The Monday Memo from John Stanko

Monday Memo 363: Reverse the Curse

I have what may be a radical concept to share in this week's Memo.  If I am wrong, it won't matter much. If I am right, however, it could mean a movement of unprecedented proportions as people of purpose join together to accomplish significant things to address serious problems and launch creative initiatives.  If you are interested in such possibilities, you want to read on.

 A BIG PROJECT

In Genesis 11, we have the story of a group of citizens who joined together to build a tower.  We aren't sure what this tower was. Some think it was to be a refuge from any future floods like Noah's.  Others believe it was some kind of Temple or shrine to the gods.  Whatever it was, God looked at it and didn't like it. 

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other" (Genesis 11:5-7).

God saw something in this tower that wasn't good and he knew their ability to communicate with one another was the source of their strength to accomplish this deed.  So the Lord actually stepped in and confused the languages of the people so they could not understand one another.  That project was called the tower of Babel, babel being a word close the Hebrew word for confused.

REVERSE THE CURSE   

So mankind was plagued with many languages that confused communication and hindered their ability to work one with another.  If the Lord cursed mankind with confusion and communication problems, however, could He not also reverse that curse and restore man's ability to work together?  Does the reverse-curse process as possible as the initial intervention that caused the confusion in the first place?  I think it does.

In Christ, our ability to join and work together to extend the kingdom of God was and is restored.  You can discover your purpose, I can clarify mine and together we can join together in the power of God and perhaps "nothing they [we] plan to do will be impossible for them [us]."  We can become tremendously productive together if we have the right motivation. Their motivation in Genesis 11 was to build a name for themselves.  Our motivation is to glorify God's name (this reminds me of what we looked at last week in John 15).

I am a firm believer in synergy, which is when the sum of the parts is greater than their individual sums. When synergy occurs, one plus one equals five, ten or however much God allows it to be.  If you believe God reversed the curse of Genesis 11, what are you doing with that power?  On and from what team are you producing great results for Him?  Where does your purpose join with others to create a divine dynamic of productivity?  I don't think this has to take place in a church setting, for we should be building hospitals, starting businesses and creating whole industries that meet the needs of others in the power of our united purposes in Him.

What can you do with this concept?  At this point, I would be convinced that it's true if I were you. If it's not, then please disregard this Memo!  If it is, however, then I would look to join with some other people of purpose to build a team that can create something significant.  You know I am a firm believer in individual creativity and productivity, but I know we as purposeful individuals will learn how to work with one another in ways that will achieve good results for and in His name.  And when we do, to God be the glory!  Have a great week.

    Feel free to add your comments to this entry on the site where it is posted. 

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CD SERIES:  I have a three-CD series entitled Getting Your Life Back on Track: A Study of Purpose and Goals that I taught earlier this year in Texas.  I would like to make it available to you this week for any contribution to my ministry.  This series, designed to help you clarify your purpose and set some high goals, comes with a fill-in-the-blanks outline along with a copy of my book, I Wrote This Book on Purpose.  This special will run through the month of September.  You can contribute on my website using PayPal or send a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA  15221. 

PROVERBS:  My most popular book is my daily devotional from the book of Proverbs.  If you would like a sample of September's devotional, you can download it below.  It's my gift to you because I'm in a good mood! :-)

Download September.doc

COMING TO THE UK?  I have a ministry who would like to bring me over to the UK for October 20-November 3, but they need partners to help, whether churches or individuals.  If you would be interested in utilizing my ministry services while I am there, please write me this week and let me know.

BLOG SERIES:  If you didn't see my blog series last week on anxiety and the role in plays in hindering your creativity, you may want to check it out. 

Monday Memo 362: Nice Fruit

Have you ever heard anyone quote John 15 where Jesus said that apart from Him you can do nothing? I heard my pastor say it the other night and some people responded "Amen," as well they should. It is a truth that we need to hear as we seek to fulfill our purpose and be productive. Did you know, however, that the opposite of what Jesus said is also true? What do I mean by that? You know by now I won't give you any hints, otherwise you won't have any incentive to read on.

THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE

So if Jesus said that apart from Him you can do nothing, isn't it true that in Him you can do anything? Alright, maybe not everything, but something? Let's look at the entire passage and you'll see what I mean:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples (John 15:1-8).

Jesus said if you don't abide in Him you can't do anything; if you do, however, you will bear much fruit. If you don't, you are a useless branch and will be pruned and burned. Of course, if you are fruitful, you will also be pruned and burned, but that is so you will bear more fruit. That is another message for another time. Did you also notice that if you abide in Jesus, you can ask for whatever you wish and it will be given to you? So while the warning of what you can't do without Jesus is real, what you can do is much more prevalent in this passage.

NICE FRUIT OR REAL FRUIT?

Many people are content with bearing fruit in the context of holiness, which is very often not bearing bad fruit, which we equate with sinful behavior. They want to bear "nice fruit." They believe if they don't get impatient, for example, then they are bearing good fruit, fruit of the Spirit even. Yet I would argue that we have our concept of fruit all mixed up.

Let's continue to reflect on patience. Do you think God wants you to develop patience where His purpose for you is concerned? Do you think if your purpose is to save orphans, that God wants you to be patient with child abuse, slavery or exploitation? Instead of bearing fruit by opening orphanages, you think good fruit is not doing anything and then you call that patience? Do you think that is what Jesus was teaching in John 15? I don't. Do you think you will find or accomplish your purpose without offending someone who doesn't want you to do what God wants? I don't.

I would argue that so many people are worried about doing something that isn't the will of God that they often miss what they could do. Perhaps that's not true in your life, but it's sure been true in mine. I have been so cautious that I have missed many opportunities and then I didn't pray for as much as I could because I did not want to pray for too much. Crazy thinking, isn't it?

So what fruit are you bearing since you are in Jesus and His words have made you clean? What are you praying and doing with the results of those prayers? How lofty are your goals? How ambitious your plans to change the world, or at least your world?

I urge you to study John 15 this week not for the warning of what happens when you don't abide, but from the perspective of what will happen when you do. Then get out there and bear some fruit that is consistent with being connected to the Lord of the universe. By doing so, you will glorify God and show yourself to be good disciples. Have a great week!

Feel free to comment on this entry on the site where it is posted.

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CONTRIBUTIONS: It's been a slow summer. If you can contribute to my ministry, please do so at my website using PayPal or send a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Thank you.

Monday Memo 361: You Don't Have Time

There are two types of people in the world of productivity. There are those who say they don't have enough time and they don't. Then there are those who say they don't have enough time and they don't. Confused? You should be, for I have defined two separate groups with the identical phrase. What could I possibly mean by this? Ah, to find out, you will have to read on.

GROUP ONE

The first group doesn't get things done that they would like to do because they are waiting for conditions to be just right before they move forward. They are waiting to have the mortgage paid off, the children to be grown and gone, their retirement years to arrive, or a ton of money saved in the bank. Then there are others who are waiting for unrealistic chunks of time to become available before they even start on their goal or dream.

I once had someone say to me, "I wish I could go off for about eight weeks and do nothing but write! Then I could get something done." I replied, "Believe me, you don't know what you are asking. If you ever have eight free or uninterrupted weeks to do something, that means you have lost your job, broken your leg or are recovering from a heart attack!" The people in this group remind me of what the wisdom writer had to say: "Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap" (Ecclesiastes 11:4).

Some of those in group one are perfectionists; others are fearful that they can't produce or do what they want, so they use the excuse that they don't have time to prevent them from ever starting or seriously planning.

GROUP TWO

Then there is group two who says they don't have time and they are correct -- they really don't! This group, including yours truly, usually tries to shoe horn four hours work into two hours. We can't say "no," so we tend to overcommit, believing that all things are possible for those who work hard and are called according to His purpose (a slight variation on Romans 8:28). Our to-do list is as long as our arm and even then we feel like we are underachieving.

For group one, the solution is to be realistic. You usually don't have huge blocks of uncommitted time, so you must learn to use what you have. This group must also deal with their unrealistic perfectionism, which says that only the perfect will do in any situation. This group would do well to heed the verses immediately following the verse mentioned above: "As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well (Ecclesiastes 11:5-6).

For group two, the solution is also a dose of realism. If we are doing to do some of the things we want to do, we must stop doing some of the things we are currently doing. There is only one way that I could embrace going to school and that was to stop traveling as much as I was. There are only 24 hours in a day and no matter how organized or committed you are, there are limitations. Where are those limits? I don't know; that's what you have to find out. For group one, the answer is a to-do list; the answer for group two is a stop to-do list.

I know which group I am in. Into which group do you fall? It would be good to find out and then take steps this week that will enable you to do some of the things that are important to you and that are in your heart to do. Discover this week why you don't have enough time and then find the proper mindset that will enable you to produce. The answer is to get more busy so you can use the time you have or to get less busy so you can use the time you have. Have a great week!

Monday Memo 360: You Have an Assignment

I am regularly asked one question when I teach on goals or productivity: “There are so many things I want to do and feel like I need to do - how can I find the time to do them?” My answer is that you cannot find time; you already have all the time there is -- 24 hours every day.  Often you must stop doing something before you can do the things you need or would like to do.  I have found that a key is to clarify your values and then allow your goals and daily tasks to flow out of your values system.  Let me give you an example.

BACK TO SCHOOL

One of my ten values is that “I am a learner.”  I don’t want to stop learning or I will stop growing as a leader and person.  Since learning is a value, I set a goal every year to read or listen to five books every month.  So far this year, I have finished 35 books.  Do you see how my goal isn't something I have to do; it's something I choose to do?  It is like brushing my teeth; I read every day because it is important to me. I don't even have to think about it.

And now I am enduring a grueling class schedule and study program to earn an advanced degree at the age of 58. Why would I do this?  I do it because it's a value.  What's more, I do it because I love it.

Identifying your values isn't the most exciting work you can do, but it's important work nonetheless.  While I am sitting in class from 8 AM to 4:30 PM every day this week doing my assignments, I have an assignment for you. 

ATTENTION CLASS!

1.    Go to my website and download the article entitled “How to Define Your Governing Values." This article is an excerpt from my book, So Many Leaders, So Little Leadership.  (If you already have that book, refer to chapter two.)  Read through the article to get an idea of how I recommend you go about recognizing and writing our your values.  Don't worry if it seems a bit strange or awkward.  There is no wrong way to do it.  You won't be tested; this is for your eyes only!

2.    Set aside one or two hours this week. Get up early each morning, don’t watch television this week, but do whatever you have to do to find two hours this week.  Promise yourself that you will do this and keep the commitment.  (If you already have your values defined, is it time to review what you have?)

3.    Once you have identified your values following my instructions, you can then begin to set goals and daily activities focusing on things that you value, things that should govern your life and time by their prominent place in your heart.

4.  Most importantly, you may have to have a stop to-do list that will free up some time currently devoted to the urgent that you can then invest in the important. 

There is no shortcut to being productive and self-disciplined.  If you are serious about answering the question, “How do I find time to do important things?”, however, then you must be serious about defining and writing out your values.  While you are doing this and I am in class, I know that we will all have a great week of learning!

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LAST SHOW:  This week will be the last radio show for a while since the finances just aren't there to continue.  We will post all the past shows on my website in case you would like to access any of the 13 episodes I did this summer.  I had a blast doing the show and I know I'll be back to do more shows in the future.  But for now, it's time to move on.  Here is a summary of this week's final show. 

Episode Thirteen: The Purpose Craze

Did you realize that there is a purpose revolution going on?  What makes purpose so compelling and such an important topic?  To find out, join John and his special guest, Bill Rhoades, on the next episode of Your PurposeQuest.  Bill is the director of volunteer services at Light of Life Rescue Mission in Pittsburgh and has applied the power of purpose to his own life, while advising many others as they grapple with the issues of purpose in their own life. 

Missed the live show?  This episode is broadcast at 9 AM Eastern and then rebroadcast at 9 AM Eastern and 6 PM Pacific. Past episodes are available on-demand and podcast ready.

Listen LIVE to VoiceAmerica!

Questions? Comments? Call in during the show itself at 1.866.472.5787 or 5788

PURPOSEQUEST WEBSITE:  Thousands of visitors have come to my new PurposeQuest site since it launched six weeks ago. If you haven't been there yet, please stop by and make sure you take the free PurposeQuest Assessment that is available on the home page.

THE PACIFIC INSTITUTE:  My friends from The Pacific Institute will be holding training sessions in the Dallas, Texas area on September 25 and 26 and October 23 and 24.  As you know, this training program changed my life and made me more effective at everything I do.  If you live in the Dallas area or can make it to that area for those dates, I strongly recommend that you do so.  The program isn't inexpensive, but the returns are priceless.  You can find out more information about the sessions on the local sponsor's website. 

Monday Memo 359: Doubt Power

Did you know that doubt is as powerful as faith?  I was writing my weekly Bible study the other day and I came to Matthew 21:21-22.  Jesus had just cursed a fig tree and it withered from the roots up.  The disciples asked how this could happen and Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

Now how can I or anyone say that doubt has power?  Is that crazy, or what?  To find out, you will have to read on.

SINS OF OMISSION

It seems to me that God is always doing new and fresh things in my life and probably in yours.  Yet there is one thing that can stop God's work and that is doubt.  If faith can throw a mountain into the sea, then doubt can keep it where it is.  If faith can wither a fig tree, doubt can keep a leafy but fruitless tree fruitless.  If faith is active, doubt is also active, in a passive kind of way.  Doubt works to prevent you from acting, so it is indeed active -- it "works" to talk you out of something that is in your power to do, rendering you passive.

St. Thomas Aquinas taught about "sins of omission," not causing a good in your power to produce, which isn't the same as a sin of commission, which is taking up an active evil.  Many people are content because they do not commit acts of commission, while they live with acts of omission every day, usually caused by doubt.  They live in what I would call doubt power, when we are to live in faith power.

DOUBT POWER

Doubt power is, well, it's powerful.  It makes one so concerned about missing God that one can miss God.  It is so concerned about doing the wrong thing that it does no-thing.  Doubt is so consumed with what others will think that it damages one's decision-making capabilities.  I would say that doubt carries with it an equal and opposite force to that of faith. Would you agree?

This is not a debate about the philosophy of faith and doubt.  Jesus told us to exercise faith and not doubt.  Yet I look for the "balance" in what Jesus said, for surely He didn't mean that anything I ask for in faith I will receive -- or did He?  Where are the limits?  Where can I go wrong?  While I try to figure out those answers, I live with sins of omission every day, more worried about the sins I "may" commit instead of  good deeds that I could also "commit."

So what kind of power do you want to live in this week?  Do you want to exercise your doubt to keep things as they are, or faith to move forward and progress?  I know, I know. You knew a person who knew someone who one time lost everything because they acted in what they thought was faith.  I know, I know.  You once looked like a fool when you acted in faith and fell flat on your face.  Yet I would imagine you also know a person who knew someone who acted in faith and did something great.  I would also think that you did the same thing once, and it was grand.  You still talk about it all the time.

So why let doubt rob you of your faith success this week?  The choice is yours to live in doubt power or faith power.  I vote for faith, and I know you do, too.  Have a great week!

     Feel free to add your comments on the site where this entry is posted.

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CONTINUE THE RADIO SHOW?:  As I reported last week, I got my radio show numbers for June and they were great!  I had more than 5,000 listeners and almost 800 downloads!  I am happy with that, but now I am facing a decision. Do I renew my contract after August 13?  I will need $1300 per month to continue the show.  What do you think?  Should I renew?  You can let me know by posting a comment on the site where this entry is posted. 

Perhaps you, your organization, or your company could sponsor a show for $400?  I would be glad to design a show around your cause or work if you sponsor it.  Then you could download the show and use it for your own purposes.  This may also fit into your missions budget, since the show goes around the world.  Perhaps your organization would like to add your ad banner to my announcement page on the station, the same page that everyone who downloads any show sees. If I have the money raised by August 13, I will continue. If not, then I will have to shut it down.  It's your call.  What do you think?  Write and let me know.

Episode Twelve: A Lawyer Pastor

Purpose is an exciting journey, full of unexpected twists and turns.  It can lead some from ministry to the workaday world and others from a secular job to church work.  Join John as he interviews Pastor J.C. Matthews from Carrollton, Texas as they discuss Pastor Matthews’ careers and his most recent book, Your Situation is Not Your Destination. 

Missed the live show?  This episode is broadcast at 9 AM Eastern and then rebroadcast at 9 AM Eastern and 6 PM Pacific. Past episodes are available on-demand and podcast ready.

Listen LIVE to VoiceAmerica!

Questions? Comments? Call in during the show itself at 1.866.472.5787 or 5788

PURPOSEQUEST WEBSITE:  Thousands of visitors have come to my new PurposeQuest site since it launched six weeks ago. If you haven't been there yet, please stop by and make sure you take the free PurposeQuest Assessment that is available on the home page.