How Will You Measure Your Life?

I have read the book How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth, and Karen Dillon at least three times. It is a business book that inspires me to live a better life. It is not a Christian book, but it helps me more intentionally live a life that honors Jesus Christ.

The book focuses on three areas: 1) having a successful and fulfilling career, 2) having strong relationships with family and close friends, and 3) living a life of integrity. The authors take principles of the business world and apply them to these three areas. Each time I read the book, I am surprised and pleased that it affects me deeply.

As Christians, we are called to live a life worthy of the calling we have received in Christ Jesus. We are called to live a life that honors the Lord. We are called to live in light of eternity. This business book by Harvard Business School staff challenges me to do these things.

I share this book recommendation in case you are a high school senior thinking about what you will study in college or a college student considering your career. Thinking about these ideas, topics, and principles now will give you direction for the future and protect you from future heartache.

How will you measure your life? What will you pursue with your time and talents? How will you prioritize your family and close friends? How will you honor the Lord and live a life of integrity? 

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The Master Plan of Leadership

When I was in college, I was introduced to the book The Master Plan of Evangelism by Dr. Robert Coleman. It had a profound effect on my view of leadership. I recently decided to read it again, and it continues to challenge and inspire me.

Dr. Coleman highlights Jesus’ strategy of training twelve disciples and equipping them to lead and to share the Gospel broadly. Jesus’ master plan was to raise up a small number of leaders to lead the early church.

“One must decide where he wants his ministry to count–in the momentary applause of the popular recognition or in the reproduction of his life in a few chosen men who will carry on his work after he is gone. Really it is a question of which generation we are living for.” (p 37)

Jesus did not neglect the masses. He healed them, he taught them, and he even feed them. Yet he focused more on a small group of followers, his disciples. Jesus cared for the masses, and he trained up a few to continue to care for the masses after he was gone. He wisely cared for the masses into the next generation and beyond.

As a leader, this challenges me to consider who I am training to take my place and lead when I am gone. This is the best way to care for my school, my students, and my community. This is an effective way to lead, and it is effective way to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If Jesus used this strategy, most likely it is a wise plan for us too.

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I highly recommend Timothy Keller’s book The Prodigal Prophet, which is focuses on the story of Jonah.

The following section from the book describes Jonah ... and me. I was challenged, and I hope you will be too.

“So Jonah had a problem with the job he was given. But he had a bigger problem with the One who gave it to him. Jonah concluded that because he could not see any good reasons for God’s command, there couldn’t be any. Jonah doubted the goodness, wisdom, and justice of God.

We have all had that experience. We sit in the doctor’s office stunned by the biopsy report. We despair of ever finding decent employment after the last lead has dried up. We wonder why the seemingly perfect romantic relationship—the one we always wanted and never thought was possible—has crashed and burned. If there is a God, we think he doesn’t know what he is doing! Even when we turn from the circumstances of our lives to the teaching of the Bible itself, it seems, to modern people especially, to be filled with claims that don’t make much sense.

When this happens we have to decide—does God know what’s best, or do we? And the default mode of the unaided human heart is to always decide that we do. We doubt that God is good, or that he is committed to our happiness, and therefore we can’t see any good reasons for something God says or does, we assume that there aren’t any.” (pp 15-16)

We can trust God. We can trust his goodness, his wisdom, and his justice. We may not always understand his ways, but we can trust his character.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  (Isaiah 55:8-9)

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“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:7-9)

In the closing chapter of Galatians, Paul reminds us of a simple truth: We reap what we sow. He roots this truth in the character of God, and he concisely states we reap what we sow. To drive home his point he first stresses the negative: If we sow to the flesh, we will reap destruction. In other words, don’t sow to the flesh.

Then Paul reminds us of the rewards of sowing to the Spirit: Eternal life. Then he immediately encourages us to not give up. Paul knows firsthand that life is hard and doing the right thing is not always easy. Paul understands that we do not always immediately see the good rewords of sowing to the Spirit. He tells us to not give up. God is faithful. We will in time reap a harvest.

What are you sowing? Where are you sowing? What will you reap?

Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. Do not give up. Continue to faithfully sow to the Spirit. It is worth the effort. It is worth the wait. You will reap a harvest.

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An Overview of Growing Up Christian – Part 3

As church kids, we can tend to view ourselves as being pretty good and not having sinned much—at least no really awful sins. Although we would never say it aloud, we are tempted to think God got a pretty good person when he chose us to be part of his kingdom. We tend to erroneously see ourselves as having little sin and as having been forgiven of little sin. This way of thinking leads to a second danger church kids face: a lack of appreciation for the saving and forgiving grace of God.

In Transforming Grace, Jerry Bridges defines grace as, “God’s free and unmerited favor shown to guilty sinners who deserve only judgment.” That is us—you and me, guilty sinners who deserve God’s judgment. But do we really believe that we are guilty and deserve judgment? Our appreciation for the grace of God is directly proportional to our understanding of this simple fact.

Our amazement of our Savior depends primarily upon our understanding of the huge separation between us and God and the great work he accomplished on the cross to bridge this great divide. A key to passionately loving God is in knowing that we have been forgiven of many sins.

Ephesians 2:3-5 says, “…we were by nature objects of wrath. But God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Through Christ, we went from objects of God’s wrath to objects of his love; from death to life; and from eternity in hell to eternity in heaven.

This is not a new message to us church kids; if we have heard it once, we may have heard it a thousand times. The problem arises when we don’t truly believe we need to be saved from very many sins and, therefore, don’t really think we need the gospel. We church kids are dead in our transgressions and are daily forgiven much, even though we aren’t always mindful of it.

Amazement of God flows from a heart that deeply loves God. Jesus spoke about this love in Luke 7:36-50. As Jesus ate with some Pharisees, a sinful woman came into the room. She washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed Jesus with perfume. The Pharisees stared in shock. They couldn’t believe Jesus would allow this sinful woman to be near him—let alone do these things to him.

Jesus responded by telling a simple and powerful story followed by a probing question.

“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them loved him more?” (Luke 7:41-42)

The Pharisees correctly answered that the one with the larger debt would love the moneylender more. Jesus then explained that the sinful woman demonstrated such lavish love for him because she realized how much she had been forgiven. Those who realize they have been forgiven much, love much, and those who think they have been forgiven little, love little (Luke 7:47).

Jesus told this story to challenge the perspective of the Pharisees and to commend the love demonstrated by the woman. At the same moment, he rebuked the self-righteous Pharisees and held up the woman as an example of whole-hearted devotion. Jesus’ words apply just as much today as they did two thousand years ago, and they contain a valuable lesson for those of us who have grown up in Christian homes.

Jesus clearly connects our appreciation of the forgiveness of God with our love for him. When we realize Christ died on the cross for each of our sins, we will love him much. When we understand Jesus experienced the wrath of God in our place, we will love him much. When we realize we have been credited with the righteousness of Christ when nothing in us is worthy, we will love him much. And when we consider God will accept us into heaven for eternity because of this finished work of Jesus Christ, we will love him much.

Jesus also connects our lack of understanding of the forgiveness of God with loving him little. If we fail to see the depth of our sinfulness or we do not think we have much to be forgiven, we will love him little.

Are you amazed at the forgiving and saving grace of God in your life? If you are, don’t ever become dull to it. Christ’s work on the cross is truly amazing. If you are not, seek today to understand your huge debt before a holy God and cultivate a heart that stands amazed.

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An Overview of Growing Up Christian - Part 2

I think the most significant danger church kids face is false assurance of salvation—assuming we are saved even when we are not.

We grow up in a Christian culture with Christians all around us—family, church, and friends. Because we do the things Christians do and we are surrounded by Christians, we tend to assume we are Christians too. But just as standing in a wheat field doesn’t make someone wheat, being raised in a Christian environment doesn’t make someone a Christian.

We tend to believe we are Christians because . . .
- Our parents are Christians
- We believe God exists
- We faithfully attend church and youth meetings
- We pray
- We read and know much about the Bible
- We prayed the sinner’s prayer or went forward during an alter call
- We were baptized
- We sing worship songs
- We listen to Christian music
- We are basically good, moral people, especially compared to the world
- We attend a Christian school or Christian college

What gives you confidence that you are a Christian? The list above refers primarily to external actions. Each could in fact be a fruit of salvation—a good work or action of a believer. But each could also be nothing more than an unbeliever conforming to his environment (to please parents, fit in with peers, etc.) while there is no saving faith in his heart.

Don’t fall into the dangerous trap of false assurance. Take some time to examine your relationship with God. Search your heart. Pray. Don’t make the mistake of basing your salvation upon what you do or your environment. Genuine salvation is a matter of the heart. It is based on faith alone—faith in God’s character, his promises, and the work of his Son on the cross.

Scripture encourages us to examine ourselves, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (II Corinthians 13:5-6)

To do this we need to look at our actions, our motives, and the fruit in our lives. We need to pray, read the Bible, worship God, attend church, and confess sin. But it is possible to do all of these things and not be motivated from a heart that truly loves God and wants to live for him. There is a difference between saying a simply prayer over a meal and communing with your Lord and talking with your Heavenly Father. There is a difference between reading the Bible just like any other book and reading it as the genuine words of God which breath life and give clear direction to our lives. There is a difference between singing a song and truly worshiping your Sovereign Lord.

When you look at your actions, the motives behind your actions, and the fruit of your actions, what do you learn about your heart? Have you every asked one of your parents their thoughts? How about a friend whom you respect?

If you are saved, I hope this self-examination increases your faith all the more. God is at work in your life and will continue to help you grow in him.

If you are not saved, I want to urge you to pause and pray. Ask Christ to make himself real to you. Ask him to be Lord of your life, transform your heart, and enable you to live all out for him. This is a prayer he is eager to answer.

What a shame it would be for someone to grow up in a Christian home, attend church his whole life, assume he was a Christian, and yet not truly be saved. Sadly, this happens more often than we would like. Don’t let this happen to you.

Believe that “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (I Corinthians 5:21)

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An Overview of Growing Up Christian – Part 1

Over the next few days, I will give an overview of my book Growing Up Christian.

I have a deep love and burden for young people growing up in the church today. I grew up in a strong Christian family and have personally experienced the blessings and challenges church kids face. I have worked closely with Christian teens over the past 24 years as I have worked in Christian schooling.

The aim of the book is to urge teens to develop a genuine faith and a walk of their own and seek to love God with all their hearts, souls, and minds. But, having Christian parents and attending church every week does not guarantee this.

Have you known anyone who seemed to be a Christian throughout his teenage years, but when he went off to college dropped his faith and stopped following God? Have you known anyone who actively participated in youth meetings and church missions trips, but after high school no longer pursued God or the things of God?

Sadly, I know too many people like this, and you can probably quickly list a few names yourself. Growing up around Christians does not make anyone a Christian. Nor do we inherit our Christianity from our parents. We need a faith and a walk of our own. We need to personally know and respond to the gospel message. We need to personally respond to the call of our Lord on our lives. And we need to personally live for Christ.

Growing up in a Christian home is an amazing privilege. We are taught so much – the stories and truths of Scripture, the basics of the gospel, the attributes of God, and so much more. We are also protected from much – immoral movies and television shows, ungodly friends, inappropriate music. Our parents demonstrate a love for God and us by teaching us and protecting us.

Being raised in a Christian environment – home, church, and often school – is a great blessing, but there are also some dangers that church kids face. Dangers? Yes, I really do mean dangers – tendencies that we need to watch out for and pitfalls to avoid.

I will be getting into the details in blogs over the next few days, but let me give you a preview.

Dangers we need to watch out for:
1. Believing we are saved when we are not
2. Lacking amazement of how God forgives our sins and saves us
3. Loving the world more than the things of God
4. Failing to develop personal, biblical convictions
5. Battling our sinful behavior but not our sinful heart

Let me end with one of my favorite quotes. It is from Holiness by J.C. Ryle,

“I ask the children of religious parents to mark well what I am saying. It is the highest privilege to be the child of a godly father and mother, and to be brought up in the midst of many prayers. It is a blessed thing indeed to be taught the gospel from our earliest infancy, and to hear of sin, and Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and holiness, and heaven, from the first moment we can remember anything. But, oh, take heed that you do not remain barren and unfruitful in the sunshine of all these privileges: beware lest your heart remains hard, impenitent, and worldly, notwithstanding the many advantages you enjoy. You cannot enter the kingdom of God on the credit of your parents’ religion. You must eat the bread of life for yourself, and have the witness of the Spirit in your own heart. You must have repentance of your own, faith of your own, and sanctification of your own.”

Please check back in over the next few days as we continue to discuss the blessings and dangers of growing up Christian.

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A Promise for the Weary (Isaiah 40:29-31)

Are you wiped out physically, emotionally, or spiritually? If you answer yes, Isaiah 40:29-31 is a prescription and a promise for you, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Our God gives strength to the weary and power to the weak. He knows our condition, understands our deficiencies, and comprehends our needs. Plus, He is capable of renewing us with physical strength, renewed focus, grace for the new day, and a fresh passion for living for Him.

Everyone becomes tired and weary. Young and old wear out physically, get to the end of their emotional strength, and go through spiritually dry seasons. This is the human condition. We each need rest, sleep, renewal, and physical healing.

What do we do? What is God’s prescription? It is to hope in Him. We many have limitations, but God does not. We may grow weary, but God does not. We may stumble and fall, but God does not. We may be overwhelmed by our circumstances, but God is not. And when we realize how strong, stable, and firm our God is, we will learn to trust Him and hope in Him all the more.

The result will be a renewal of our strength. We will still have our limitations, but there will be new grace for the new day head. We will be equipped to run again, to walk again. Trusting in God, we will be ready to face the challenges of every day life.

Jesus, help us to hope in you.

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Parable of the Lost Sons (Luke 15:11-32)

In Luke chapter 15, Jesus is surrounded by “tax collectors and ‘sinners’” (verse 1) and tells three consecutive parables: lost sheep, lost coin, and lost sons. We often know the third story as the parable of the “Lost Son” or the “Prodigal,” but really it is the story of two lost sons – the younger son and the older son.

Consider these questions as you read the parable anew:
- What was the longing of the younger son at the beginning of the parable?
- What was his longing in the second half of the parable?
- Why was the older son so upset?
- What was the heart of the father towards the younger son? Towards the older son?
- What would an ideal older brother have done in the first half of the parable? In the second half?
- How are you like the younger brother?
- How are you like the older brother?

Here is the parable:

“Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father.

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' " (NIV)

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It’s Hard to Trust

Here is another section from chapter 9 of my book.

Standing on the edge of the five-foot high platform, Luke wondered if his teammates would catch him as he fell backwards off the platform and into their hands. His eyes were covered, but he could hear his teammates encouraging him to fall back. Although his arms were folded across his chest and his back was to the group, he knew that the eight of them could easily catch him. The real question was could he trust them?

Have you ever participated a team-building activity like this? Each member of the group has to depend on his teammates as he falls backwards into their arms. It builds trust and unity in a group, but it is extremely difficult, even if you are the last person to go and you have seen everyone else safely caught.

It is hard to trust others, whether it is our parents, siblings, teachers, pastors, or friends. It can be especially hard to trust God because we cannot see him or hear his voice, but it is essential that we learn to totally trust him and his promises. It isn’t enough to just know God or believe the gospel. To live the Christian life, we need to trust him; we need to rely on his character and power in every moment of every day. Whether we experience trials or blessings, we need to believe that God is wise, loving, and fully in control of our lives and our world.

I found it hard to trust God as I mourned Trevor’s death, but the more I did it the easier it got. Every day I felt God enable me to trust him and his ways more and more.

The more we choose to trust God instead of our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) and the more we understand that he is faithful, loving, kind, all-powerful and wise, the easier it is to trust him. As we trust him through difficult trials and important decisions, we will see his constant care, comfort, and guidance for us.

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The Lord Gives Strength and Peace - Psalm 29:11

In Psalm 29 the word “Lord” is used 18 times in 11 verses. This chapter shouts the majesty, power, glory, and praise of God. He is powerful. He is glorious. He is majestic. His voice thunders. His power is unmatched. His majesty stuns. 

The first 10 verses focus on the Lord, and in the final verse the Psalm turns to us.

“The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” (Psalm 29:11)

Through the finished work of Jesus, we are adopted as children of God. He claims us as his children. He secures us as his own. He declares we are his people.

He gives us strength, and he blesses us with peace. We have limited energy and bounded strength, and the God of all power gives us strength. We worry and at times overflow with anxiety and fear, and the God of all glory grants us peace.

We praise you Father for your love. We thank you for strength and peace. Help us live as your people. Help us walk in your power. Help us rest in your peace.

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Growing Up Christian -- Video

Imagine the potential of a generation of teens on fire for God!

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Holy Scripture

What is your view of Scripture?

Charles Spurgeon described it this way --

"This volume [the Bible] is the writing of the living God: each letter was penned with an almighty finger, each word in it dropped from the everlasting lips, each sentence was dictated by the Holy Spirit...everywhere I find God speaking; it is God's voice, not man's; the words are God's words, the worlds of the Eternal, the Invisible, the Almighty, the Jehovah of the Earth."

God breathed life into every word of the Bible. He inspired the writers of sacred Scripture, guiding their thoughts and hands. Oh, what confidence we can have because of this! We can know that these are His words -- living and active words. We can anticipate God using them to transform our lives -- our every thought, word, and action.

Pick up your Bible today, asking "Lord, what do you want to say to me today?" He is pleased to answer!

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Why Obey?

Do you obey the authority in your life – your parents, teachers, coaches, pastors? What percent of the time – 75%, 90%, 95%?

Okay, now for the hard question: Why do you obey? Pause and consider the thinking behind your obedience, your reason you comply, your motivation to do what is right.

Some individuals obey their parents to make sure they get their weekly allowance. Others are motivated to keep some of the “toys” they have – cell phone, video games, car. Some want to avoid discipline, such as being grounded, not being able to go out with friends, or limited television privileges. Others want to be praised and seek public recognition for their public obedience. Some truly want to honor their parents and please the Lord.

As you can see the motives of our hearts can vary greatly when it comes to obedience. In fact, our motives are at best mixed – both good and bad.

If your parents are involved in your life, they probably faithfully discipline you when you do wrong. As a result, avoidance of discipline can be a primary motivator for many of us. But, remember that some day you will move out of you house, be on your own, and no longer be under the direct oversight of your parents. What will motivate you do then?

We need to be motivated by a deep desire to please God. This is the mindset and attitude that will equip us for life. We will never move out of God’s domain. We will always be under his authority and rule.

We need a healthy dose of the fear of the Lord. Knowing his character and ways, we need to respect his holiness, power, and rule. Remembering he is always present and just, will shape our decisions. Knowing he calls us to be holy because he is holy will inspire us to obey his Word. Understanding his commands and the love behind each of his commands will encourage us to trust his way as we obey.

Why do you obey? At the least I hope you are thinking more about this subject. Talk it over with a godly friend or with your parents. What would they say motivates you?

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Quick to Listen - Slow to Speak - Slow to Anger - James 1:19

The book of James is filled with practical teachings. These truths challenge us, and they provide a standard to measure our lives.

James 1:19 is a good example: “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry"

We each know someone who does not listen well. We know someone who talks too much. And we know someone who easily gets angry. These things are easy to spot in others, but completely miss seeing in ourselves.

James holds up the value of listening. A good listener genuinely cares about others and wants to hear what others say. A good listener asks questions and focuses on the answers. A good listener is more concerned about others than themselves. A good listener learns and gains wisdom. Let’s be quick to listen.

James holds up the value of being slow to speak. Speaking too quickly leads to comments we will regret later. Speaking too quickly shows a heart focused on our self, our opinions, and our wisdom. Speaking too quickly often is a sign of arrogance. Speaking too quickly means we are not listening. Let’s be slow to speak.

James holds up the value of being slow to anger. Being slow to anger means we show patience and self-control. Being quick to anger leads to harsh comments and mean actions. Being quick to anger harms those around us. Being quick to anger leads to sin and mistakes we wish we could go back and change. Let’s be slow to anger.

The book of James is practical and up in our face. These truths force us to consider ourselves and our lives. Today consider your listening, speaking, and tendencies toward anger. How are you doing? How can you change?

Thankfully, as Christians, we do not walk out our faith on our own. The Holy Spirit enables us to walk out the Christian life. When we see areas for change, the first step is repentance and the second is crying out to the Holy Spirit to enable us to change.

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Summer

What are your plans for the summer? What goals do you hope to accomplish?

Consider these four sections of Scripture:

1) I Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

If we can do simple things (like eating and drinking) to the glory of God, we can do everything to His glory (cell phone, social media, hanging out with friends and family, going to the beach, working a summer job…). This summer set a goal of living for God's glory in all you do.

2) Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

The Bible is a guide to light our path. We need to read it, know it, and apply it to our lives. This summer make a goal of reading the Bible every day.

3) Ephesians 6:1-3, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise— ‘that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’ ”

Honoring and obeying your parents will great bless them, and this passage also makes it clear that it will bless you too. This summer honor and obey your parents.

4) Ephesians 4:29, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Our words matter. This summer seek to use words that are helpful and build others up.

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Spiritual Growth

How does a Christian grow? How do we grow in faith? How do we grow in holiness?

Here are four ways:

       1.       Daily Reading the Bible – Each day I try to read one chapter from the Old Testament and one chapter from the New Testament. I read slowly, carefully considering the truths in each chapter. I ask God to reveal to me lessons for the day, and I seek to make practical application to my life. The change in my life may be small when measured on a daily basis, but over time the growth has been pronounced.

2.       Daily Prayer – Each day I try to spend time praying to my Heavenly Father. I seek to worship him, talk with him, and hear from him. I declare my need for his wisdom, guidance, and help. I lift up to him my family, my circumstances, and my future. I know I am communicating with the all-mighty, all-knowing, and all-powerful God of the universe. I know I am praying to my God who loves me and cares for me. Daily prayer feeds my faith.

3.       Learning from Mistakes – It is easy to beat myself up for my mistakes and endlessly rerun them endlessly in my mind. But, I try to learn from my mistakes and see them as opportunities for growth in faith, in character, and in resilience. I confess my sins and ask God to forgive me, and I acknowledge my weaknesses. I seek to be a humble learner, listening to the guidance and teaching of God. I find that in my mistakes, I am keenly aware of my need and I am often more attentive to the lessons God has for me. I do not like making mistakes, but I value the important lessons I have learned through them.

4.       Refinement through Trials – Trials are a reality of life for all of us. We are either in a trial, coming out of a trial, or heading into a trial. I get frustrated and impatient when I have to endure difficulties. Yet I also look back at my life and see how God clearly taught me through trials. Some of the clearest truths have come through lessons learned in hardship. I have walked through significant health issues personally and within my family. They have been extremely difficult, but God has met me powerfully. I have seen his closeness, and my weakness has helped me know he is near, he is strong, and he is ready to help. Although I do not like trials, I do like the spiritual growth they have produced in my life.

I pray that God continues to help us grow!

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Book Recommendation: Parenting Beyond Your Capacity

A few years ago my pastor introduced me to a book, and the title grabbed my attention immediately: Parenting Beyond Your Capacity by Reggie Joiner and Carey Nieuwhof. 

As parents, we feel overloaded and maxed out. How do we parent beyond our capacity?

The authors provide five principles:

1. Widen the Circle – Pursue strategic relationships for your kids.

2. Imagine the End – Focus your priorities on what matters most.

3. Fight for the Heart – Communicate in a style that gives the relationship value.

4. Create Rhythm – Increase the quantity of quality time you spend together.

5. Make it Personal – Put yourself first when it comes to personal growth.

I highly recommend this practical and biblically solid book. May the Holy Spirit work in us and through us as we seek to parent beyond our capacity!

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Failure

Recently I heard a mom of three children say, “I want my children to experience failure before they grow up and leave my house and are out on their own. I want to help them work through the failure, learn from the failure, and overcome the challenges of the failure.”

Her statement got my attention. There is a side of me that does not want to see my children fail or experience hardships. But, I do want them to learn to be resilient, to learn to depend on God for help, and to learn to persevere.

James 1:2-4 states, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Trials, hardships, and failures are classrooms for learning patience, humility, and steadfastness. Through them God can increase our faith in Him and grow our dependence on Him. 

We all want the promise at the end of this passage: “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Okay, this may not happen until heaven, but none the less trials can get us closer to these targets.

I do not pray for failure for my children or myself, but I do pray for genuine faith, true humility, and godly grit and resilience. I do not know how God will accomplish this, and I realize the clearest lessons in life often come through moments of failure. Amazingly, God works mistakes, hardships, and trials for the good of Christians. He brings victory from failure.

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Intimate and Awesome Prayer

I'm reading the book Life, God and Other Small Topics: Conversations from Socrates in the City, edited by Eric Metaxas. One chapter is a lecture given by N.T. Wright in 2006.

One of Wrights statements caught my attention,

“If you read chapters 13 through 17 of John’s gospel, you’ll discover a wonderful model of Christian prayer. Prayer is supposed to be simultaneously intimate and awesome. That’s an odd combination to us, but actually that’s how it is. There is an awe in the presence of one’s Creator, but there is also an intimacy because the Creator invites us to call him Father.”

I like this description of prayer as being both intimate and awesome.

Do you stand in awe of God? Do you know his power and might? Do you have a healthy fear of him? Do you worship him?

Do you also have an intimate relationship with him? Do you know his love? Do you know his care? Do you know him as your Father?

Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, Christians can approach God the Father with confidence. We can talk to him, and he hears us. We have an amazing God!

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