I sat respectfuly in the congregation and listened as the senior pastor told a story from his early days in the ministry.
It seems that he had accepted a s mall church and was struggling to make ends meet. To make up for the small salary he was being paid, he had taken on two other part time jobs. The hours were grueling. The pay was awful. The strain on his wife, now eight months pregnant and himself was becoming quite evident.
On this particular day as he arrived home from a long days work he was met at the door by his three year old daughter. She hugged him and told him she loved him and missed him. Then she said something that shook him to the bone. She said "Daddy I hungry".
His wife was on complete rest until the new baby was born so he walked to the kitchen and opened the cabnets to find some food he could make for his little girl. Each cabnet he opened reveiled the same picture. There was no food in the house.
The young pastor felt awful. He was a failure to his family. Surely by working three jobs he should be able to provide for his wife and child. He took his little girl and drove a short distance to the church. As the little girl crawled under the pews and played in the sanctuary, the young pastor poured his heart out to God at the altar. He asked for help and strength and knowledge to be able to make things happen.
The more I listened to the story, the more angry I became at God.
"How can you allow a young man who has dedicated his life to serving you become so bogged down with financial problems that he can't feed his baby daughter? Of all people, those who are devoted to serving you should be the one's you care the most about. It is just not fair"
The story continued. As he arrived home he walked into the kitchen and found mounds of food placed there by "someone". His wife hadn't heard anyone enter the house. There was no note. Nothing left to identify the giver. But the food left there in the kitchen was more than enough to keep this little family going for many months.
"Forgive me God", I said. "You were providing for him all the time. You blessed him more by providing for him than if you had allowed him to make the money and pay for the food himself."
This is not a random story. I could share many more with you how that God's children seem to be beat down, run over, and forgotten. But in the end, their needs are met by a loving and caring God.
It's all going to be good in the end and if it's not good, it's not the end.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
The wall of Giving
If a preacher wants to make his congregation mad all he has to do is preach on giving. I've heard over and over again "All they talk about at that church is give us your money". It's a sore spot with me especially when I hear radio and television preachers teach on faith and trusting God and then end their message with a statement like "we can only survive if you send your love offering of $100.00 today".
I am a firm believer in giving of your means to God. My Dad and Mom were insistent on me taking ten cents out of my $1.00 allowance many years ago, putting it in an offering envelope, putting my name on it and placing it in the offering plate. It was a lesson they taught me by word and example. And I don't think we need to limit ourselves to ten percent. We should give as God has blessed us.
I have some weird ideas about offering taking at church. I have suggested this to several of my pastors without much receptive response. I believe we could eliminate all this talk about money if we placed a box at the rear of the church and told people we would not be taking up offerings but trusted them to place money as God leads them into the box. I think it will work and give us a unique way to express to people that we want them and not their money.
Giving is not limited to our money. Talents, gifts, abilities, skills are all things that should be offered to God for His glory. It is often much easier to write a check and think that I am giving to God instead of using the talents that He gave me to honor Him.
I can drop $5.00 in the offering plate and feel good about it. It doesn't hurt too much. But if I have to give up time and effort...now wait, that might be asking a little more than I want to give.
I've heard many messages on tithing not only our money but our talents and our time. If you really want to feel guilty, calculate the amount of time you give to God each week. If you are an average Christian, you will find that even if you count going to church on Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night the time you offer to God comes up embarrassingly short of 10%.
I know and you know that we can not "out-give" God. He has much more than you have and He doesn't need anything that you might possess. But you need to give to God. You need to give your money, time, talent or whatever it might be that He places on your heart to give.
So defend yourself from the enemy. Build a wall by giving of your means. Build a wall by giving back to God of the things He has so graciously given to you.
I am a firm believer in giving of your means to God. My Dad and Mom were insistent on me taking ten cents out of my $1.00 allowance many years ago, putting it in an offering envelope, putting my name on it and placing it in the offering plate. It was a lesson they taught me by word and example. And I don't think we need to limit ourselves to ten percent. We should give as God has blessed us.
I have some weird ideas about offering taking at church. I have suggested this to several of my pastors without much receptive response. I believe we could eliminate all this talk about money if we placed a box at the rear of the church and told people we would not be taking up offerings but trusted them to place money as God leads them into the box. I think it will work and give us a unique way to express to people that we want them and not their money.
Giving is not limited to our money. Talents, gifts, abilities, skills are all things that should be offered to God for His glory. It is often much easier to write a check and think that I am giving to God instead of using the talents that He gave me to honor Him.
I can drop $5.00 in the offering plate and feel good about it. It doesn't hurt too much. But if I have to give up time and effort...now wait, that might be asking a little more than I want to give.
I've heard many messages on tithing not only our money but our talents and our time. If you really want to feel guilty, calculate the amount of time you give to God each week. If you are an average Christian, you will find that even if you count going to church on Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night the time you offer to God comes up embarrassingly short of 10%.
I know and you know that we can not "out-give" God. He has much more than you have and He doesn't need anything that you might possess. But you need to give to God. You need to give your money, time, talent or whatever it might be that He places on your heart to give.
So defend yourself from the enemy. Build a wall by giving of your means. Build a wall by giving back to God of the things He has so graciously given to you.
The Wall of Praise
If you read any of the stuff that I write you may recognize what I'm about to tell you as something that was in a previous writing. But I thought it was important then and I think it is just as important now, so I will repeat some of what I said before.
If you ask anyone who is in the least bit familiar with the Bible, "who is the Bible character most often refereed to when we talk about praise" you will most likely get the answer "David".
David the shepherd, David the warrior, David the King, in every situation in his life David was a man of praise. I have learned an interesting thing in studying about David . The Hebrew language in which the Book of Psalms was written, had 6 words for the word that in our English language means praise. Let me briefly share them with you.
1. Yadah: This word means to extend the hands. It is an action word. I think about the old Nazarene church when people would get blessed and raise their hands to the Lord.
2. Tehhillaw: This word refers to a hymn of praise. We do this all the time in our churches. We sing songs of praise to God.
3. Zamar: This word refers to playing an instrument with our fingers.
4. Halal: This word is sort of strange. It means to make a show, celebrate, show out. If you were brought up in the "old Nazarene" church or one like it, you will no doubt remember the celebrations that occurred from time to time. I've seen shouting, and waving hands and yes even running the isles in praise to God.
5. Shabach: Means addressing loudly. I think of the old man who use to attend camp meetings who encouraged the speaker and praised God by loudly and strongly proclaiming "Glory be to God forever".
6. Towdal: This type of praise refers to the praise given by a choir of singers.
I hear often I just don't know how to praise God. Well here are six ways you can accomplish that act of praise. You can raise your hands to God, you can sing by yourself, you can play an instrument, you can act crazy and celebrate (that might be the easiest way for some of you), you can shout or speak loudly or you can sing with others. You might even find more ways of praising God.
My point is this. Surround yourself, your Christian life, your family and your church with the wall of Praise. It will quench the fiery darts of the wicked.
If you ask anyone who is in the least bit familiar with the Bible, "who is the Bible character most often refereed to when we talk about praise" you will most likely get the answer "David".
David the shepherd, David the warrior, David the King, in every situation in his life David was a man of praise. I have learned an interesting thing in studying about David . The Hebrew language in which the Book of Psalms was written, had 6 words for the word that in our English language means praise. Let me briefly share them with you.
1. Yadah: This word means to extend the hands. It is an action word. I think about the old Nazarene church when people would get blessed and raise their hands to the Lord.
2. Tehhillaw: This word refers to a hymn of praise. We do this all the time in our churches. We sing songs of praise to God.
3. Zamar: This word refers to playing an instrument with our fingers.
4. Halal: This word is sort of strange. It means to make a show, celebrate, show out. If you were brought up in the "old Nazarene" church or one like it, you will no doubt remember the celebrations that occurred from time to time. I've seen shouting, and waving hands and yes even running the isles in praise to God.
5. Shabach: Means addressing loudly. I think of the old man who use to attend camp meetings who encouraged the speaker and praised God by loudly and strongly proclaiming "Glory be to God forever".
6. Towdal: This type of praise refers to the praise given by a choir of singers.
I hear often I just don't know how to praise God. Well here are six ways you can accomplish that act of praise. You can raise your hands to God, you can sing by yourself, you can play an instrument, you can act crazy and celebrate (that might be the easiest way for some of you), you can shout or speak loudly or you can sing with others. You might even find more ways of praising God.
My point is this. Surround yourself, your Christian life, your family and your church with the wall of Praise. It will quench the fiery darts of the wicked.
The wall of Bible Study
I was raised in a Nazarene environment. We attended the Church of the Nazarene, listened to Nazarene preaching, went to Nazarene camp meetings, played and sang Nazarene songs, and studied Nazarene material. (As a side note, I sometimes wished we were Baptist. Everyone knew what a Baptist was but most thought that Nazarenes were some sort of cult. I'm not sure we have progressed much from those times.) I remember a little devotional book that provided us with materials to consider. It was called the "Come Ye Apart".
I sort of laugh at it today because we talk about having a "come apart" meaning that we fly off the rocker or go sort of crazy...but back then "come ye apart" meant to come apart and rest awhile. I'm chasing rabbits again.
There are other devotional books around. "The Upper Room" and "Beside Still Waters" are just two. You can get a lot of help and encouragement from these books.
There are many books that I treasure which I read, sometime over and over again. I don't want to diminish the importance of those Godly books that help us in our Christian experience.
But if we want to protect ourselves and our Christian lives from Satan we need to build a wall of Bible study. Not studying good books, or devotionals but the Word of God.
A pastor friend referred to it as "the living" Word of God. It is alive and brings new light and insight to us every time we read it. I have a habit of writing in my copy of the Word. If God speaks to me in a certain passage I make a little note out to the side. Sometimes I put a date beside it. Then, perhaps years later, I find in re-reading that same passage it says something entirely different to me. It addresses another issue in another way. The Word is alive.
You can read Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn or Shakespeare or whatever book you want to read and when you go back and read it....it says the same thing. But the Bible is alive and speaks to the situations we face in a new and exciting way each time we read it.
And before I go let me say we need to do more than just read through the Bible. We need to study the Bible. There are plenty of books to help you understand the Bible. Dictionaries, concordance, topical Bibles, reference books, various interpretations all lend aid to your understanding of God's
Word.
Read it, study it, memorize it, carry it with you, don't leave home without it. Surround your self and your home with the Word of God. It is a wall that will prevent your enemy from entering your city.
I sort of laugh at it today because we talk about having a "come apart" meaning that we fly off the rocker or go sort of crazy...but back then "come ye apart" meant to come apart and rest awhile. I'm chasing rabbits again.
There are other devotional books around. "The Upper Room" and "Beside Still Waters" are just two. You can get a lot of help and encouragement from these books.
There are many books that I treasure which I read, sometime over and over again. I don't want to diminish the importance of those Godly books that help us in our Christian experience.
But if we want to protect ourselves and our Christian lives from Satan we need to build a wall of Bible study. Not studying good books, or devotionals but the Word of God.
A pastor friend referred to it as "the living" Word of God. It is alive and brings new light and insight to us every time we read it. I have a habit of writing in my copy of the Word. If God speaks to me in a certain passage I make a little note out to the side. Sometimes I put a date beside it. Then, perhaps years later, I find in re-reading that same passage it says something entirely different to me. It addresses another issue in another way. The Word is alive.
You can read Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn or Shakespeare or whatever book you want to read and when you go back and read it....it says the same thing. But the Bible is alive and speaks to the situations we face in a new and exciting way each time we read it.
And before I go let me say we need to do more than just read through the Bible. We need to study the Bible. There are plenty of books to help you understand the Bible. Dictionaries, concordance, topical Bibles, reference books, various interpretations all lend aid to your understanding of God's
Word.
Read it, study it, memorize it, carry it with you, don't leave home without it. Surround your self and your home with the Word of God. It is a wall that will prevent your enemy from entering your city.
The Wall of Prayer
The topic of prayer is one that could probably be discussed and studied from now until eternity and never be exhausted. There have been hundreds if not thousands of books, sermons, lessons, etc that have been presented on the topic. I just want to add my two cents worth here.
First of all I believe that prayer should be prayed at a specific time. I know you will say to me, "but I can pray any time", and your are right. You can and do and so do I. But I also have a specific time when I go to God and meet with Him. It is our time. It is a time when I do not allow other things to interfere. It is a time set aside for just me and God. And oh, how special it is.
My special time of prayer is early in the morning. I don't want to start my day without talking to God. Most mornings I start before I get out of bed. I just lie there and listen to the birds and feel the cool morning breeze blow in from the fields and just say good morning to Him and listen to Him tell me how much He loves me. Later on in the morning I will move into a more structured time of prayer. When I bring my concerns of the day, my praise and my thanksgiving to Him. But that is our time, our specific time for prayer.
Secondly, I believe we should have a specific place for prayer. Again you will say, "but I can pray anywhere" and again you are right. I pray in my truck driving down the road, on the tractor in the field, at work in the office, at church or any place else when I feel the need to pray. But I believe it is important to set aside a certain, specific place where you and God can meet and talk. I call it my "home field advantage".
When playing sports most teams want to play on their own field, their home field. There they are comfortable with the surroundings and can play their best game. If I am going to fight the devil and go into battle with him about the issues of my life, I want to fight on my ground. I want the home field advantage.
An old pastor had a unique way of establishing this home field advantage. He had a small hill behind his house and when it came time for his prayer with God, when he had a certain burden to take to God, he carried a rock to the top of the hill and placed it in a pile there. It became his altar to God. I am told that before his death there was a massive pile of rocks there on top of that old hill.
Not only do I believe we should have a specific time and a specific place for prayer, I also believe we should pray specifically.
If my prayer for you is "God bless _____ today". God may bless you but if I am not specific in my prayer how will I know that God has answered? For instance if I pray "God help my friend today" and do not address your specific need, God may help you but I will not know and can not thank Him for it and tell others about His wonderful intervention in your life.
It is much more beneficial if I pray, "God my friend needs $50 today to pay the bills" or "My friend needs to be relieved of the pain in his knee" or "God help my friend have peace about this event in his life". Then when God breaks in and does His work, my friend will know, I will know and we can tell the wonderful things that God has done, specifically.
Set aside a specific time, sanctify a specific place and pray specifically. I believe you will see that this wall will help protect you from the wiles of the devil.
First of all I believe that prayer should be prayed at a specific time. I know you will say to me, "but I can pray any time", and your are right. You can and do and so do I. But I also have a specific time when I go to God and meet with Him. It is our time. It is a time when I do not allow other things to interfere. It is a time set aside for just me and God. And oh, how special it is.
My special time of prayer is early in the morning. I don't want to start my day without talking to God. Most mornings I start before I get out of bed. I just lie there and listen to the birds and feel the cool morning breeze blow in from the fields and just say good morning to Him and listen to Him tell me how much He loves me. Later on in the morning I will move into a more structured time of prayer. When I bring my concerns of the day, my praise and my thanksgiving to Him. But that is our time, our specific time for prayer.
Secondly, I believe we should have a specific place for prayer. Again you will say, "but I can pray anywhere" and again you are right. I pray in my truck driving down the road, on the tractor in the field, at work in the office, at church or any place else when I feel the need to pray. But I believe it is important to set aside a certain, specific place where you and God can meet and talk. I call it my "home field advantage".
When playing sports most teams want to play on their own field, their home field. There they are comfortable with the surroundings and can play their best game. If I am going to fight the devil and go into battle with him about the issues of my life, I want to fight on my ground. I want the home field advantage.
An old pastor had a unique way of establishing this home field advantage. He had a small hill behind his house and when it came time for his prayer with God, when he had a certain burden to take to God, he carried a rock to the top of the hill and placed it in a pile there. It became his altar to God. I am told that before his death there was a massive pile of rocks there on top of that old hill.
Not only do I believe we should have a specific time and a specific place for prayer, I also believe we should pray specifically.
If my prayer for you is "God bless _____ today". God may bless you but if I am not specific in my prayer how will I know that God has answered? For instance if I pray "God help my friend today" and do not address your specific need, God may help you but I will not know and can not thank Him for it and tell others about His wonderful intervention in your life.
It is much more beneficial if I pray, "God my friend needs $50 today to pay the bills" or "My friend needs to be relieved of the pain in his knee" or "God help my friend have peace about this event in his life". Then when God breaks in and does His work, my friend will know, I will know and we can tell the wonderful things that God has done, specifically.
Set aside a specific time, sanctify a specific place and pray specifically. I believe you will see that this wall will help protect you from the wiles of the devil.
Building Walls
In continuing my thoughts on Ezra and Nehemiah let's now talk about the walls that Nehemiah built. It was Nehemiah's contention that even if the temple were built or re-built to it's previous glory, there were still enemies out there whose desire it was to prevent these people from serving their God.
Can I just stop and tell you that there are people in our world, in our nation, in our state in our towns and yes probably in our own families who want to prevent us from serving God as we should?
Nehemiah felt that even if the temple were built, without strong walls, the enemy would come in and destroy the temple again. And as important as the temple was to the people, if they didn't build strong walls, the temple would be destroyed and their freedom to serve God would be hindered.
If you are a Christian you have established your temple. You have accepted Christ as your Savior and are living for Him. But I'd just bet my tractor against your broken down mule that your enemy is trying his best to destroy your Christian life.
Troubles, trials, temptations pound you each day. Someone said recently that there are three types of people, "those who are having problems, those who are coming out of problems, or those who are about to get into problems". Not very encouraging but it's pretty much true.
Satan would like nothing better than to smash your temple, extinguish your witness, break up your home and terminate your Christian life. I Peter 5:8 tells us that he is as "a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour". So we as Christians need to build strong walls around the things that are valuable to us to prevent his onslaught.
Yes it is our choice to accept Jesus as our Savior and ask Him to come into our lives and make us His children. But without building and maintaining walls of protection around our lives the enemy will come in and defeat us.
I know if you are a history buff or a Bible scholar you will know that the city of Jerusalem had more than four walls. It wasn't built in a square. But for my illustration, my city is going to have four walls. You can take this and expound on it all you'd like. You can build as many walls as you can maintain. But let me run with this and just show you four walls that I believe need to be established if we are to protect our temple from the devil.
I believe we must build and maintain the walls of Prayer, Bible study, Praise and Giving and in the next few writings I want to point out to you some thoughts on why I believe these walls are important.
Can I just stop and tell you that there are people in our world, in our nation, in our state in our towns and yes probably in our own families who want to prevent us from serving God as we should?
Nehemiah felt that even if the temple were built, without strong walls, the enemy would come in and destroy the temple again. And as important as the temple was to the people, if they didn't build strong walls, the temple would be destroyed and their freedom to serve God would be hindered.
If you are a Christian you have established your temple. You have accepted Christ as your Savior and are living for Him. But I'd just bet my tractor against your broken down mule that your enemy is trying his best to destroy your Christian life.
Troubles, trials, temptations pound you each day. Someone said recently that there are three types of people, "those who are having problems, those who are coming out of problems, or those who are about to get into problems". Not very encouraging but it's pretty much true.
Satan would like nothing better than to smash your temple, extinguish your witness, break up your home and terminate your Christian life. I Peter 5:8 tells us that he is as "a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour". So we as Christians need to build strong walls around the things that are valuable to us to prevent his onslaught.
Yes it is our choice to accept Jesus as our Savior and ask Him to come into our lives and make us His children. But without building and maintaining walls of protection around our lives the enemy will come in and defeat us.
I know if you are a history buff or a Bible scholar you will know that the city of Jerusalem had more than four walls. It wasn't built in a square. But for my illustration, my city is going to have four walls. You can take this and expound on it all you'd like. You can build as many walls as you can maintain. But let me run with this and just show you four walls that I believe need to be established if we are to protect our temple from the devil.
I believe we must build and maintain the walls of Prayer, Bible study, Praise and Giving and in the next few writings I want to point out to you some thoughts on why I believe these walls are important.
Projects
Recently, I had the privilege of speaking at a "Homecoming" service. I'm not sure what good the message did for others but it helped me. I'll not try to cram the whole message into one short devotion but will slice it up so you won't have to eat the whole elephant at one time but you can eat it one bite at a time.
The first point I want to make to you is from the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. According to which Bible scholar you read, the events in these books took place at about the same time. God placed a burden on the heart of Ezra to return to Jerusalem and re-build the temple that had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar about 100 years before.
At about the same time He also put in the heart of Nehemiah the burden to return and re-build the walls surrounding the city. Both of these men had a definite calling from God. Both felt the passion to get the job done for God's glory. Both went about their task with great resolve. The interesting thing is that nowhere in the scripture do you find Ezra saying, "I just wish Nehemiah would get with the program. All he wants to do is play with that wall. He needs to understand the importance of the temple".
And nowhere do you hear Nehemiah saying, "Ezra should come and help us. Everyone else is working hard on these walls. I don't understand why he is so obsessed with the temple".
Instead they worked on the project that God gave them and they gave their all to see that it was accomplished according to God's plan.
I don't see that in our churches today, do you? What I see and hear are people who say, "The youth are the church of tomorrow. We need to get involved with our youth". Others will say, "The senior adults are the people who have the knowledge and wisdom to help us build the church. That is where we need to focus our efforts". Others stress the music, the missionaries, VBS or some other project and if you don't get on board with their efforts then surely their sincerity and commitment to God is questioned.
Let me say that if God has given you a passion for music or youth or VBS or visitation or whatever it might be, get to it! Go at it with all your heart and soul but don't brow-beat your fellow Christian because he or she does not get as excited as you do about it. They may have another passion another project that God has shown them.
Establish your temple, build your walls under God's leadership and tutelage.
The first point I want to make to you is from the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. According to which Bible scholar you read, the events in these books took place at about the same time. God placed a burden on the heart of Ezra to return to Jerusalem and re-build the temple that had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar about 100 years before.
At about the same time He also put in the heart of Nehemiah the burden to return and re-build the walls surrounding the city. Both of these men had a definite calling from God. Both felt the passion to get the job done for God's glory. Both went about their task with great resolve. The interesting thing is that nowhere in the scripture do you find Ezra saying, "I just wish Nehemiah would get with the program. All he wants to do is play with that wall. He needs to understand the importance of the temple".
And nowhere do you hear Nehemiah saying, "Ezra should come and help us. Everyone else is working hard on these walls. I don't understand why he is so obsessed with the temple".
Instead they worked on the project that God gave them and they gave their all to see that it was accomplished according to God's plan.
I don't see that in our churches today, do you? What I see and hear are people who say, "The youth are the church of tomorrow. We need to get involved with our youth". Others will say, "The senior adults are the people who have the knowledge and wisdom to help us build the church. That is where we need to focus our efforts". Others stress the music, the missionaries, VBS or some other project and if you don't get on board with their efforts then surely their sincerity and commitment to God is questioned.
Let me say that if God has given you a passion for music or youth or VBS or visitation or whatever it might be, get to it! Go at it with all your heart and soul but don't brow-beat your fellow Christian because he or she does not get as excited as you do about it. They may have another passion another project that God has shown them.
Establish your temple, build your walls under God's leadership and tutelage.
LIVING ON PURPOSE
My nephew, Hunter just recently graduated from high school. I was very proud of him. It seems that he "has it all together". Even while he was in school he seemed to know what he wanted to do. He knew the classes he wanted to take because they would help him achieve his goals.
Now that he has graduated he will be attending the University of Alabama in the fall and it seems he is on track to accomplish his plan.
My problem is I don't think I ever had a plan. It seems to me that my life has been a series of accidents, at least on my part. It seems that I have just stumbled into whatever situation I find myself.
When I was in high school I didn't plan on anything. Others wanted to graduate and go to this college or that school. I just wanted to graduate. I had no plans after that. And I did graduate. You couldn't tell it from my spelling and writing skills but I did.
When I graduated from high school there was this little thing called the Viet Nam war going on. (I know that's ancient history to some of you.) I looked at the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines and was not really excited about either of them. Then one night a friend asked "Have you ever considered the U.S. Coast Guard"?
A few "trips" and a few stumbles and I was in the Guard. When I came out of boot camp they asked me what my interest were. I had none. No plans. So after a battery of test they sat down and told me what I was qualified to do. "Which of these do you want to do?" they asked. "Whichever one takes me closer to the South" I said. I was in California at the time and it was no secret that I wasn't happy there. So I tumbled headlong into diesel mechanic school in Yorktown, Virgina.
Graduating from that school I was tripped again and splashed into a search and rescue unit out of Galveston, Texas. Three years later I did a face plant into a volunteer fire department in Calera. EMT school, a job at the ambulance service, a job with the county, a job with EMA it just went on and on. My life has been a long line of accidents on my part. I did nothing on purpose, it just happened.
But now I am old and I manage a department for the county. My management tool is a legal pad and a clip board. I get up each morning and write down a list of things that I need to do that day. As they are accomplished I mark them off the list. As other things come up, I put them on the list. I plan my day around this list and thus manage my day "on purpose".
Now let me show you what God showed me this week. My prayer has been for a long time, "Lord, put someone in my path today so I can help them and encourage them and show them Your love". That's a pretty noble prayer don't you think? But that's not "living on purpose". That's living my Christian life just like my life has always been lived. If I happen to trip over you today I might say some kind word or do some kind deed. But far be it from me to plan to be helpful.
So I have determined that I will plan to do good. Each day I pick out someone and send them a note, text, email or phone call to encourage them. I listen to the prayer request at church and if I don't know anyone that I think needs encouragement, I'll start with those who have needs.
Just a word of encouragement. Just a note to let them know someone is thinking about them and praying for them. Not accidentally, but on purpose. It's working for me. You might try it. Do something today "on purpose". I think you will see that it increases your productivity.
Now that he has graduated he will be attending the University of Alabama in the fall and it seems he is on track to accomplish his plan.
My problem is I don't think I ever had a plan. It seems to me that my life has been a series of accidents, at least on my part. It seems that I have just stumbled into whatever situation I find myself.
When I was in high school I didn't plan on anything. Others wanted to graduate and go to this college or that school. I just wanted to graduate. I had no plans after that. And I did graduate. You couldn't tell it from my spelling and writing skills but I did.
When I graduated from high school there was this little thing called the Viet Nam war going on. (I know that's ancient history to some of you.) I looked at the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines and was not really excited about either of them. Then one night a friend asked "Have you ever considered the U.S. Coast Guard"?
A few "trips" and a few stumbles and I was in the Guard. When I came out of boot camp they asked me what my interest were. I had none. No plans. So after a battery of test they sat down and told me what I was qualified to do. "Which of these do you want to do?" they asked. "Whichever one takes me closer to the South" I said. I was in California at the time and it was no secret that I wasn't happy there. So I tumbled headlong into diesel mechanic school in Yorktown, Virgina.
Graduating from that school I was tripped again and splashed into a search and rescue unit out of Galveston, Texas. Three years later I did a face plant into a volunteer fire department in Calera. EMT school, a job at the ambulance service, a job with the county, a job with EMA it just went on and on. My life has been a long line of accidents on my part. I did nothing on purpose, it just happened.
But now I am old and I manage a department for the county. My management tool is a legal pad and a clip board. I get up each morning and write down a list of things that I need to do that day. As they are accomplished I mark them off the list. As other things come up, I put them on the list. I plan my day around this list and thus manage my day "on purpose".
Now let me show you what God showed me this week. My prayer has been for a long time, "Lord, put someone in my path today so I can help them and encourage them and show them Your love". That's a pretty noble prayer don't you think? But that's not "living on purpose". That's living my Christian life just like my life has always been lived. If I happen to trip over you today I might say some kind word or do some kind deed. But far be it from me to plan to be helpful.
So I have determined that I will plan to do good. Each day I pick out someone and send them a note, text, email or phone call to encourage them. I listen to the prayer request at church and if I don't know anyone that I think needs encouragement, I'll start with those who have needs.
Just a word of encouragement. Just a note to let them know someone is thinking about them and praying for them. Not accidentally, but on purpose. It's working for me. You might try it. Do something today "on purpose". I think you will see that it increases your productivity.
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