The Monday Memo from John Stanko

Monday Memo 367: How Long?

I was reading last week and came across these verses in Joshua and I immediately thought, "These would make a good Monday Memo."  The verses are

The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The country was brought under their control, but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.  So Joshua said to the Israelites: "How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?" (Joshua 18:1-3).

To see if I was correct that they would make a good Memo, you will have to read on.

HOW LONG?

I wonder what the people were waiting for before they moved forward to take the land that God had promised?  Perhaps they were afraid or maybe they were "waiting on the Lord." Yet it seems like they were waiting and Joshua could not understand what they were waiting for.  So he helped them devise a plan to go in and they did so, yet they had wasted a lot of time living in less than God's best for them.  I find many people with whom I meet are doing the same.

I won't review all that I have written about trusting and doing what is in your heart, for you can easily go back through my past Memos to read for yourself.  Let me simply divide people into three categories and you can see if you fit into any one of the three.

THREE GROUPS

1.  I'm too young.  I meet with people who have big dreams but they feel they are too young.  So I ask them, "Why are you waiting? Do you think it will be easier to do what you want five to ten years from now?"  Many in this category are not married, or have young children, or have a spouse who also works. What a perfect time to go back to school, start a business, go into ministry or become a missionary.  Don't be biased against youth, especially if you are young.  You have the same Spirit that your elders do and God speaks to you like He does to them. So what are you waiting for?

2.  I'm too busy.  This group usually falls into the ages between 30 and 45.  They are more deeply immersed into life, and have school fees to pay, a mortgage, and a lot of responsibility. They have usually put a lot of time into their career at this point, and they are hoping to reap the benefits of that time investment in the coming years.  Many confide that they aren't happy, but just don't think they have any options.  Yet you always have options, they just may not be very good ones.  I urge this group to picture themselves in ten years and ask, "Is this what you want to be doing then?"  If they say, "No!", then we begin to make plans for what they can do with the time, money and freedom that they do have at this present time.  It is one of the most difficult things for a 40-something to think about what he or she will do when they are a 50-something.  It will be here before they know it, however, so I ask them, "What are you waiting for?"

3.  I'm too old.  This group is in their 50s and they talk like they have all the time in the world.  They act like they have another 50 years to plan and work with the same energy and health that they presently have. They talk about what they will do when they retire like retirement is a guarantee.  This group may also feel that time has passed them by, that their best days are behind them and not before them. Since I fall into this age group, I am now able to say, "Hey, we have less days ahead of us than we have behind us.  We aren't even guaranteed tomorrow."  So I ask them, "So what are you waiting for?"

No matter what group you may fall into, let me ask, "What are you waiting for?"  Do you think it will be any easier to do what is in your heart at a later day?  Why do you think so?  What will change?  If nothing will change, then why not find ways to do it (or start doing it) today, right now?  And let me also ask you what Joshua asked the people, "How long before you begin to take hold of the inheritance?"  You may not be able to take hold of it today, but you can begin to take hold.  Don't just talk about what you will do one day.  I urge you, implore you, even beg you to do it today no matter what group you fall into.  And as  you do, I know that you will have a great week!

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MEMO INDEX: Did you know that my website has an index of every Monday Memo, complete with the title, topic and all the Bible verses quoted therein?  If you are looking for something specific, you can easily check the index and find out what I have written about purpose, faith, productivity and many other topics. 

HALLOWEEN: I wrote an article years ago concerning Halloween that has been published in magazines and newspapers around the world.  I have updated that article and can send it to you for any contribution to my ministry between now and October 30.  This article is perfect for newsletters, church bulletins and other publications.  You can contribute on my website using PayPal or send a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA  15221.  I will send you a Word and PDF file of the article for you to use in whatever way you choose. 

ASSESSMENT: Have you taken the purpose assessment on my updated website?   Four hundred people have done so since my new site went up and I hope you are among that group.   If you haven't done so yet, why not do so now and then follow up with some of the online resources that can improve your score? 

SEVEN STEPS:  I had three coaching sessions two weeks ago and then told my wife, "These were the best sessions I have ever had.  There is no one who approaches purpose the way I do, and I know I really helped the people with whom I met."  That isn't a boast, but it is an acknowledgment that God has given me something special with which to help His people.  With that in mind, I am offering another special on my Seven Steps coaching program.  If you want to progress in the area of purpose, then I strongly suggest you invest in yourself.  The cost of the program is $699, but I will discount it to $499 through October 20.  You can make payment on my website using PayPal or send a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA  15221.  Credit cards are also accepted. You can read about the Seven Steps program here. 

Monday Memo 366: Wait, Fly, Run, Walk

I meet with hundreds of people every year to talk about their purpose, productivity, goals and dreams.  I often hear people say that they are waiting on the Lord and they sincerely believe they are doing the proper thing.  They will often quote Isaiah 40:31, which states "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength" (NAS).  The only problem is that anyone who quotes this verse in support of a passive kind of waiting on the Lord is mistaken.  To understand how, you will have to read on.

WAIT OR HOPE?

Let's look at the Amplified translation not only for Isaiah 40:31, but also for the verses immediately preceding it:

Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel, My way and my lot are hidden from the Lord, and my right is passed over without regard from my God? Have you not known?  Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding.  He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength -- causing it to multiply and making it abound.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and the selected young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted.  But those who wait for the Lord -- who expect, look for and hope in Him -- shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint or become tired (Isaiah 40:27-31 Amplified, emphasis added). 

First of all, the word so often translated "wait," which can speak of passively sitting around for something to happen or someone to show up, is better translated "hope."  Hope is more active, spurring one to action because there is hope.  A football player plays hard to the very end because he or she hopes that the team may still win.  I go to the mall hoping that there will be a good sale on something I need.  So if you are waiting and hoping in the Lord, and I truly hope you are, I must ask you what you are doing while you are waiting.  Your waiting should actually increase your activity level and not decrease it!

NOT CONVINCED?

So how can I say that waiting on the Lord should increase and not decrease your activity level?  Just look at what happens to those who "wait" or "hope."  They will renew their strength and power.  What's more, they will fly like eagles and run without getting weary.  If they can't fly or run, they will at least walk and not faint or become tired.  If waiting is a passive word, why is it mentioned in the context of such action words like fly, run and walk? 

The Lord also promises to give power to the faint, weary and to ones who have no might.  Who is faint and weary but those who have been involved and active, seeking ways to achieve and express their purpose, which is God's will for their lives?  I ran into a person the other day who said to me, "I am waiting for a crystal clear understanding of what the Lord wants from me in this next season of my life."  I wanted to respond, "I hope you find it, but from the sounds of it, you are waiting for God to do what He will not do."  God will not jump through hoops or provide dramatic acts to confirm what He wants you to do.  You will find out as you fly, run or walk in an attitude of hope and expectancy.

I acknowledge that what God wants you to do can only be accomplished in His strength and not your own.  Yet do you need God's strength if you aren't doing anything?  Is God required to sustain you if you are waiting for heaven's phone to ring so that God can speak to you clearly and directly?  I don't think He is.

So are you prepared to wait on the Lord this week?  Good!  That means you will be actively hoping and waiting as you pursue open doors and knock on closed ones.  You will wait as you dream, write, pray and plan. You will wait as you talk to those who can help make your dreams and purpose a reality.  As you do all this, God will cause you to cover a lot of territory, no matter whether your mode of transport is flying or by foot. The important thing is that you move and then see God move with you.  Have a great week!

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HALLOWEEN: I wrote an article years ago concerning Halloween that has been published in magazines and newspapers around the world.  I have updated that article and can send it to you for any contribution to my ministry between now and October 30.  This article is perfect for newsletters, church bulletins and other publications.  You can contribute on my website using PayPal or send a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91069, Pittsburgh, PA  15221.  I will send you a Word and PDF file of the article for you to use in whatever way you choose. 

ASSESSMENT: Have you taken the purpose assessment on my updated website?   Four hundred people have done so since my new site went up and I hope you are among that group.   If you haven't done so yet, why not do so now and then follow up with some of the online resources that can improve your score? 

SEVEN STEPS:  I had three coaching sessions last week and then told my wife, "These were the best sessions I have ever had.  There is no one who approaches purpose the way I do, and I know I really helped the people with whom I met."  That isn't a boast, but it is an acknowledgment that God has given me something special to help His people.  So with that in mind, I am offering another special on my Seven Steps coaching program.  If you want to progress in the area of purpose, then I strongly suggest you invest in yourself.  The cost of the program is $699, but I will discount it to $499 through October 20.  You can make payment on my website using PayPal or send a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA  15221.  Credit cards are also accepted. You can read about the Seven Steps program here. 

Monday Memo 365: You Are Not a Cat

There is an old saying that curiosity killed the cat.  Curious by nature, cats can get into trouble and even die when they allow their curiosity to lead them where they don't need to go.  You are not a cat, however, and the opposite can be true for you.  Your curiosity will seldom harm you and, what's more, your purpose can be hindered and thwarted if you don't follow your interests and curiosity.  Allow me to explain.

A CURIOUS SIGHT

I was meeting with someone in a purpose coaching session the other day and I asked her a Bible question:  "When did God speak to Moses from the burning bush?"  The answer is found in Exodus 3:2-3: "Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, 'I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.'"

God did not whistle and call Moses over to the bush.  Moses had seen a lot of burning bushes in the desert over the years, but this one was different.  It was burning but it was not consumed.  So Moses followed his curiosity and, when he arrived at the bush, God spoke to him and told him to take off his shoes.

I asked the woman with whom I was meeting the question about Moses because she was telling me what so many people tell me:  She was waiting on the Lord. While this sounds spiritual, it is often an attempt to avoid personal responsibility in making any decision about what to do and not to do.  If you put all the burden on the Lord to "prove" to you that there is something you need to do, you are basically saying, "Unless You drop a piano in front of me (or on top of me) from the top of a high building, Lord, I am going to keep doing what I'm doing and getting the same results I have always received. If I don't do more it's Your fault because You didn't show me." 

 A CURIOUS LEADING  

Since you are not a cat, your curiosity not only doesn't kill, but it serves an important purpose, often leading you where you need to be.  Stop scrutinizing your interests and thoughts. You need to chill out, relax and realize that God is with you and is directing your interests and, yes, even your curiosities. 

I love school and learning.  So I have enrolled in biblical Hebrew not because it is required but rather because I want to learn it.  I am taking a two-week course in Quickbooks so I can understand that accounting software and use it in my business.  Did God tell me to do those things?  Well, indirectly He did, for I was curious and now that I am in those classes, He is "speaking" to me.  Perhaps God isn't speaking to you because you are insisting that God has to speak to you where you are and not where He wants you to be.  You want to hear His voice now and He wants to speak to you when you are where He wants you to be.  Guess who will win that battle of wills?

How will you know where you are supposed to be?   At least some of the time you will know because you followed your curiosities, nothing more and nothing less.  Why not follow your interests and let curiosity lead you this week?  It may not be the voice of God, but if you follow it, it may lead you to a place where you will hear what you have been wanting to hear -- the voice of God clearly directing your path.  Have a great week!

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ASSESSMENT: Have you taken the purpose assessment on my updated website?   A lot of people did take it last week.  If you haven't done so yet, why not do so now and then follow up with some of the online resources that can improve your score?  

LAST WEEK FOR 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. 

Monday Memo 364: Big Fruit

This past week I went to our local farmer's market and the vegetables were the biggest I've seen this year because it's the end of the summer. That gave me an idea for this week's Memo.  Two weeks ago I wrote about Nice Fruit, where I mentioned that the Lord isn't simply interested in you being holy, but both holy and productive.  This week I want to write about what I call Big Fruit. 

HE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH

In John 14:12, Jesus made this astounding statement: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."  Did you ever notice how often Jesus said, "I tell you the truth"?  It's because what He was about to say would sound so preposterous to the small thinking of His audience that He had to assure them He was not exaggerating. 

Now think for a minute.  In your opinion, what was the greatest thing that Jesus did?  Most people respond that it was when He raised the dead.  If that’s true, then what could be a greater work than raising a dead person?  Raising more dead people?  Clearing out a cemetery or hospital?

Most people don’t think much about this verse because they don’t really believe that they can top what Jesus did, regardless of what they consider His greatest works.  When you think like that, however, you miss a dynamic that could greatly help you be more productive and bear big fruit.

Jesus did fabulous things but there were some things He didn’t do.  Jesus never opened an orphanage.  He never wrote a book.  As far as we know, He never opened a hospital or organized a group to go on a mission of mercy to a foreign land.  He never started a business and never gave a large sum of money to a worthy cause.   Why didn’t He do those things?  He left them for you and me to do.

I promise that I am telling you the truth about the truth that Jesus told you He was telling you about. 

YOUR BIG FRUIT

So if you believe in Jesus, and I hope you do, why aren’t you doing greater things than He did?  Perhaps you have underestimated just how important and possible it would be to actually achieve the things that are in your heart today.   You may ask, “Who am I to think about doing those things?”  If you believe in Jesus, the answer is, “Who are you not to think like that?”  

The question you have to settle is whether or not John 14:12 only applies to a select few or to every believer.  If it’s for you, then you have some work to do.  The good news is that you’re not alone if your work is coupled with faith.  With faith, you are guaranteed that your results will be great, greater than you could ever imagine because God is with you.  You can produce big fruit. 

What have you said someone ought to do?  Could that someone be you?  Write in your journal what about your big fruit.  You don’t have to know how you will do it right now; you just have to know what it is. Once you write it out, study and embellish it.  Let it become a part of your thinking every day.

If there's something you can do to make it a reality, what would it be?  Do you need to go back to school?   Do you need to have money to do produce your big fruit?  You may meet someone this week who can help you develop a plan or even give you the money for your big fruit  First and foremost, however, is that you must believe that big fruit is within your grasp.  Once you decide that it is, you are well on your way to producing it.  Have a great week.

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ASSESSMENT: Have you taken the purpose assessment on my updated website?   If not, why not do so now and then follow up with some of the online resources that can improve your score?  

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.