Are We Already Fulfilling God's 'Plan' for Us?

John Shore
Whenever I hear how God has a plan for me, I always think, "Excellent! I can't wait to find out what it is!" Like any time now a Fed-Ex guy will knock on my door with an overnight delivery envelope. "Looks like God's plan for you has arrived!" he'll say. "Sign here." Lately I've been rethinking the whole idea of God having a "plan" for me. Because if there really is a plan for me, then that means that ultimately God intends me to be somewhere other than where I am right now, to do something other than what I'm doing right now, to maybe be someone other than who I am, right now. Something about that feels a little counter-intuitive. And it makes me wonder if instead of being essentially subject to a "plan" God has for me, I'm not, exactly as I am right now, being the "plan" God has for me. I think maybe I'm already living the exact "plan" that God has had for me since the beginning of time. Not that I'm perfect, or have arrived at some lofty height just south of heaven, or anything like that. No, because that kind of paradigm -- that "I'm moving from this lower point to that higher point"-- is, I think, a view of God's relationship to us that's entirely too simple, linear, essentially evaluative in nature. I think it's too... human a way of looking at how God looks at us. If there's one thing we know about God, it's that he's all about process. All any of us can ever be is a work in progress. It's not like we ever complete our relationship with God. None of us ever reaches a point where we go, "Ah, good. I've now attained complete spiritual and intellectual understanding of God, and of all his glory! Great! Well, I'm off to the store! Big sale on watermelons!" No. God ever unfolds before us. From wherever we are we keep falling, and he keeps catching us, and putting us back in place. That's the relationship. That's the model. That's the plan. That's always the plan. There is no other plan. I do think God has a plan for me. I think maybe God's always had a plan for me. I think maybe that plan was for me to be born, to live exactly as I have, and to be, right now, exactly the imperfect, questioning, arrogant, willful, stubborn person that I am. Something about me being just who I am right now must work for God, or he'd have arranged it so that I had somehow ended up being different than I am. It's a scary thought, in that it's awfully close to really arrogant, and dangerously satisfied. But that's not what it's about. Instead, it's about saying, "Okay, if God loves me, then he loves all

of me, right now. So maybe I can just relax. Maybe who I'm supposed to be, and how I'm supposed to be, and where in this life I'm supposed to end up, is all up to God. Maybe all I'm supposed to do is just be alive. Maybe simply existing-maybe simply living every moment of my life exactly as I have up to this moment-is God's "plan" for me. Maybe that's always been God's plan for me." Maybe the whole of my life has been the fulfillment of a plan God's always had for... well, me. Maybe God's entire plan for me is nothing more complex or demanding than my finally understanding that God really and truly loves me, just as I am today.

15 Things I Have Learned from My Father

John Piper
Desiring God
Since my father died on March 6, I have been looking through his papers. I found a small sheet with the following fifteen counsels, titled Things I Have Learned. He didn't make most of these up. Some of them go back to his college days when he was absorbing the pithy wisdom of Bob Jones Senior. They have again confirmed the obvious: I owe my father more than I can ever remember. The comment after each one is mine.

Things I Have Learned

1. The right road always leads to the right place; therefore, get on the right road and go as far as you can on it. My father was totally persuaded that wrong means do not lead to right ends. Or, more positively, he was persuaded that living in the right way that is, doing the right things are means that inevitably lead to where God wants us to be. This is why he told me, when I asked about Gods leading in my life, Son, keep the room clean where you are, and in Gods time, the door to the next room will open. 2. There is only one thing to do about anything; that is the right thing. Do right. This is what one might say to a person perplexed by a difficult situation whose outcome is unknown. The person might say, I just dont know what to do about this. It is not useless to be told: Do the right thing. That may not tell you exactly which good thing to do, but it does clear the air and rule out a few dozen bad ideas. 3. Happiness is not found by looking for it. You stumble over happiness on the road to duty. My, my, my. How was John Piper born from this? I would never say this. The main reason is that the Bible commands us to pursue our joy repeatedly. Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say

rejoice. Delight yourself in the Lord. I think what he meant was: 1) Joy is always in something. Joy itself is not the something. So we seek joy in Christ. Not just joy in general. 2) When duty is hard and we do not feel joy in doing it, we should still do it, and pray that in the doing it the joy would be given. But what we need to make plain is that duty cannot be contrasted with joy, because joy is a biblical duty. 4. The door to success swings on the hinges of opposition. Remarkably, this saying implies that opposition is not just a natural accompaniment or antecedent of success, but that it is a means by which the door opens. One can think of many biblical examples. The opposition of Josephs brothers opened the door to his leadership in Egypt. The taxing of the empire opened the door to getting the Messiah born in Bethlehem, not Nazareth, and thus fulfilling prophecy. The betrayal of Judas opened the door to the salvation of the world. 5. God in the right place in my life fixes every other relationship of life (Matthew 6:33). I wonder if this was tucked away in my mind so that unknown to me it controlled my analogy of the solar system to our many-faceted lives. If God is the blazing center of the solar system of our lives, then all the planets will be held in their proper orbit. But if not, everything goes awry. 6. It is never right to get the right thing in the wrong way like good grades, wealth, power, position. Dont sacrifice your principles. Again, he hammers away at dont use bad means for good ends. Be a principled, not a pragmatic, person. O how we need to hear this today. Churches need to be principled, not endlessly adapting to culture. Persons need to make a promise and keep it no matter how much it hurts. 7. It is a sin to do less than your best. It is wrong to do [merely] well. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10). But be careful. Sometimes the best is a B+ sermon and spending time with your child. In other words, best always involves more decisions than the one you are making at the moment. That one means many other things are being left undone. So best is always the whole thing, not just the detail of the moment. 8. It is wrong to be yoked to one who refuses the yoke of Christ. Dont marry an unbeliever (1 Corinthians 7:39). Not all relationships with unbelievers are ruled out. Otherwise we could not obey Jesus command to love them and bless them. But yoke implies a connectedness that either governs where we go or constrains where they go. And you cannot constrain faith in Jesus. It is free. 9. The part of your character that is deficient is the part that needs attention. This is the counterpoint to the advice: Go with your strengths. There is truth in both. Yes, be encouraged by every evidence of Gods grace in your life, and use your gifts and graces for

his glory. But you will become smug and vain if you do not keep your deficiencies before you and work on them. 10. Dont quit. Finish the job. God cant use a quitter. Warning: He who endures to the end will be saved (Mark 13:13). Promise: He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). 11. Anything you do that hinders your progress for God is wrong. O how thankful I am that this was the dominant way my father pressed me to pursue my sanctification. He did not mainly impose lists of donts on me, though we had them. And they were clear. Mainly he said: Maximize your progress in knowing and serving God. That ruled out a hundred foolish behaviors, some bad and some uselessly innocent. 12. Beware of any society in which you feel compelled to put a bushel over your testimony. This implies that you can go into a group of people who are evil if you are willing to open your mouth and take a stand for Jesus and righteousness. Nevertheless, 1 Corinthians 15:33 stands: Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals. 13. It isnt enough to be good. Be good for something. The essence of Christianity is not a passionless purity. This is what I have meant in talking about a merely avoidance ethic. Dont just think of righteousness or holiness in terms of what you avoid, but what you do. As my father said in another place: Dont be a donter; be a doer. 14. Positive living produces negative effect[s]. This is wise counsel that affirmation of the good always implies negation of the bad. If you think you can live your life without negating anything, you have lost touch with reality. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good (Romans 12:9). You cannot love without hating what hurts the beloved. 15. Learn to be sweetly firm. This was what he said to my mother over the phone when she was exasperated with her one disobedient son: Be sweet and firm. I think she succeeded. With abiding and deep thankfulness for my fathers wisdom,

Hold Lightly What You Value Greatly

Ray Pritchard

Keep Believing Ministries

The land of a rich man produced plentifully and he thought to himself, "What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?" And he said, "I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry." But God said to him, "Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?" So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God (Luke 12:16-21). At first glance, it's hard to know what this man did wrong. He seems like the sort of man any of us would want as a church member. There is no hint in the story that he was a cheat, a crook or a scoundrel. Jesus never suggests that he obtained his money by unethical means. He doesn't seem to be the sort of man who tried to take advantage of his friends when they were in trouble. He wasn't a loan shark or a shady lawyer or a dishonest merchant. If he ever tried to hurt anyone, Jesus doesnt mention it. He was a farmer. That's a noble profession. We wouldn't eat if there weren't farmers to grow the crops and tend the herds. Since moving to Mississippi 20 months ago, I've come to a new appreciation of what farmers do. In this part of the world, they grow cotton, soybeans, peanuts, corn, rice, onions, sugar cane and sweet potatoes. And they raise cattle and hogs and chickens. It's hard work, not just the physical part, which is hard enough, but today's farmer has to be an economist, financier, business executive and computer expert on top of all the things he has to know about growing crops and raising animals. It's a 24/7 job and only the strong need apply. Lazy farmers won't last very long, and even the hardworking ones have a tough time making it. Right now we're suffering through a severe drought in the South, one of the worst in years, that has affected the growing season. The farmers are hoping and praying for rain to come, just in time but not too much because the water that produces the crops can destroy the harvest if it comes at the wrong time. Then there are bugs and diseases of various kinds. And even though today's farmer has a wide variety of pesticides to choose from, the bugs seem to get smarter every year. It's a hard life being a farmer, and even though you can find plenty of third- and fourth- and even fifth-generation farms, it true that many young people see how hard their parents have to work to keep the farm going, and they soon decide things look better in Memphis or Atlanta or Dallas or Chicago. You have to love the land to be a farmer, and you have to have perseverance to stay at it year after year. Among other things, a certain stoic resolve is required. A sudden disease can wipe out a herd or a late rain can ruin a crop and destroy your savings. A man can be farming today and bankrupt tomorrow. Sometimes it happens to those with the best of intentions. Anyone looking for an easy life should look elsewhere. So when you find a man who has made his fortune in farming, you know that he must have had a strong work ethic, he found some good land, he has good business sense, he knows how to manage his resources well, and he has good fortune on his side. You may think I'm overdoing it, but we can't grasp the point of Jesus' parable unless we give this man his due. You really can't fault him for anything he did. We can go further and say that he did what he was supposed to do. He farmed his way to the top. He was so successful that he had a bumper

crop. I have seen those mountains of grain when the harvest has come in. Sometimes they pile it up by the side of the road so it will dry before they store it. But sooner or later the farmer has to find a place to store it. He needs a barn or a silo or someplace else to keep it. His Success Overwhelmed His Capacity That really was this man's problem. His success had overwhelmed his capacity. He had all the grain he needed, more than he expected, and he had nowhere to put it. So he decided to build some barns to hold all the grain. That's a wonderful problem to have. It's like having . . . More money than you can spend. More food than you can eat. More clothes than you can wear. More cars than you can drive. More TVs than you can watch. More rings than you have fingers. More gifts than you have friends. More homes than you can visit. More beds than you can sleep in. More lawn than you can mow. More house than you can clean. More yachts than you can sail. More planes than you can fly. More cattle than you can count. More games than you can play. Most of us think that's a nice problem to have. To have so much of everything that you need nothing at all. You have more of everything that matters in life. Before going on, let me spell out this one key insight. Jesus is not condemning this man for working hard and being successful. The problem is not his outward success. The problem was in his heart. And that's what makes this story so tricky and so universally true. This isn't a parable about the dangers of being rich and successful. This is a parable the dangers of having the wrong kind of heart. And that can happen to any of us rich or poor, young or old, male or female, American or Bengali. Empty Nesters Marlene and I have had a chance to think about this a lot in the last twenty months. When we left Oak Park to move to Mississippi, we gave away a lot of what we owned. What we couldnt give away, we threw away. We disposed of a great deal of what we had accumulated over the last three decades. Some of it was old and worn out. Some of it we didn't need since the boys aren't living with us any more. Some of it we simply didn't want to bother with. Now that we are empty nesters, we're de-accumulating. Besides our furniture and our clothes and

various household items, my books constituted the largest part of what we carried with us when we moved. Box after box after box of books, most of them heavy, all of them packed tight, sorted only in the most general sense, and mostly just jumbled together. I had dozens of boxes of books that went from my office to our garage to the truck to the lodge on the other side of the lake. For months they stayed in boxes against the wall. Eventually I opened them up and put them on a long table in what once was the indoor recreation area at the lodge when it used to be a church camp 25 years ago. There my books collected dust and heavy Mississippi humidity during the summer months. Several times Marlene asked me what I was going to do with those books. To be fair I should add that over the years I have discarded hundreds of books, given some away, and still I have hundreds of books in those boxes. Here's what I discovered. I didn't need most of those books. Some of them I had carted from Dallas to California to Dallas to Chicago and then to Mississippi. The number of those books that I had actually consulted was very small indeed. Maybe I looked at them once or twice and then put them away. When I had those books covering three walls of my office in Oak Park, people used to say, "Have you read all those books?" And I would reply, "I've read parts of all of them." Which was loosely true, with an emphasis on the word "parts." A lot of those books I hadn't used in twenty years. Part of it is technological. More and more books are available either on the Internet or on CDs. I imagine the day will come when you can have a collection of 50,000 books on just one DVD. For all I know, that day may already be here. Of Making Many Books But having those books made me feel secure. If consulting five books is good, ten is better and twenty is better still, even though the last ten say the same thing as the first ten. Solomon explained all this 3000 years ago when he said, "Of making many books there is no end" (Ecclesiastes 12:12) or as The Message puts it, "There's no end to the publishing of books." I am living proof of the truth of those words. Let's be clear about this. There is nothing wrong with writing books or owning books.But life is more than books. Woe to the man who thinks that his books matter a whit in the eternal scheme of things. But there is more I wish to say about this. Recently just within the last week Marlene and I have moved from the cabin in the woods into a nice home in Tupelo. When I say a nice home, I mean that it is the newest home we've ever owned. It's only a year and a half old, beautifully finished, on a half-acre of land on the north side of town, near the airport. It's also the smallest house we've ever owned. It's a spacious kind of cozy, but there are three bedrooms, with one being my office, so we have plenty of room to do what we need to do. So this move meant going to the lodge on the other side of the lake, taking our things out of storage, loading them in a borrowed truck, and taking them to our new home. Like I said, we gave away or discarded lots of things when we moved, but we still had all those boxes of books that I had discovered I didn't really need. So do you know where they are now? They're still in the lodge on the other side of the lake. Why move something you haven't used and probably won't need in the future? And if I do need one of those books, I can always go out there and dig through the boxes to find it. We're very happy in our new home, and very grateful to God for his provision, part of which came in a way that seems miraculous to us. Moving ought to cause you to take stock of your life. One of my college professors who had moved many times said that every time you move,

you lose 20% of what you own. If you move five times, you end up replacing everything. Lets see. We moved from Dallas to California (1) back to Dallas (2) to north Oak Park (3) to central Oak Park (4) to the cabin in the woods (5) to our new home in Tupelo (6). I think my professor was right. We have almost nothing left from the early years, we gave away a lot when we moved from Oak Park, and were replacing some things that didnt survive this move or the storage in the lodge. And most of us as we grow older find that we can live a lot simpler than we could years ago. David reflects this truth in Psalm 131:2, "But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me." A weaned child has learned that he no longer needs what he thought he could never live without. Even so the Lord takes from us those things we thought we had to have so that our trust will be in him alone. The Upwardly-Mobile Fool The rich farmer did well in so many ways. He worked hard, he played by the rules, he spent his money wisely, he found good land, he worked it in the hot sun, he planted and he irrigated and when the harvest came in, he was rewarded far beyond his expectations. He planned to build more barns because he had so much that he couldnt care for all of it. Let me repeat what I said in the beginning. I find it very hard to criticize this man. He did what any of us would have done. In fact, this is exactly the sort of man we want in our churches. When we find a man like this, we cultivate him, we build a relationship, we invite him to a special dinner, we make he gets the red carpet treatment. A man like that could do a ministry a lot of good. We might make him the chairman of the elder board because he is such a good businessman. The lesson of this parable will be lost on us if we think that Jesus is criticizing him for being rich. That's not his problem. His problem isn't his wealth or his plans to expand his buildings. That was all quite commendable. Jesus condemned this man because he forgot one fact. He forgot that he was going to die someday. And what then? Someone else will have all that he owns. An old Italian proverbs says, "The last robe has no pockets." Billy Graham likes to say that he has never seen a Brinks truck following a hearse. There is no point is asking how much a man left because the answer is always, "He left all of it." Naked we come into the world, Naked we will leave the world. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Harry Bollback told me recently that he had been collecting some memorabilia about the life of Jack Wyrtzen important papers, crucial correspondence, that sort of thing. Harry said that the stack ended up being several feet tall. He said that he had done the same thing when one of his aunts died. Her stack was very thin, only an inch or two. "But they're both gone," he said. That's exactly the point. Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief. Death plays no favorites.

Watchman Nee Let me draw one simple application from all this and I will be done. I can state it this way. Hold lightly what you value greatly because it isn't yours anyway. In one of his books Watchman Nee said that we approach God like little children with open hands, begging for gifts. Because he is a good God, he fills our hands with good things life, health, friends, money, success, recognition, challenge, marriage, children, a nice home, a good job, all the things that we count at Thanksgiving when we count our blessings. And so like children, we rejoice in what we have received and run around comparing what we have with each other. When our hands are finally full, God says, My child, I long to have fellowship with you. Reach out your hand and take my hand. But we cant do it because our hands are full. God, we cant, we cry. Put those things aside and take my hand, he replied. No, we cant. Its too hard to put them down. But I am the one who gave them to you in the first place. O God, what you have asked for is too hard. Please dont ask us to put these things aside. And God answers quietly, You must. I learned this truth the hard way twenty years ago. It happened in another time and another place when I thought I was on top of the world. Everything looked so good to me. One day a friend dropped by to see me. Do you have a few minutes to talk, Pastor Ray? Of course, I replied, Come in. After a few minutes of conversation, she came to her point. Pastor Ray, you have to let go. Youre holding on too tightly. How a Good Thing Becomes an Idol It was one of those moments where from the first word of that sentence I knew exactly what she was going to say. And I knew she was right. Deep in my heart, I had known it for a long time but didnt want to face the truth. I was holding on to something so tightly that it had become an idol to me, something dearer than life itself. Before you ask, let me say simply that the thing was not evil or bad. In fact, it was a good thing that had become an idol that I dared not give up (an idol is anything good that becomes too important in your life). One year passed and things in my little world began to fall apart. Through a long string of circumstances I found myself facing a tragedy. Looking back I can see clearly that God was prying my fingers off that thing one by one. But when he got down to the thumb, I fought back. I didnt want to give it up. But God is stronger than any man and eventually he pulled my thumb off. As the wise man said, your arms are too short to box with God. I gave my idol back to him, but when I gave it back, I saw clearly that it was no pagan idol, but something good that had become too important in my life. In the end God took back that which had always belonged to him in the first place. One Sunday afternoon during this personal crisis I took a long walk and began to meditate on 1 Peter 4:19 (NIV), So then, those who suffer according to Gods will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." The little phrase according to Gods will caught my attention. I realized that it had been many years since I had been concerned about doing Gods will. Once that had been a consuming passion; now I hardly ever thought about it. And I remembered my friends admonition: Ray, you need to let go. As I walked, I held out an open palm and began to let go. Little by little, I released the things in my life that I had

been holding onto so tightly. As I did, I felt an enormous sense of relief, as if God were saying, Its about time. God orchestrates the affairs of life both the good and the bad to bring us to the place where our faith will be in him alone. Slowly but surely as we go through life, he weans us away from the things of the world. At first the process touches only our possessions (which we can replace), but eventually it touches our relationships (which may not be replaced), then it touches our loved ones (who cannot be replaced), finally it touches life itself (which is never replaced). Then there is nothing left but us and God. Through all this process our Heavenly Father leads us along the pathway of complete trust in him. Slowly but surely we discover that the things we thought we couldnt live without dont matter as much as we thought they did. Even the dearest and sweetest things of life take second place to the pleasure of knowing God. In the end we discover that he has emptied our hands of everything and then filled them with himself. Hold Lightly What God Has Given You In writing these words I am aware that I only dimly understand their full meaning. At this point in my life I still have many things in my hands my wife, my three boys, a wonderful daughter-in-law and another one coming soon, my friends, my career, my health, my dreams, my plans for the future. But the process of growing older is nothing more than this learning to hold lightly the things God has given you, knowing that you cant keep them forever anyway. At any moment, he can take them away one by one, two at a time, or all of them together. Or he could take back the life he gave me 54 years ago. If I have any advice for you, it is this. Learn to hold lightly what God has given you. You cant keep it forever and you cant take it with you. Some of you who read these words are in the midst of a great struggle in your life. You feel pressured about something and you dont want to give it up. But you must... and you will. I cant spare you the pain of yielding your dearest treasures to God, but I promise you the joy will far outweigh the pain you feel right now. We call the story Jesus told the parable of the rich fool. But he wasn't a fool because he was rich. He was a fool because he tried to hold on to what was never his in the first place. Don't be a fool! Let go of the things you own. Hold lightly what you value greatly. It all belongs to God anyway.

What Is It Like to Lose Every Worldly Possession?

Cal Thomas

Syndicated columnist
September 8, 2004 The devastation in Florida with losses in the billions of dollars made me wonder: what is it like to lose every worldly possession? I hope I never find out. Relief has been delayed for many because of the magnitude of the damage. Frances killed 11 people, nine in Florida. It could have been a lot worse. Thankfully modern forecasting gives people plenty of warning. But imagine how you would feel if everything you owned - furniture, keepsakes, family heirlooms, pictures - everything - had been wiped out. For many older people there is not enough time to make new memories. Most people are frustrated when they see catastrophes because they don't know what to do. May I suggest we all do something? There are many relief agencies - Christian and otherwise - working to help Floridians in their time of great need. Could all of you who hear my voice contribute $1, $5, or even more to a responsible agency? You can find the more familiar ones on the Internet, like the Red Cross. Don't look for the rest of the world which we have helped to help us. Let's help our own and do it today.

Use Your Material Possessions to Draw Closer to Christ

Whitney Hopler
Live It Editor
Kelly is constantly thinking of stuff she doesn't have. A pastor's wife, Kelly lives on an income that's far tighter than she would like. She regularly reminds her husband of what a

painful sacrifice it is for her to live on their income, and she often window-shops for things she would like to own. Kelly feels guilty about secretly buying lottery tickets, and even more guilty about resenting the members of her congregation who live in large houses filled with more stuff than she has in her small townhouse. Mike is always thinking about the stuff he has. He worked and saved for years to acquire things he dreamed of owning -- a Porshe in his garage, a big-screen television in his living room, an extensive collection of suits in his bedroom. Mike can't bring himself to get rid of all his stuff, but he frequently worries about whether it's demanding too much of his time and money. He and his wife sense a calling to start a family someday, but Mike doesn't see how he can make the necessary sacrifices. Then there's giving to their church. Mike never manages to drop more than a few dollars into the collection plate each week, despite knowing he should contribute much more. When he finds himself feeling badly about it, he takes a ride in his Porsche, which never fails to put him in a better mood. You may think you have either too little or too much stuff. But what truly matters is how you use the stuff you have. Here are five principles for using your stuff as tools to grow closer to Christ: 1. Don't give greater priority - as measured by your time and attention - to your stuff than you do to your relationship with Christ. It's often the case that the more possessions you have, the more they possess you. Buying, maintaining, insuring, fixing, cleaning, and storing your stuff can eat up a considerable amount of time. Do you really need that Oriental rug that requires you to take off your shoes every time you walk in your house? Do you need to get a wax job for your car every other week, or can you skip it? More importantly, time you don't spend taking care of your stuff can be spent in prayer or reading the Bible. Take an inventory, not of your stuff, but of the time you spend dealing with your stuff. How does that compare with the time you spend with Christ? If the former number is out of balance with the latter, you'll do well to simplify. Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6:24). 2. Your attitude toward stuff should bless others. In all things - including dealing with stuff - an attitude of love should rule your actions. It's not enough just to decide to get rid of extra stuff you already own and decide not to buy more. You can sanctimoniously congratulate yourself on not wanting or owning a lot of stuff, but still end up sinning if you fall into the traps of ingratitude or miserliness. For example, if friends or family members present you with gifts that cost more than you think they should, don't criticize their generosity by judging how they spent their money. Remember that just because a gift is expensive doesn't make it bad. As long as the gift-givers

are sincerely expressing love through their gifts and not trying to manipulate you through them, you should accept graciously and cheerfully. Don't feel pressured to reciprocate with expensive gifts of your own if God doesn't lead you to do so. But whenever you have stuff that you don't truly need - and that other people could use - be willing to be generous yourself. Acts 2:45 records that early Christians sold their possessions, giving "to anyone as he had need." They knew that material things are merely tools to express Christ's love and grow closer to Him. 3. Your stuff should foster enriching experiences. Manage wisely whatever God chooses to give you. Stuff isn't inherently bad; sometimes it can enable you to experience something that will draw you closer to Christ. If you can hear God's voice more clearly out in nature, it makes sense to own a tent and a sleeping bag so you can go camping. When Jesus attended the wedding in Cana, He chose to perform His first public miracle by changing water to wine. Serving wine was an important part of the wedding experience in that culture, and Jesus knew that preventing the supply of wine from running out would support the fellowship the wedding guests were enjoying. 4. Your stuff should honor Christ. In 1 Corinthians 10:23, 31, the apostle Paul wrote, "'Everything is permissible' - but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible' - but not everything is constructive. ... So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." Whatever stuff you choose to have should glorify God. Of course, that means you shouldn't own stuff that is by its nature opposed to God's teachings - such as pornographic magazines. Most of the stuff in our lives, however, doesn't fall into that category. We should use whatever we have in ways that honor Him. For example, you can use your television to watch news that keeps you informed, or an inspiring show that reflects biblical principles. Or you can use it to watch soap operas, filling your mind with values that don't please God. Think about how your stuff honors the Lord. If certain items don't, it's best to give them up. 5. Your stuff shouldn't make you feel discontent. Just like Kelly and Mike's experiences, stuff can rob us of the contentment God wants for us. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to agree with the apostle Paul: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to be have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situations, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" (Philippians 4:12)? What is that secret? A close relationship with Christ. All of our stuff will one day pass away from us, but a relationship with Christ is eternal!

How to Handle a Money Crisis

Mary Hunt

Debt-Proof Living
You know what to do in a medical emergency, but do you know what to do when faced with a big fat financial crisis? Read on .... After 10 years of marriage and tons of unwise decisions, my husband handed the finances to me to handle. I have never done this before. We have mountains of bills and $900 in the bank. I dont know where to start. Please help me. I feel like I am drowning. ~ Gladys A., email First you need to separate facts from feelings. There will be a time later to address emotional issues and how to develop financial intimacy in your marriage. But for now pack up your feelings and put them on a shelf. Develop a mindset that youve been called in to perform a financial rescue for a complete stranger. Take a deep breath and write down all of your bills. Include the bills for basic food, gasoline and necessary medications, if any, to survive until your next payday. Divide these bills into two lists: Essential and nonessential. An essential debt is a serious obligation that if not paid could produce severe, even life-threatening consequences. Follow this rule to figure out which bills should get paid first: Do not make payments on nonessential debts when you have not paid essential oneseven if your nonessential creditors are breathing down your neck. Now prioritize your bills as follows so that the most essential come first. This is the order in which you should allocate the $900 you have on hand. Essential debts 1. Family necessities. This means basic food, necessary medication and health insurance. 2. Rent or mortgage. Being late with a mortgage payment or rent could mean eviction or foreclosure. 3. Utilities. Pay the minimum required to keep essential utility services. 4. Car payments. If a car is necessary to keep a job, the payment is essential. 5. Child support. Paying child support is absolutely essential or you go to jail. 6. Other secured loans. If getting the item repossessed would be devastating, pay this bill next. Otherwise, consider it nonessential. 7. Unpaid taxes. If the IRS is about to take your paycheck, bank account, house or other property, you need to set up a repayment plan immediately. Nonessential debts These are bills you can let slide for a while because the effects of not paying will not be devastating. You still owe the money, youll pay late fees and you will damage your credit report. But in the big picture a blemished credit report is easier to live with than being thrown out of your home or having your car repossessed.

8. Student loans. 9. Credit cards. 10. Personal loans. 11. Medical, legal and accounting bills. 12. Other unsecured debts. Survival mode Its time for your family to move into survival mode. This means absolutely no spending at all for anything that isnt critically essential. Determine that you will live on the food you have in the house already, supplementing with milk and produce as necessary. Start planning for ways you can raise casha garage sale, working extra hours, selling larger items on eBay and so on. Please read my book, Debt-Proof Living and also the back issues of this newsletter as soon as you can. Soon you will know how to manage a paycheck. Join our online Discussion Boards as soon as possible. There you will find support, encouragement and friendship with people who understand because they are or have been where you are now. Knowing you are not alone will give you the hope you need to keep going. I know things look bleak right now. And that will change quickly. Just dont let your emotions run the show. Make decisions based on principles, not feelings. Remember tough times never last but tough people do.

Coaching Corner: Between the Dreaming and the Coming True

Michael D. Warden
Life Coach & Author
In my work with clients, a lot of the focus naturally centers on the question, What does it really take to make a dream come true? The process for moving a dream from a place of deep desire to reality is actually fairly simple. But that doesnt mean that the process is easy. As you already know from your own experience, the path to making something real is often fraught with obstacles and ditches and giants and gremlins and all sorts of other speed bumps that get in the way. The most common dream killer, however, is not an external one. Rather, it springs out of our impatience to make something happen right away, before the dream within us has had the opportunity to fully form in our hearts. Too often, people dream just a little, then grab their

dream by the collar and race headlong into action. And the action (or strategic planning, which is also action) kills the dream before it has had the chance to mature and become strong within us. Its horribly disheartening to snuff out a dream in this way, and typically leaves people feeling stuck and robbed of hope. What's missing is the artful, expansive skill of pondering. To ponder a dream is to ruminate on it, to meditate on it, to simply set it before you and look at it with open-ended curiosity purposefully refraining from trying to figure it out or make it do or be something in the real world. To ponder is to set the dream before God, and in that quiet, sacred space, to simply look at the dream together, and listen and watch as God unfolds it on deeper and deeper levels. Pondering is not something you do with your head. Its a heart activity (Luke 2:19). Its about giving a dream room to breath, to shift and grow, to change or expand, without you trying to force it to do any of those things. Pondering gives time and space for a dream to become fully formed. More importantly, it gives time and space for letting God have access to the dream, and giving Him free reign to speak to or touch or reshape the dream in any way He wishes; or perhaps, simply to breathe on it until it is fully alive and strong enough for you to stand on. When the dream is really ready, the path to making it real will become clear as well (via Gods Spirit), and the plan that emerges will feel more like something that came to you as inspiration, rather than something you had to strive to create out of your own strength and wits. Moving from dream to action without adequate pondering is like sending a baby out into the world and expecting him or her to act and fend for itself like a full-grown adult. It sets the dream up for failure, and squashes hope in the process. As I mentioned, our resistance to pondering stems from our impatient drive to get on with it and just make it happen, along with a sneaking suspicion that pondering is really just a waste of time. After all, you already know what you want, so why do you need to ponder it anymore? But the reality is, what you see of a dream at its beginning is just the tip of the iceberg. Its only about 10 percent of whats really there. And if you move to action too quickly, you will most likely find you do not really have the resolve or inspiration needed to make it succeed; but even if you do, the end result will only be 10 percent of what you really wanted. You discover the other 90 percent by allowing yourself the time and space you need to simply, openly ponder the dream in your heart. Pondering is essential to the process of making something real. It is not an optional step. Of course, it is possible to ponder a dream to deaththat is, to get stuck in dreaming as a way of avoiding the risks associated with taking real action. But I find the compulsive lurch to action is a far more common dream killer for most people. If your dream is worth engaging at all, then its worth taking the time to let your heart ponder itin the unhurried space between the dreaming and the coming trueuntil the dream is fully formed and resonates with a life and solidity all its own.

How to Change Lives through Worship, Justice, & Evangelism

Whitney Hopler
Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
Too often in the church, an artificial divide exists between three key areas on Gods heart worship, evangelism, and justice. God doesnt want you to separate what you sing, say, and do. If you let those areas overlap, theyll each become more powerful in your life and community, while honoring God more fully. Heres how you can combine worship, evangelism, and justice: Recognize that theres no true distinction between the sacred and the secular. Understand that God cares about every part of your life and wants you to make choices that honor Him in everything you say and do. So, for example, buying a pair of running shoes isnt just a secular activity; its also a spiritual activity because you can do your part to ensure that the people who made the running shoes earn a fair wage and work in reasonable conditions, which is an act of loving your neighbors as God wants you to do. Realize that you can have just as much of a ministry by chatting with your coworkers in the office cubicles next to yours as you can by speaking to large crowds of people from a church pulpit if you approach everything you do by giving your best effort to honor God. Worship through every part of your life. Know that worship means much more than just singing praise songs to God during a church service. Give God more than just a song when you worship. Realize that true worship means making God your highest priority in life. Dont allow anything or anyone else to take more of your attention than God. Understand that whatever you place above God in your life will cause you to see everything through the lens of that priority and often conflict with Gods plans for you. For example, if your top priority is to make money for financial security, that will affect all your decisions and conflict with Gods call to rely on Him for security and be generous with others. Be completely honest when expressing your thoughts and feelings to God. Remember that He knows all about you anyway, and wants to have a close relationship with you where you approach Him with confidence about anything thats on your heart. Dont use worship as an escape from reality; instead, invite God in through your worship to help you in the midst of your doubts and fears. Rather than worshipping God only when life is going your way and you feel like celebrating, worship Him when youre in the middle of tough circumstances as well. Remember that God is always worthy to be praised because of who He is, no matter what your feelings or circumstances at any particular time. Get rid of a consumer attitude that asks what you can get out of worship personally, and instead focus on how your worship can become an offering that blesses God. Ask God to use your worship to break your heart with the things that break His heart and motivate you to intercede in compassion for people who are suffering in this fallen world. Hold nothing back from your worship, because God is worthy of more than even the very best you can give. Try to make everything you do an act of worship to God, so your life matches the worship songs you sing. Let your love for God motivate you to love people through evangelism. As you express your love for God through worship, let that naturally lead you to love other people who are made in His image by sharing your faith with them. Pray for God to make you aware of daily opportunities to share His love with others, knowing that doing so is an act of devotion to Him. Dont settle for interacting with people from a distance; instead, get to know them, build relationships with the, and participate in their lives. Ask God to help you see

people the way He sees them so you can have the compassion and wisdom to help meet their needs as God leads you. Instead of viewing people as projects to work on, view them simply as people to love. Care for them not because you want to rack up a certain evangelism quota of converts and move on, but because you want to build relationships with them, no matter what. Instead of expecting people to change to believe and act like you do before inviting them to church, invite them to come just as they are. Remember that Jesus doesnt expect people to clean up their lives before He decides to love them. Pray every day, asking God: Who do you want me to talk to, love, or serve today? Ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of opportunities you might otherwise miss. Be yourself, trusting that God will use your natural personality to communicate His message to others in your own style. Just do your best to love and pray for people while leaving the results up to God, since its only God who can actually save people. Listen to people more than you talk. Let them share their stories with you and ask them thoughtful questions so you can genuinely get to know them well. Pray for each specific situation theyre concerned about in their lives, as well as for their salvation and Gods blessing on them. When people go through suffering, show them that God cares for them by obeying Gods call to care for them in whatever ways He leads you to do so. Show people Gods love in action by pursuing justice. Know that you worship God and evangelize others most fully when you work for justice in this fallen world. Ask God to make you passionate about helping the poor, oppressed, marginalized and dispossessed. Commit to working for justice as a way of life. Realize that the groups of people who suffer injustice are much broader than simply those who dont have enough money. Seek to also help those who suffer physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and socially, such as people who are lonely, abused, forced into slavery or prostitution, are victims of terrorism, have lost their homes due to wars or natural disasters, etc. Give your money generously to Gods work on Earth, remembering that all you have (including your ability to earn an income) is a gift from God to you. Know that as you obey Gods call to be freely share your money and other resources (like time, energy, and talents), He will take care of all your own needs. Recognize that loving your brothers and sisters in Gods family is a vital part of loving God. Dont avoid news stories of suffering; make time regularly to really see and connect with whats going on in the world and ask God to use what you see, hear, and read about in the news media to expand your heart. Pray for God to make it clear how He would like you to respond. Be assured that God will guide you and help you make a real positive impact on people He leads you to help. Remember that the costs involved will ultimately be worthwhile. Pray regularly about specific injustices in the world. Consider using prayer guides or e-mail alerts produced by Christian charities working on the frontlines of injustice. Financially support charities who are pursuing justice. Sponsor a child in need through a monthly donation that will cover vital costs like food, basic healthcare, and education. Instead of buying material items from a regular store to give people for birthday and Christmas gifts, give donations to charities in their names. Join others from your churchs small group or some other group and to fundraise for charities in creative ways (car washes, yard sales, dinners, raffles, etc.). Shop only from businesses that you know engage in fair trade practices and have ethically sound company policies; boycott others and contact company representatives to protest their unfair practices or policies. Lobby your government officials to change laws to benefit people who are being mistreated. Find out how your bank invests your money to see if it is being invested in organizations who dont support your values. If so, switch to a bank that will invest your money more ethically. Consider taking short-term missions trips, and support long-term missionaries. If you sense God calling you to become a long-term missionary yourself, follow where He leads. Find ways to help people in your local community and church by figuring out what needs exist and how you can best use your unique mix of

interests, talents, and skills to help meet those needs. Keep your devotional times with God a high priority in your schedule; never get so busy serving Him that you neglect your relationship with Him. Be good news for people by serving them so theyll be more open to hearing the good news of the Gospel when you talk with them about your faith. Offer all your faithful decisions in every area of your life to God as living sacrifices. Let every action you take to work for justice in a broken world also become an act of worship to God and an act of evangelism to the people you help.

Abraham: The Footprint of an Obedient Faith

Bayless Conley
Answers with Bayless Conley
To some people, faith is a mysterious thing. Yet the Bible tells us that its impossible to please God without it. Scripture also tells us it is by faith that we stand and that we are to walk by faith and not by sight. Thats why Im so thankful God gave you and me a faith mentor. His name is Abraham. And throughout Scripture, God points to Abraham and says, If you want to know what faith looks like if you want to see faith with flesh and bones look at him. A good example is Hebrews 11:8 which says, By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. Before we go any further, understand that Abraham was a person just like anyone else. He had bad days he had setbacks and he even was known to tell a lie every now and then! But there was one thing that was true of Abraham. He consistently trusted God. And that trust was demonstrated in his unwavering obedience to God. So today, I want to focus on this one aspect of Abrahams faith and then I want to challenge you to follow the footprint of obedient faith that Abraham has left us. Now, the verse from Hebrews that I mentioned earlier refers to an encounter Abraham had with God in Genesis chapter 12. Here it says the following: Now the Lord had said to Abram: Get out of your country, from your family and from your fathers house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran (vv. 1-4). If you think about it, Gods call on Abrahams life was a pretty scary thing. I mean, Abraham was no spring chicken when God spoke to him about leaving! He was 75 years old! When

was the last time you heard about a 75-year-old man packing up his family and moving away somewhere? Nevertheless, notice what Abrahams response was! He went out not knowing where he was headed. All he knew was that he was being obedient. This is what the Bible calls faith.

I have a friend who loves maps. And he loves to use maps to plan every mile of every trip his family ever takes. But you know, when God called Abraham, He didnt give him a map with a carefully planned-out route. God just said, Get going and Ill lead you. This is where a lot of Christians get hung up. Because heading out with only a directive and not a destination requires us to give up control. It requires us to be vulnerable. And these arent things many of us relish! But look at Abraham. He obeyed God when God called him. And so should you and I! Let me ask you today, is God calling you to do something but you havent obeyed Him? Maybe its walking next door to your neighbors house to begin a friendship with the goal being to share Christ with them. Maybe its helping out a ministry at your church. Or maybe God is calling you to move your family to another country to serve Him. Whatever it is, when you know that God is calling you to do something, you need to start moving! Waiting on more direction or detail may prove to be an exercise in futility, as well as a lack of faith. There is no way to steer a parked car, yet many of Gods children seem to insist on staying parked until they know exactly where they are going and how long it will take to get there. Today, I want to challenge you to follow in the footprints of Abrahams obedient faith by stepping out and doing what God has called you to do. To be truly used of God, you need to learn to obey His leading even if you dont understand or cant see the outcome!

Your Obedience is the Key to God's Work in Your Life

Whitney Hopler
Live It Editor
God wants to transform you more and more into Christ's likeness. But He won't force His power on you. If you're passive about your relationship with Him, you can't expect to grow. God is looking for an invitation from you. He wants you to show Him you're serious about a relationship with Him by being willing to follow wherever He leads. Only then will you experience His transforming power.

Here's how your decisions to live faithfully can invite God's transforming power into your life: Seek true life. Don't look for life anywhere else but in a relationship with Jesus Christ, whose life is the light of humankind, revealing God the Father to us. Understand that everything necessary to create, sustain, and transform you flows through Christ. His Spirit working in you is the spirit of the perfect child toward the perfect father. Just as Christ laid down His life, decide to lay down your own life in obedience to Him, sacrificing your own agenda and embracing His plans for your life. Trust that, in doing so, you will open yourself up to a better life than you could ever hope to live on your own. Embrace an abundant life. Remember that Christ came to supply all that you lack. Make God your all in all, and rely on His unlimited power. When you feel discouraged, weary, or doubtful, pray for the courage, strength, and faith to rouse yourself and fight rather than giving up. Decide that you won't settle for a mediocre life, but that, no matter what your circumstances, you will constantly pursue a richer and fuller life than ever before. Don't limit God's plans for you. Ask Him to keep you growing. Deny yourself to find rewards in Christ. Decide to reject all ways of thinking that are not divinely inspired - ways that don't take God into account and don't set His will supreme as the only law of life. Choose God's ways over the ways of our fallen world. Rather than asking, "What would I like to do?," ask "What would God like me to do?" in every situation. Don't let your own ambition rule your heart. Do nothing to please other people that wouldn't please God. Don't place your trust in money or any other worldly resource. Understand that everything you have is a gift from God, and trust in God alone. Deny your fears and have faith in God's power to accomplish whatever He wants to in your life. Forsake falsehood in all its forms and pursue the living truth that can only be found in Christ. Realize that no great works or sacrifices of your own can possibly be great enough to earn you a closer relationship with God. Give God what He's really looking for - an obedient heart that is willing to do whatever He asks, every day. Then expect to experience pure joy, directly from the source of all that is good. Break free. Don't let sin hold you a prisoner in your own life. Know that Christ died not to save us from suffering, but from ourselves, not from injustice, but from being unjust. Understand that we are all slaves to either sin or to God, but that when we're slaves to God, we're also free, because we can master sin through His help. Realize that Christ alone can break sin's destructive power over you in the midst of our fallen world. Get to know Christ, who embodies truth, and let that truth set you free by deciding to listen to His voice rather than sin's urging. Cry, "Abba, Father!" Don't be afraid to approach God like the beloved child of His you are. Know that He wants you to develop into a true son or daughter, who feels at home with God and begins to think like Him and feel with Him. Understand that this is possible when you invited His Holy Spirit to live inside you. No matter how your human father or mother may have failed you, believe that your heavenly Father will never let you down. Embrace God as your Father by choosing to obey Him out of love. Recognize the difference between opinion and truth. Understand that you don't truly know anything unless God reveals it to you. Humble yourself enough to realize that even your most dearly held opinions can change if they're not firmly rooted in divinely revealed truth. Cling to the living God rather than your opinions. Don't let that which is merely human obscure the

divine. Don't waste time or energy arguing with other people over your opinions, no matter how strongly you hold them. Instead, pray that if your opinions are true, God Himself will reveal that to the people you would like to be convinced of them. Spread truth not just by talking about it, but by living it out in front of others so they can see God's light shining brightly through your life. Remember that the more you love God, the more His truth will emanate from you. Mirror Christ's likeness. Ask the Holy Spirit to live inside you and invite Him to change you, so that over time you develop more and more into someone whose life mirrors the way Christ lived on earth. Ask God to infuse you with His light so you can reflect it to others. Shine God's light as brightly as you can by living in obedience to Him, motivated by love. Know that doing so will dispel the darkness of this world around you and cause other people to want to follow the light themselves. Look forward to the resurrection. View your current, mortal body simply as a tool for learning how to draw closer to God while you're on earth. Know that it will pass away when you leave this world, like an old garment that's discarded for a new and better one - your glorified resurrection body. Trust that, as you choose to be obedient to God, He will respond by revealing more and more of Himself to you. That revelation begins here on earth and will continue forever in heaven. Start now by following God, the Creator and Master of your body and your entire life.

Moms: Develop Wise Financial Strategies for Your Family

Whitney Hopler
Live It Editor
As a mom, you want to take good care of your family, and that includes managing money wisely. But despite your good intentions, you may still find your family among the ranks of many who struggle financially. You can change that. Heres how you can develop wise financial strategies for your family: Know your money management personality. If youre a "Frugal Family Financier," you try to do everything as cheaply as possible. You probably have only one checking account and one savings account, and you may have no credit cards at all (or just one and you pay the balance off in full each month). You resist replacing "big ticket" items like cars and appliances until they fall apart. If youre a "Capable Currency Manager," you likely spend everything in your checking account(s), but you dont touch your savings. You work diligently to save for the future and shop around to get the best deal possible on whatever you want to buy. If youre an "Ambitious Breakeven Caretaker," you work hard but cant seem to get ahead. A lack of discipline, skills, or both prevents you from achieving financial security. You can usually manage to pay your bills on time each month, but not save for the future.

If youre an "Extravagant Home Economist," you live for today and often live beyond your means. You likely have more credit than you need and use it to excess, ending up in serious debt. You dont bother to shop around for the best deals on what you want to buy, and you have little or no savings. Once you recognize your money management style (and that of your spouse), you can identify what your specific money problems are and focus on solving them. Be respectful of one another (not judgmental) as you work out your differences. Set up checking accounts in the way that fits your family best. Consider whether it would work better for you to have just one checking account for your family, two accounts managed separately by you and your husband, or three accounts (one joint account and two separate accounts). Stay on top of paying bills. Assign the task of paying bills to either yourself or your spouse whichever one of you is most gifted in this area. However, if youre not the one who actually pays the bills each month, make sure that you stay informed about the process. Know that theyre being paid on time. Know approximately how much is being spent on monthly expenses and extras. At least every six months (and preferably once a month or quarter), schedule a meeting with your spouse to discuss your finances in detail. Set financial goals. Write down specific and measurable financial goals for one year, five years, and 10 years from now. Put your goals in order, from most important to least important, for each time period. Have your spouse do the same, and compare notes. Once youve identified similar priorities, you can organize your finances to meet those goals. Consider whether or not you might want to hire a carefully selected financial planner to help you achieve your goals. Choose insurance wisely. When purchasing life, home, auto, and other types of insurance, strike a balance between what you need and what you can afford during this season of life. Prepare a will. Realize that preparing a will is the only real way to choose your childrens guardian and have your assets distributed as you would like when you die. Dont put off this important task. Balance your checkbook. Reconcile your checkbook to your bank statement each month by looking through the last months transactions. Use the statements ending balance, then add deposits appearing in your checkbook register but not on the statement. Then subtract outstanding checks (those youve written but that arent on the statement). The total should equal your checkbooks balance on the same closing date. After you have a reliable balance, keep your checkbook updated by making sure you always record every transaction that affects your checking account and continuing to check your records against every monthly bank statement. Organize financial paperwork. Organize your bills, receipts, bank statements, and other financial documents in a way that allows for easy access at any time. Establish a budget. Discover how youve been spending your money by tracking your expenses for the past year, noting what you spent in each expense category (regular monthly expenses, plus less frequent expenses such as home insurance, vacations, or Christmas gifts). Then compare that with how much you earned in the same period of time. Pay special

attention to how you spent discretionary income (not fixed expenses, but optional expenditures for clothing, food, entertainment, etc.). Understand that the money you spend on discretionary items even if its just a few dollars a day can make a big impact on your budget. Think and pray about what youre willing to give up (perhaps Starbucks coffee each morning, or new clothes every month) to reduce your discretionary spending. Set spending limits for each category in your budget. Keep in mind these general guidelines: 30 to 40 percent of your take-home pay for housing costs (including taxes, insurance, and utilities), 10 to 20 percent for food, 10 to 15 percent for car and other debt payments, 15 to 20 percent for varying expenses (like clothing, entertainment, and home repairs), and five to 10 percent for savings. Use financial software to help you develop and maintain your budget records. Every month, check to see how your actual spending compares to each category on your budget, and make the necessary adjustments to get your spending under control. Choose a bank or credit union wisely. Visit several convenient bank or credit union locations, and pick up brochures from each one that outline each institutions services and fees. Compare them. Look for the best deal for your familys unique needs. Make sure your institution is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). After you select a place, minimize the fees youre charged by understanding the rules of your account (such as a minimum balance requirement) and not violating them and developing a positive relationship with your bank (get to know people who work there, dont excessively overdraw your accounts, dont make late payments, etc.). Prepare well before asking for a loan. Go into a meeting with a loan officer with some idea of the monthly payments you can afford (usually, fixed obligations including the loan youre requesting, your rent or mortgage, car payments, credit card payments, etc. should not exceed 40 percent of your gross income). Be prepared to answer these questions: "What do you want the money for?", "How long do you want to take to pay the loan back?", and "Where do you plan on getting the money to pay it back?". Save all you can. Build a nest egg for the future that will help you with both short-term needs (such as an emergency fund of three to eight times your monthly salary to cover an unexpected job loss, medical bills, car repairs, etc.) and long-term needs (such as your childrens college costs and your own retirement income requirements). Spend less than you earn. As soon as you receive each paycheck, deduct a certain amount and immediately put it into a savings account. Then discipline yourself to make do with whats left. Invest wisely. Understand that every financial investment involves risk, and that, in general, the higher the risk, the more you should expect to earn. Educate yourself about investments such as savings accounts, stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. Diversify by putting your money into a variety of different kinds of investments to spread out the risks while earning the most you can. Keep in mind that the mix of assets you choose should be based on the amount of time before youll want to use the money and how much risk you are willing to take. Periodically review your investments to see if they are performing as expected. Give all you can. Invest toward goals you embrace by tithing and giving money to worthy causes. Check out charities before you donate to make sure theyre legitimate.

Use credit responsibly. Figure out how long it will take to repay credit card debt at various interest rates and monthly payment amounts. Visiting a Web site such as www.bankrate.com can help you do so. Do all you can to pay off your credit cards in full every month. Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion); youre entitled to one free credit report from each bureau per 12month period. Call 1-877-FACT-ACT or visit www.annualcreditreport.com to order them. Promptly correct any inaccuracies you spot on any of the reports. Improve your credit rating by avoiding collection actions, foreclosures, or repossessions; paying on time; staying well below your credit limit; and keeping your current balance low. Try to prevent identity theft. Store new, unused and canceled checks in a safe place. Keep your financial records and other important documents (like your Social Security card) in a secure place like a safety deposit box. Never give out personal information on the phone or through the mail or Internet unless youre the one who initiated the contact. Shred your personal papers before discarding them. Get a locked mailbox. Carefully review all bills and statements you receive; promptly report any errors or questionable charges. Update your computer virus-protection software regularly. If you do become a victim of identity theft, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, and file a report with your local police department. Also, immediately place a fraud alert on all your accounts that have been affected. Reduce debt. Commit to spending money only on necessities as dictated by your budget. Ask God to help you be content with what you have, thankful for it, and disciplined enough to live within your means. Focusing on higher-interest debt first, pay down all your debt (credit cards, student loans, car payments, your mortgage) as aggressively as you can. Consider refinancing certain types of debt if doing so will save you money. Dedicate any lump-sum income you receive (such as tax refunds or bonuses from work) to paying down debt, rather than additional spending. Talk to your creditors as soon as you know youll have to fall behind on a payment, such as after a job loss or major illness. Be honest with them about your situation and work with them (and possibly also a credit counselor) to develop a manageable new payment plan. If youd like a credit counselor to help you (services are usually free), contact the National Foundation for Credit Counseling at www.nfcc.org or (800) 388-2227. Avoid filing for bankruptcy at all costs; its truly a last resort and will mar your credit record for years to come. Downsize your lifestyle. Base your lifestyle on what you truly need and can afford instead of trying to keep up with your neighbors. Have the courage to scale down significantly to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with savings, such as by trading in your car for an older model or moving to a smaller house. Simplify by considering whether or not you really need an item or service before buying it. Substitute by getting something else that costs less or by making it yourself. See if you can borrow the item you need, or ask someone else to split the cost with you and share the item. Shop off season for the things you need. Compare prices at several different stores. Use coupons. Never buy anything on impulse. Look for low- or no-cost ways to have fun rather than spending a lot of money on entertainment.

Teach your kids how to manage money well. Be open and honest with your kids by disclosing how much your family earns and how much things cost [Editor's note: if your kids are very young or you're uncomfortable with the possibility of your kids sharing personal information with those outside the family, you may want to refrain from sharing the exact details of your income at this time.] Help them understand your thought processes when deciding how whether or not to make a purchase. Teach them the importance of prioritization and delayed gratification. Consider giving your kids an allowance or paying them to do extra chores around the house. Help them set up a savings account or (for teens) a checking account.

How to Expand Your Life with God

Whitney Von Lake Hopler
Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Joni Grace Powers & Robert A. Pyne's new book, LifeSpace: The Practice of Life with God, (Regal Books, 2007). Lifes demands can suffocate you if you settle for less than the abundant life God offers. So take a breath of fresh air and expand your life with God beyond the limits what you can imagine and into an experience of unbounded adventure. Heres how you can expand your life with God: Seek worth beyond measure. Instead of trying to prove your worth to yourself and other people, remember that Gods glory shines through you because He has made you in His image. Be confident in the fact that you are valuable simply because you are Gods child. Pursue identity beyond circumstance. Understand that your circumstances dont define who you are. Know that your circumstances are simply tools for God to use to shape you into the person He wants you to become. Realize that God is able to redeem even the worst circumstances in your life to accomplish good purposes. Seek love beyond performance. Rather than or trying to earn Gods favor, accept the fact that God already loves you deeply and unconditionally. Rest assured that your relationship with God through Christ is sealed for eternity. Embrace the messiness of being human. Understand that you can grow not by trying to transcend your human frailties, but by being honest about them and coming to God just as you are so He can use your weaknesses to make you strong. Dont focus on trying to project an image of perfection. Instead, admit your flaws and let them reveal how much you need God. Be authentic in your relationships with other people and seek to learn from the messy interactions you sometimes have with them. Realize that being human isnt a problem to be solved; its a calling to grow more like the God who chose to take on human form to save the world. Know that God loves real human beings like you because He chose to be incarnated as one.

Live fully in the present. Instead of wishing the present away and longing for your future in heaven, pay attention to where you are right now in life. Rather than trying to escape your life, start looking for ways that God is at work around you. Ask God to help you bloom where youre planted. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you. Remember that everything even your next breath is a gracious gift from God. Thank Him regularly for giving you life through His Spirit, and welcome the Holy Spirit to fill your soul and transform you. Ask the Spirit to enlarge your view of reality so you can envision more than just what you can see and embrace the full potential of your life. Aim your love in the right direction. Ask yourself the key question: What do I love? Honestly consider what you might currently desire in place of God, such as comfort, stability, affection, opportunity, piety, or success. Make sure that nothing knocks God out of His rightful place as your absolute top priority. Plan how you spend your resources (time, energy, money, etc.) around the fact that your relationship with God is most important. Choose to love for who He is instead of just what He can do for you. Expect that the more you get to know God, the more youll fall in love with Him. Know that loving God for His own sake will bring you true joy. Discover joy. Be alert to specific ways God is at work around you, and make time to reflect on the beauty of that work (such as something you appreciate in nature, or a quality you find charming in a person you know). Notice when and how God answers your prayers, and make time to thank Him for His generosity and creativity. Read, meditate on, and study the Bible to learn more about God, and delight in what you discover about Him through His Word. Be open to the mysteries of faith and avoid futile attempts to fit Gods work into a box you can fully understand or control. Look for Gods reflection in human creative expression, such as through art, music, literature, and dance. Make a frequent practice of getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new, such as traveling to a foreign country or learning an extreme sport. Celebrate fresh joy whenever you encounter it. Let Gods love flow through you to others. Dont just take Gods love for yourself and let it end there. Share that love with other people by reaching out to them as God leads you to do so. Draw a diagram that represents your sphere of community, listing the names of people youre closest to in the smallest circle and moving outward. Then, outside the largest circle, write the names of people you consider enemies or dont feel able to love for whatever reason. Pray about how your circles can expand to encompass all the names you wrote as people with whom you share Gods love. Recognize that God intends for you to be roped together with others in community. Dont practice your faith alone; build meaningful relationships with other believers and actively participate in church. Rejoice with others when they have something to celebrate; weep with others when theyre suffering. To the extent that it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Slow down the pace of your life and make time to be with people face to face often. When you spend time with friends and family, enjoy their company instead of just trying to accomplish a set agenda during your time together. Dont use love as a tool to try to manipulate others for your purposes. Ask God to help you love others as He loves them unconditionally. Make space for grace. Thank God that His grace gives you the space to grow as youre becoming more like the person He intends for you to become. Let your gratitude motivate you to extend grace to other people. For example, let your husband enjoy eating goat cheese or

sauerkraut, even if it grosses you out, and give your son or daughter permission to join a garage band, even if that means loud practice sessions at your house. Go easy on others when they make mistakes for which theyre repentant. Just as you dont have to earn Gods love, dont make other people earn your love. Dont parcel love out sparingly to others. Ask God to help you love people lavishly, whether or not you think they deserve it. Ask God to give you the humility you need to overcome pride, self-righteousness, and self-sufficiency. Remember that you just like everyone else around you are a sinner, yet God still loves you and Christ still died for you. Be willing to help other people without expecting anything in return. Decide to love even in ugly situations. Believe the best about others and wish the best for them, encouraging them and supporting them as they pursue Gods dreams for their lives. Every day, be proactive about doing small things with great love, such as forgiving an obvious slight, offering someone a ride, preparing a meal for someone in a crisis, or complimenting a colleague. Constantly ask yourself: How have I seen Gods grace extended by others toward me? and How have I been the space of grace for someone this week? Forgive. Know that, just as God has forgiven you for all your sins, He expects you to be willing to forgive others who hurt you. Dont wait until you feel like forgiving; you likely never will. Instead, make the choice to forgive, and rely on the help God will give you to do so. Work toward reconciliation with those who are willing. Realize that by forgiving, you create a new beginning out of past pain. Understand that forgiveness opens up the space you need for healing in your relationships. Sacrifice. Ask God to help you place your life at His disposal with gladness and eagerness to see how He will use you to accomplish good purposes. Let your love for God and gratitude for all He has done for you motivate you to give freely of your time, energy, money, and other resources to Gods work on Earth. Dont just give whats left over after you take care of yourself; give the best of what you have. Be willing to make sacrifices for others as God leads you, even when your efforts arent rewarded or even acknowledged. Remember that, though you main gain nothing from other people, God will give you joy as you serve Him. Be welcoming toward others, taking a genuine interest in their lives and making time to build meaningful relationships with them. Let go of your own agenda for your relationships and invite God to use them however He chooses to help you and others grow. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to be humble and kind as you go about each day, willing to give yourself away one commitment at a time. See clearly. Dont settle for a small vision that limits your concept of who God is and what plans He has for your life. Instead, ask God to give you the right perspective on Him and reveal His big vision for you. Let go of your own plans that dont align with Gods plans, trusting that for every one of your own dreams that falls away, a better dream from God for you will take its place. Place your hope in the reality of Gods promises, and realize that doing so creates space for your faith to keep expanding.

Is Ten Percent Enough?

Steve Scalici, CFP(r)

Treasure Coast Financial

Just when I start getting comfortable, God rocks my world. Granted, he rocks it in a way that is good. Giving is one of those areas where He continues to show me new things. When I began tithing about 15 years ago, I thought I was fine. I gave 10% of my gross income and I felt that was adequate. When I got married about 11 years ago, my bride and I continued to give 10%. Then, about five years ago, I read a book entitled Money, Possessions, and Eternity written by Randy Alcorn. I shared the book with my wife and we both agreed that 10% was no longer a sacrifice and we made a commitment to increase our giving. Soon after, I read another of Randy Alcorns books called The Treasure Principle. This took our giving to another level. My wife and I made a commitment to limit our spending to a specific amount each month and then we would give the rest of the money away. As it is with many of us, our income generally increases each year and we realized that we didnt need that much. We could live on less than we were earning. Last year, we gave away about a third of our gross income. I struggle with sharing that with others as Im reminded of Jesus words in Matthew 6:3,4: "But when you give to someone, don't tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you." So I dont mention it to brag, but rather to encourage you. Intentional relationships This leads me to something else God has been teaching me about giving. In business, we often talk about networking. Networking is basically a way to be intentional about your marketing. You line yourself up with people that can benefit you and your business. In exchange, you attempt to benefit them and their business. I am learning the importance of networking in my personal life, not for personal gain but for Kingdom gain. When you network in your personal life, you are hoping to benefit others and to benefit the Kingdom of God. Your needs are suppressed. Jesus was asked what the two greatest commandments were. Matthew, Mark, and Luke each record Jesus words. Matthews version is found in Matthew 22:37-40: "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." Loving God and loving others with money When you give money to your church or a Para church organization that is a direct way of showing God your faith and trust in Him. You are showing Him that you love Him. It is an indirect way of showing love for others. When you give money directly to a person, it is a direct way of showing love for others which I believe also shows your love for God. I am learning that God wants me to use the money He has given me to build relationships. Whenever I spend His money, I have to consider how this impacts His Kingdom. If I am going to go out to dinner, I should invite others. If were going to have a meal, I should invite my neighbors. Bill Hybels calls this "barbequing with your neighbors." If Im going to play a round of golf, I should invite someone who doesnt know Jesus. I dont know of any golfers

that will refuse a free round of golf. How else can you get individual time with someone for four hours? And remember, you are sharing more than a meal or golf round with someone. You are investing in their life. By the way, you can invite people to anything that they find interesting. It doesnt have to be golf. The bottom line is this: God allows you to have things not for your own use, but for His use. Im reminded of one of the treasure principles that Randy Alcorn gives in The Treasure Principle: "God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving." Everything we do must be for His glory. Otherwise, it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

The Making of a Friendship

Cliff Young
Contributing Writer
Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art. . . . It has not survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival C.S. Lewis No matter what a guy may say, guys want the friendship and respect of other guys. I want the friendship and respect of other guys. Nobody wants to be looked down upon by their peers. Nobody wants to go through life alienated and alone. Friendship gives value to survival. Have you ever felt that life seems like a matter of survival at times? I know that I have. When I went away to college, I only knew 3 people at a university of 16,000 students. It was the first time I lived away from home and I was alone and I sought the company of other guys (and girls). I ended up where a lot of (non-Christian) college guys go, fraternity rush parties. As a result, my closest friends were those in the fraternity that I joined, and many are still friends today. But, according to Solomon, just having a group of close friends isnt enough. A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer (real friend more loyal) than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 NIV (NCV) I have to believe that Solomon learned some great life lessons from his father, David and we probably know more about Davids entire life than most any other person in the Bible. But, beyond all of the lessons we can learn from Davids reign as king, it was the time prior to him taking the throne that we can learn the most in regards to true friendship. Jonathan and David Jonathan, King Sauls oldest son, was a warrior and a man of faith. He believed that anything was possible if God willed it. Heavily outmanned, Jonathan and his young armor bearer

attacked one of the Philistine outposts and defeated them. The Lord honored his faith and led Jonathan on a rout of Israels enemy. Sometime later, the giant Goliath led a Philistine force against King Sauls army. He offered a challenge to any Hebrew warrior willing to take him on in hand-to-hand combat. David, just a shepherd boy at the time, stepped up to the challenge. With faith in the Lord, David slayed the giant and became a fierce warrior. Immediately following the battle, After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the kings son. There was an immediate bond of love between them (became one in spirit), and they became the best of friends (loved him as himself). 1 Samuel 18:1 NLT (NIV) They instantly formed a bond through their mutual respect of each other as warriors and their devoted faith in the Lord. From that moment on, the friendship that Jonathan and David shared was deep, meaningful and unique, especially in todays world. It would be rare to find a couple of (heterosexual) guys today who would openly say that they loved another man, but that is the sort of relationship that Jonathan and David had. Following Jonathans death, David wrote, How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan! Oh, how much I loved you! And your love for me was deep, deeper than the love of women! 2 Samuel 1:26 Americas leading psychologists and therapists estimate that only 10 percent of all men ever have any real friends, according to Alan Loy McGinnis, author of The Friendship Factor. Mens friendships typically center around activities, while womens revolve around sharing. Men do not reveal their feelings or weaknesses as readily as women. They gear themselves for the marketplace, and typically understand friendships as acquaintances made along the way, rather than as relationships. Also, men fear being suspected of deviant behavior if they have an obviously close friendship with another man. Tragically, those who think this way will never be all God wants them to be. R. Kent Hughes, Disciplines of a Godly Man Key components of Jonathan and Davids friendship Bonded Soul - Common Values and Experience Jonathan and David were both dedicated to the same Lord and God.

(Jonathan) Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. 1 Samuel 14:6 (David) . . . but I come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty. 1 Samuel 17:45

David and Jonathan instantly became one in spirit upon meeting each other.

There was an immediate bond of love. 1 Samuel 18:1

They made a covenant with each other.

Show me this kindness as my sworn friend for we made a covenant together before the Lord. 1 Samuel 20:8

A deep friendship like theirs shared mutual experiences (as warriors), mutual values (to serve and submit to the same Lord), mutual goals (after Gods heart) and mutual dreams (from a divine perspective). They didnt necessarily have to have identical goals and dreams in order to be close, but they were of the same God, serving the same God and pursuing the same God. Love Trust and Encouragement True love often means putting anothers desires and needs above one's own.

And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself. 1 Samuel 20:17

Jonathan put his friendship with David above his own relationship with his father, because Saul was no longer following the Lord.

May the Lord be with you as he used to be with my father. I Samuel 20:13.

Trust was vital in their relationship.

I promise by the Lord, the God of Israel . . . may the Lord kill me if I dont warn you so you can escape and live. 1 Samuel 12, 13

A deep, trusting relationship requires vulnerability.

"Then they kissed each other and wept together (as they embraced)but David wept the most." 1 Samuel 20:41 NLT (NIV)

They each continued to encourage each other throughout their friendship.

Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God. 1 Samuel 23:16

Ordinary man can do extraordinary things. When people love each otherthey fight for each other like youve never seen before. Captain Nate Self, Army Ranger Operation Anaconda (Afghanistan). Commitment and Loyalty Jonathan made an outward sign of commitment to David.

Jonathan made a special vow to be Davids friend, and he sealed the pact by giving him his robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt. 1 Samuel 18:3

Jonathan stood up for David.

(Jonathan to his father, Saul) Please dont sin against David. 1 Samuel 19:4

Jonathan asked the Lord to keep their friendship accountable.

May the Lord make us keep our promises to each other, for he has witnessed them. 1 Samuel 20:23 Go in peace, for we have made a pact in the Lords name. We have entrusted each other and each others children into the Lords hands forever. 1 Samuel 20:42

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. Proverbs 17:17 Sometimes I think that the stories, events and relationships like those in the Bible cant happen in "real life." But they can, as John Eldredge wrote of his late friend, Brent Curtis, in The Journey of Desire: I lost the truest friend I have ever known. Brent was more than my partner; he was for me the rarest of giftshis heart saw what mine saw. Our friendship was a shared journey, a mutual quest, for the secret of our souls. It took us into the mountains, into literature and music, into the desperate battle raging all around for the hearts of others as well. We laughed and grieved and scorned and yearned all along the way. To have a relationship like these should be the goal of every man and the desire for every woman for her husband or male friends. No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. John Donne **Next month: Part 2 Friendship: What Might Have Been (had Jonathan lived to serve side by side with David) Cliff Young is a contributing writer to Sandlot Stories (ARose Books). An architect and former youth worker, he now works with Christian musicians and consults for a number of Christian ministries. Got feedback? Send your comments and questions to CYdmg@yahoo.com.

Live Today in Light of Heaven Whitney Von Lake Hopler Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Crawford Loritts' book, For a Time We Cannot See: Living Today in Light of Heaven, (Moody Publishers, 2005). The concerns of your life right now give you plenty to deal with every day. But if you dont look beyond them to your future in heaven, all your busy activity will lead only to emptiness. Instead of living for the present, live with your eternal destiny in mind. That way, youll fulfill Gods great purposes for your life before you leave this earth for heaven.

Heres how you can live today in light of heaven: Make sure your life reflects the foundation on which youre built. Remember that Jesus Christ is the foundation of your life. Dont let anything or anyone else replace Him as your top priority. Recognize that you will be held accountable for the choices you make. Whenever youre faced with a decision, choose what reflects values that endure rather than what seems appealing but is perishable. Embrace the confidence God wants to give you. Realize that, since you will forever, you dont need to walk through life burdened by fears and worries. Thank Jesus for His sacrifice on the cross that has made your eternal life possible and given you the power to overcome any sin that assaults you. Moment by moment, surrender your thoughts and actions to Jesus, relying on His unlimited power to deal wisely with every challenge you face. Keep your eyes on the prize. Ask God to give you a vision of how He would like you to fulfill His purposes for your life. Think and pray about specific goals you should set for yourself to stay focused on those purposes. Constantly ask yourself how any activity youre considering might contribute to what you want to accomplish or who you want to become. Eliminate distractions that deplete time and energy you could be using to fulfill Gods purposes for you. Work diligently, remembering that you dont know when youre time on Earth will be up. Persevere, refusing to quit because of pressure or adversity. Serve with excellence, giving your best effort to whatever assignments God gives you. Pursue significance instead of success. Dont waste your efforts working toward what society considers success, such as achievements and wealth. Instead, work toward what God values and will last forever. Understand that you dont need the worldly trappings of success to validate yourself. Remember that God loves you deeply, just as you are. Look to God alone for a sense of your true significance. Honestly consider whether youve surrendered every part of your life to God, or whether you are still pursuing your own agendas in some ways. Confess and repent of your efforts to control your own destiny. Trust your dreams to God, knowing that His dreams for you are better than what you could dream for yourself. Realize that you cant predict all that God has planned for you and the full extent of how significant your contributions on Earth will be. So do your very best with everything you sense God calling you to do. Dont compare yourself with anyone else, or compete with others. Understand that God has a unique plan for your life. Place your confidence in God Himself, rather than in the natural talents and spiritual gifts He has given you or the skills He has made it possible for you to learn. Be open to serving with humility in any way God leads you.

Invite God to use you every day. Be alert for opportunities for God to use you to accomplish His purposes each day. Realize that you dont need to wait for a more exciting time or place to serve God; He can and will use you in the midst of mundane or difficult circumstances. Stay faithful, trusting that God will bring something of eternal value out of every situation in which you serve Him. Stay in close contact with God in prayer throughout every day, seeking His guidance and relying on His

strength to help you. Whenever you sense God leading you to do something, obey right away, giving yourself completely to the work He has for you to do. Be passionate. Fall in love with Jesus all over again, rediscovering the wonder of a relationship with Him. Evaluate your life to see if any other relationship (such as with another person, with your work, etc.) has encroached upon your relationship with Jesus as your top priority, and repent of whatever is hindering your intimacy with Him. Return to the excitement you felt right after beginning a relationship with Jesus, and express that passion when telling other people about Him. Remember the urgency of sharing your faith with others; every encounter you have with someone who doesnt know Jesus might be the last opportunity that person has to embrace a relationship with Him. Ask Jesus to ignite your passion for His mission in the world. Build the kind of legacy you want to leave. Keep in mind that the choices you make every day shape the legacy youll leave for others after you go to heaven. Ask God to help you live in a way that will inspire others to live faithful lives themselves. Be aware that others are watching you as you go about your daily life. Try to be the truth you want others to know and believe by practicing what you preach. Know that as others see you apply biblical truths to your life, theyll be drawn to the faith that you authentically represent. Intentionally pass on spiritual lessons youve learned to others through discipleship and mentoring relationships. Ask God to use you as a channel through which to pour out His love into other peoples lives. Be willing to make sacrifices for the glory of God and the sake of others. Get ready to meet Jesus face to face. Realize that you will be meeting Jesus Himself in heaven one day and that day may come sooner than you think. Decide to use whatever time you have to grow in holiness so youll be prepared to meet your Savior. Whenever you recognize that youve committed a sin, confess it and turn away from it. If it helps, ask several people you trust to help you be accountable to the changes youre trying to make. Strengthen your spiritual disciplines, such as regular Scripture reading. Seek counsel from others who can help you break patterns of sin in your life. Do whatever it takes to become more holy as you look forward to going to heaven. Remain faithful to the end. Dont allow disappointments or tragedies to cause you to become cynical and lose hope. Remember that what happens in you should not be determined by what happens to you. Expect God to use whatever happens to you to make your soul stronger and drive you closer to Jesus. Dont give up; stay focused on your eternal destiny. Ask God to give you the strength you need to endure whatever suffering comes your way. Trust Jesus to carry your burdens, just as He took your sin upon Himself on the cross. Know that everything you must endure on Earth will be worthwhile when youre rewarded in heaven by meeting Jesus face to face. God's Will For You I have been a Christian since 1970. I wish I could say that after all these years, I have discovered a foolproof, step-by-step plan for knowing the will of God in every situation. Unfortunately, such a plan does not exist.

However, there are a few things we can be certain are Gods will for every believer. It doesn't matter how old you are, how long you have known the Lord, or where you live. These things are the will of God for all followers of Jesus. One, it is the will of God that you be a believer. The Bible says, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4 NKJV). Also, 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (NKJV). Two, it is the will of God that you be filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5 tells us, "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit . . ." (verses 1718 NKJV). In the original Greek, the phrase, "be filled with the Spirit," could be translated, "be constantly filled with the Spirit." You constantly need the power of God in your life. Another translation of filled carries the meaning of wind filling the sail of a boat, guiding it along. Yet another way the word is translated is "to permeate," such as seasoning meat with some type of flavor. Gods Spirit wants to fill your sails and guide you. He wants to permeate your life. Three, it is the will of God that you live a pure life. You need God's help to do that. As 1 Thessalonians 4:3 says, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality" (NKJV). Don't be thrown by the word sanctification. It's an important biblical word that means "to set apart." Maybe you have a special set of china that you only use for special occasions. You might say that china is sanctified. It is set apart for a special use. When we read the word sanctified in the Bible, it means that believers are set apart for God's special purpose. Our bodies belong to the Lord. If you are an unmarried believer, this means that you are not to give yourself sexually to anyone until you are married. If you are a married believer, this means that you are to give yourself only to your husband or wife. This is God's command to you as a Christian, and He will give you the strength to obey it. Four, it is the will of God that you have an attitude of gratitude. It says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (NKJV). I am glad this verse doesnt say, "For everything give thanks." Instead, it says, "In everything give thanks." In other words, I can praise God that in spite of what has happened, He is still in control. I can praise God that the word oops is not in His vocabulary. Having this attitude of gratitude is simply a recognition that God is in control of all the circumstances that surround our lives. Having established what His overall will is for our lives, let's also recognize that God does want to lead us specifically. There is nothing wrong with asking God for His will in a situation. As the Jewish proverb says, "It is better to ask the way ten times than to take the wrong road once." And James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him (NKJV). Understand this: God wants to reveal Himself to you. It may come as a surprise that God wants to lead you even more than you want to be led. God does speak to people today. He does have a plan for your life. And as surely as He led the men and women of the Bible, He wants to lead you as well.

Living with Certainty in Uncertain Times

by Chip Ingram

As the dust has settled after the September 11 attacks and the shock to our national conscience has begun to wear off, a lot of questions have risen to the surfacequestions about our future. "What will be next?" "Could we be targets for additional attacks?" And closer to home, "Will my family be safe?" The truth is that none of us knows exactly what our nation will face in the immediate future. But no matter how uncertain the future may seem, let me remind you that God's people have been here before. Remember Moses? To a generation of enslaved Jews, it seemed like there was no hope. Then God sent a child named Moses, who would lead them out of captivity. God took the worst of times and brought about a miraculous deliverance. Remember Elijah? Oppressed by an evil dictatorship and a completely pagan environment, he thought he was the last believer left on earth. But God was in control. He had a game plan for revealing His glory to a nation submerged in wickedness. Remember Daniel? Israel had been scattered to the four winds, and Daniel and his friends were abducted into a ruthless, godless culture. Babylon was as powerful as it was wicked, and vigorously opposed God's remnant. But God acted, using a faithful few to dramatically influence an entire nation and accomplish His purposes in the midst of chaos. And don't forget Jesus. What about the state of the world when Christ was born? Moral decay and religious hypocrisy had relegated spirituality to a hollow, rotten husk of pretense and fear. But into that context, God brought eternal life to the entire world in the most improbable of packages: a baby boy. The biblical record reminds us that the world has been on the brink of disaster on more than a few occasions. We may be inclined to worry or lose hope, but God reminds us that nothing can thwart His purposes. "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD" (Proverbs 21:30, NIV). An uncertain world stirs men from their complacency and provides tremendous opportunity for harvest. The question is, "How do we prepare to face the future with wisdom, boldness, and purpose?" Confident Hearts First, we can face the future with confidence when we trust that God knows all about our problems today and is in control of our tomorrows. We are not at the mercy of our culture. We serve a sovereign God who is never surprised by circumstances. And the wickedness of our day does not have Him up against a wall. Isaiah 40 reminds us that "the nations are like a drop in a bucket . . . [God] sits enthroned above the circle of the earth . . . He reduces the rulers of this world to nothing . . . He is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth." Transformed Minds Even so, God's sovereignty is not a license for us to do nothing. We can find comfort in His

omnipotence even as we train for service. We need to be ready, prepared in mind, heart, and spirit for the part He will ask us to play. This means that we need to think accurately. Biblically! Consider the revolutions mentioned above; every time God used His people to dramatically influence their culture, He did it through the transformation of people's thinking. We need to educate ourselves about the issues and respond in times of "uncertainty" from a biblical framework. Think through what it will look like to share your faith, meet physical needs, and provide emotional support under the current circumstances. A Strategic Plan The issues on our horizon are daunting. If there ever was a time for Christians to step up and think clearly, it's now. We must remember that our goal is not to "glorify America" or merely maintain and protect our own personal comfort and lifestyle. Rather, our goal is to understand what "dual citizenship" really means. Remember that we are strangers in this world (1 Peter 2:11), yet we are called to make a real difference in the world around us. How can we seize this moment in history? By living our lives based on the firm foundation of God's truth when everything else around us is unsure. You may not feel like a Moses, Elijah, or Daniel, but the lessons of their lives can provide you with biblical examples of how to fulfill God's purpose in these uncertain times. No one knows what the future holds in the coming months and years. War against terrorism threatens to linger, and we can only speculate the impact it will have on our daily lives. But if we look to God to develop in us confident hearts, transformed minds, and a strategic plan of action, we will stand firm as the Moseses, Elijahs, and Daniels of our time. Excerpted from the message, How to Face the Future in Times of Uncertainty, by Chip Ingram. Used with permission. Copyright 2002 by Chip Ingram. All rights reserved. About the author: Chip Ingram is President of Walk Thru the Bible in Atlanta, GA, and Teaching Pastor of Living on the Edge, a national radio ministry. Walk Thru the Bible partners with the local church worldwide to teach Gods Word in relevant ways for lasting life change. To fulfill this mission, Walk Thru the Bible creates and distributes high quality, award-winning resources in a variety of formats, helping individuals walk thru the Bible with greater clarity and understanding. Walk Thru the Bible seminars are taught in over 45 languages by more than 50,000 men and women in over 90 countries; Living on the Edge radio ministry broadcasts on more than 800 radio outlets reaching nearly one million listeners a week; and more than 100 million devotionals have been packaged into daily magazines, books and other publications that reach over five million people each year. Walk Thru the Bible was founded in 1976 and is based in Atlanta, GA.

Disruptive Moments
Meeting God at Your Bend in the Road by David Jeremiah

Julie Thompsons bend in the road began with the discovery of a lump. For James P. Colepepper, it was a visit from police officers who told him his identity had been stolen and his credit cards used to finance an illegal operation. For Todd, it was the news that his company was filing for bankruptcy and laying off its employees. At such times, we feel were at one of lifes dead-ends; but for Christians, these are only bends in the road, disruptive moments sent to develop our faith and prove Gods faithfulness. As Helen Steiner Rice said: Sometimes we come to lifes crossroads and we view what we think is the end. But God has a much wider vision and He knows that its only a bend. When I came to a bend in the road of my life, studying King Davids life and reading his soulsearching Psalms helped me remember that God is there in the midst of our trials, in the center of our paincomforting, guiding, teaching, sustaining. Even in the valley of the shadow of death, we neednt fear, for He is with us. Think Differently Many of our problems are the result of our saying, The Lord is my Shepherd, but I have this or that problem. We should say, I have this or that problem, but the Lord is my shepherd (Psalm 23). When we face trials, we need to remember who God is. Sometimes were so focused on our trials, we forget to focus on Him. Hes promised to care for us, restoring our souls, anointing our wounds, filling our cups to overflowing. Hes the keeper of our lives, and His goodness and mercy follow us all our days. Pray Earnestly Heres how David survived being hunted by King Saul and his army: In my distress I cried out to my God; He heard my voice (Psalm 18:6). If youre facing a bend in your life right now, cry out to God. He can deepen your spiritual life, taking you farther into His pavilion of prayer. He wants to turn your problems into prayers, and your prayers into praise: The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted (Psalm 18:46). Wait Patiently When we come to a bend in the road, we must patiently yield right-of-way to God, letting Him take the lead. He knows whats around the corner and how fast to go. As David said, But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, You are my God. My times are in Your hand. Deliver me (Psalm 31:14-15). David wrote those words during a period of unbearable pain in his own life. Surrender your trial to God and wait on Him who holds our times in His hands. How often David told us to be of good courage and wait on the Lord (Psalm 27:14). As Fanny Crosby put it:

O child of God, wait patiently when dark thy path may be, And let thy faith lean trustingly on Him Who cares for Thee; And though the clouds hang drearily upon the brow of night, Yet in the morning, joy will come, and fill thy soul with light. Praise Joyfully The Psalmist also teaches us to praise joyfully and be triumphant despite current circumstances, knowing that God reigns and heaven rules: I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. They looked to Him and were radiant (Psalm 34:1, 5). From King Davids hymnbook, the Psalms, we learn to praise the Lord when our pathways are straight and clear and when they arent. Its impossible for Satan to remain in a room filled with worship or in a heart filled with praise and singing. Are you facing a bend in the road today? Remember the shepherd boy, David. He faced one bend after another and left a lot of signposts for us in the Psalms. Follow his example. Learn to think differently, pray earnestly, wait patiently, and praise joyfully. Rejoice in Him who can make the crooked ways straight and the rough places smooth. This article was excerpted from Turning Points, Dr. David Jeremiahs devotional magazine. Call Turning Point at 1-800-947-1993 for your complimentary copy of Turning Points.