. The best place to run is the Bible. God is with you. He is the Author of life. He still works miracles. Have hope.

For those of you “refreshed in life,” praise God for the miracle that made the storm pass. Proclaim Him, the God of the miracle. Make sure others understand how He worked in your life. Be obedient.

Regardless of where we are in life, perhaps the greatest truth of the Bible is knowing the God of the Bible is with us. That is His promise in Matthew 28:20.

And He is still the God of miracles. Pray for miracles in lives. Pray for those in storms and praise for those coming out of storms.

It is true that every believer will experience His miracles, His working in their life. And when you see the miracle, be obedient to what He is calling you to do.

There is always a purpose for the miracle.

Every one of us, to the most secluded culture on earth, has a perspective of right and wrong, good and evil, concerning the things of this world. Of course, there are differences in what is believed to be good or bad, but there is some filter in everyone that gives them a distinction of right and wrong. C.S Lewis presents this truth much more eloquently in Mere Christianity.

Furthermore, every person faces a battle between right and wrong, good and evil, each day. The war perpetually rages. From minute thoughts to daily actions, every person’s daily journey is a walk between right and wrong. And every one of us sprinkles in both good and bad, right and wrong, on our daily walk. The definitions of right and wrong may be different, but we each do battle between the two every day. To not see the raging daily war is to lack humility.

This battle summarizes a thread in the Bible. In the third chapter, the battle of right and wrong begins, and, through today, the war has never ended.

In Genesis Chapter 3, we see the famous battle between the serpent and Eve. God had clearly given instructions not to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There was a clear distinction before Eve between right and wrong. There was a right way, don’t eat the fruit, versus a wrong way, eat the fruit, before Eve. If there was no serpent, there would probably have been no interest in doing anything other than what God had said. But the serpent entered the picture, created questions, created doubt, painted a picture to a better life if Eve would only choose a different direction than what God had laid out. Eve caved. Adam caved. The first battle took place, the wrong decision was made.

This war never lets up throughout Scripture. About 10 generations after Eve, in Genesis 6, all of humanity is in the war. Genesis 6:5 says, “the Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently evil.” God pointed out that mankind was all evil, but, Noah was described as “doing everything that the Lord commanded.” It should be noted that Noah was not without fault, as he, too, chose wrong later in life. But nevertheless, again, the Bible paints the picture of a battle between right and wrong going on with humanity.

Fast forward to the New Testament in Matthew 4. Jesus was approximately 30 years old and beginning his ministry on earth. He is baptized and tempted for 40 days by the serpent that we saw back in Genesis 3. The serpent comes with the same game plan, as he put a decision before Christ that was opposite what God said. He entered the picture, tried to create questions and doubt, and painted a picture of a better way of life. Jesus didn’t cave. He addresses the serpent with the Words of God, wins the battle.

As one winds their way through Scripture, over and over, beginning to end, the war rages. Every person faces the same battle, from David to Judas to Paul, they all have daily battles between right and wrong. And outside of Jesus, all have both good and bad decisions mixed in. No one wins all the battles. Every one chooses wrong at some point.

The obvious, avoided question at this point is, “who defines right and wrong?”

Before any right or wrong is mentioned, the very first sentence in the Bible says, “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Adrian Rogers said that if you can get past this verse, you have the rest of the Bible licked.

One’s answer to “who defines right and wrong” is absolutely dependent on how you view this first sentence of the Bible. If there is a God, and He has the power to create the heavens and the earth, then the One who created all clearly is the One that defines right and wrong. However, if it is believed that God did not create the heavens and the earth, then right and wrong must be determined another way, maybe by human standards.

The Bible is a story that lays out the Creator in the first sentence, and the rest of the book, from beginning to end, is the battle in humanity of choosing right or wrong each day as defined by that Creator.

The most important question for each of us is what we believe about that first sentence in the Bible. If we do believe that God created all, everything changes. We have His Words given to us in the Bible. We have His definition of right and wrong. If God is the Creator, we owe it to ourselves to know what He says by reading His Words, rather than only listening to what others think or say. After all, the best person alive today has a bit of disobedience in them.

And once one knows how the Creator defines right and wrong, one is compelled to be obedient to His laws. And the best news is that when we inevitably choose wrong and are disobedient, Jesus took care of that for us on the cross. We receive mercy and grace.

*“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah**‬ 9**‬:6**‬ ESV**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬**‬*

Counselors are an incredible gift.

But what good is a counselor if you never visit them?

We have been given the free gift of the Wonderful Counselor.

And just like earthly counseling, they don’t happen in public, in the congregation. Just like great earthly counseling, His counseling sessions are alone with you.

At these sessions, one simply opens the Bible and reads.

I did not discover the treasure of the Wonderful Counselor until I was 26. At age 26, I began sessions with the Wonderful Counselor every morning. He radically transformed my life. I am who I am today because of these morning sessions.

Just like earthly counseling, I wasn’t changed in one session, not that He can’t change in one session. But over and over, I met with Him. He changed the way I acted, the way I viewed the world, and my purpose in life. He gave me joy and what I needed most – peace.

This Counselor, these sessions, are available to us all, a free gift. He stands at the door and knocks, desiring each of us to sit down with Him.

There is no requirement on when to read, how much to read, or how long to read. Five minutes, 10 minutes, one verse, one chapter, whatever. He calls us not to focus so much on the rules of how we spend time with Him, but, rather, focus on Him.

These counseling sessions are the greatest gift to man. And most will live their whole life without this free help.

Visit the Counselor, today, tomorrow, and forever. Give Him time and see if He doesn’t change your life. We all need changed lives, every day. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

It is never too late to start. Just open the book of John and start reading.

*The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his **disciples** eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles. **So** the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” Mark 7:1-5*

The Pharisees were strict followers of the law. But they added to the law “the traditions of elders.” Essentially, they created rules and made these law. If any of the people did not know the truth of the word of God, they were left to assume that the man-made rules were God’s law.

Jesus set the record straight. The Pharisees were choosing and leading people to follow human traditions versus commands of God.

*You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions. Mark 7:8*

This story exemplifies an importance of Biblical literacy. If one does not know the Bible, the truth, it stands to reason that there will be confusion about what it actually says. Rules and beliefs will be created by humans. Opinions will be formed about followers of Christ, and the truth will ultimately be distorted.

These manmade rules create a religion of legalism, where you work your way to God. And the picture that this gives the outside world is anything but inviting, and rightfully so. Who would want to be part of a killjoy group of people?

This is opposite the picture of the early church found in Acts 2 and 4. People were looking at the church, seeing a group of people that they wanted to be a part of, and thousands and thousands were joining. And at the church, there were no manmade traditions, just teaching and following the Bible.

We are all taught the famous stories like Jonah and the whale or Moses and the Red Sea, even Jesus and the cross, but, unless we dig in, we never really know what it says, never know the truth of Scripture. Every new cultural belief or manmade tradition will gain momentum, and one will be “tossed to and fro.”

*And we are left to believe what others say about the Bible, like media or random posts on social media, even preachers. so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Ephesians 4:14*

An answer to stability in a world that rocks us “to and fro” is to become Biblically literate, ultimately discover what the entire book says about Jesus. Dig in and read. Knowing the truth comes from opening the book and reading it yourself. The Bible is not a killjoy, but one will never know this unless they read it themselves. The Bible is not a legalistic book of rules.

Without exception, I believe the most underutilized, underappreciated book is the Bible. Whether you are a Christian, an atheist, a believer in God, whatever, the Bible is an invaluable resource for history, a view of mankind. It is a literary masterpiece. As an avid reader of the Bible, I have learned how the practical advice of this book will lead one to a rich (not money) life.

Unfortunately, our culture has turned the Bible into a book that divides, that is full of friction. My challenge to people is to pick the book up and see what it says for yourself. The book is an underutilized gift that I discovered later in life. No matter your stage of life, wisdom of the Bible awaits.

During his journeys in about 50 AD, after spending time in present day Turkey and Macedonia, Paul visited Athens. He had been traveling from city to city, country to country, hearing different beliefs and experiencing different cultures. But Athens was different, and Paul was “greatly distressed.”

As he walked the streets, he noticed that the people were very religious, worshipping many different gods (little g). Historians have estimated that there were over 30,000 gods. The city was full of different beliefs, philosophies, and idols.

The center of activity in Athens was the marketplace, bustling with people congregating to do business, discuss different beliefs, and socialize. Rather than avoid people, threatened by the different culture, Paul purposely, intentionally, jumped in the busy crowds each day. The Bible says that Paul reasoned in the marketplace, “day after day,” to anyone that was there. The following provides a picture of the scene.

*A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they **mean.”** (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) Acts 17:18-21*

Notice that the people listening to Paul aren’t offended. It appears that both sides have a great discussion about faith, and Paul is then invited to the central place of philosophy, the Areopagus, where the freshest ideas in Athens were shared. The people at the marketplace were generally curious and wanted to understand what he was saying.

How did Paul have these conversations, seemingly very naturally, in the marketplace, approaching the people with love? He gives us an answer in his first letter to the church of Corinth. Writing to the church in Corinth, Paul gives a great picture of what love looks like.

*If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, **so as to** remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at **wrongdoing, but** rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:1-7*

The love Paul writes about is not the emotional feeling that we think of with the word “love.” The love Paul writes about is loved based on truth. According to Christ, the word of God is truth (John 17:17). This love is not loud, irritable. But on the other hand, quiet faith lacks love. This love is not arrogant, but kind.

This love is not selfishly motivated, and freely offers grace. It isn’t irritable or resentful. And most importantly, the foundation of this love is the truth of God’s Word.

So in Athens, rather than approaching the people abrasively, he operated through a lens of pure, unfiltered love of mankind. He wasn’t irritable, but simply lived and shared the truth of God’s Word. Rather than remaining quiet, hiding what he believed, he lived what he believed. He presented the truth that had changed his life.

Paul’s love was driven by the grace that he had received. Formerly a violent leader against people that followed Jesus, he was radically changed by Christ. He knew grace, and his love for others was full of this grace. He wanted people to know the truth, what happened in his life.

Just like in Paul’s day, the marketplace today is a place of new ideas and thoughts within culture. The market needs the same love that Paul brought to the street in Athens 2,000 years ago. The market does not need a critical, judging eye, abrasive in construct and delivery. The market also doesn’t need a silent voice, afraid to share truth and live faith. What kind of love of mankind exists if truth is not shared?

The market today needs grace-filled truth marked with love. After all, the grace that has been received must be the grace that is given.

Impact others. Love generously.

As I watched the election tickers, the probability meters, and the betting odds, as I listened to the pundits, the candidates, and the campaign managers, it was a confusing evening. Everyone had his own version of the truth. You can choose a side and vehemently agree, but, at the end of the day, who is to say it is true? Watching the world today, you just don’t know. There seems to be no truth on any issue.

What is absolute truth? I watched a video once that showcased people around the United States attempting to answer this question. As you can imagine, the interviewer received tons of radically different answers. Many of the interviewees pondered for a while before stringing random thoughts together that led nowhere.

I saw a tattoo once that boldly declared: There is no absolute truth. What if this is the answer? What if truth is individual to each person — each person is left to define what truth is, who God is, what is wrong and right, and how one should live his or her life? In a society like this, there would be chaos, confusion, no order.

We would chase money, power, sports, and beauty, and we would try to live forever. Instability, stress, fear, and lack of trust would reign. Laws would not be concrete, as different systems of truth would make regulations of the land obsolete. Does all of this sound eerily familiar?

I suppose truth is the ultimate, perpetual battle with mankind.

It is interesting that on Thursday night at the Last Supper with his twelve disciples, Jesus focused on truth, as always. All chaos was about to break loose after this dinner, as Jesus was about to be arrested and hung on a cross. Jesus knew it, and he wanted to provide stability.

Absolute truth steadies the ship. Knowing, without a shadow of doubt, that someone has control of the crazy world that we live in provides an anchor.

So on that Thursday night, as chaos was about to ensue, Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”

There is the truth found in the Bible. Looking anywhere else will lead to disappointment and emptiness. Everyone is influenced by culture, especially me.

Do you feel a little shaken watching what is happening in our country, like you need an anchor? There is only one version of the truth. Flip to the book of John and start checking it out.