The Monday Memo from John Stanko

901: Doing Only What the Lord Says

I was sitting in a meeting recently as someone shared their creative projects. As this person described what they did, they repeatedly said, "The Lord inspired me . . . the Lord showed me . . .the Lord gave me the idea." I want to say as we start that the Lord does do all those things as evidenced by what David said to Solomon when he handed his son the plans for the Temple: "All this,” David said, “I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan" (1 Chronicles 28:19).

I do not believe, however, the Lord does this for every creative expression. The Temple was a specific project that would impact the world until Jesus' day. In most cases, we are talking about your purposeful creativity that involves poetry, starting a business, writing a book, or painting a picture. The Lord will bring that work to you, but then it is up to your creativity to make it happen. You will function in the creativity the Lord gave you, but you will say as Luke wrote, "With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you . . ."(Luke 1:3a, emphasis added). Luke decided to write something and God was with him, inspiring him, but did not dictate to him what he wrote. He was free to be Luke, using his experience, vocabulary, and ability to organize material he gathered into a cohesive account of Jesus' ministry. Luke did not claim that God told, directed, moved, or confirmed him to write. He simply decided to write.

Luke said, "Put me in, Coach. I am going to do like many others and that is write an orderly account." While it sounds spiritual to attribute all your creativity and purpose expressions to the Lord, here are some reasons why that may not be wise or the way God wants you to function.

GOD TOLD ME TO . . .

When we say, "God told me to do this or that," He may very well have done so, but we must be cautious not to make that an excuse for being unproductive.

1. We have all been grooved with fear by repeatedly warnings not to "get ahead of the Lord" or to discover "God's perfect timing." Fear does not activate but debilitates, and triggers a fight or flight response in our brain. If we are afraid and have an idea, we will either fight it or flee from it, often employing spiritual-sounding excuses when we do.
2. One of our fears is what other people think if we step put and do something. They may be threatened by our actions or grooved with the same fear, so we try to preempt their criticism by saying, "God told me to . . ."
3. We do not hear the Lord perfectly. Our fears and preconceived notions of who we are and what God would or would not direct us to do distort what we hear. Don't believe me? Jesus told the apostles to go and they stayed. The Father spoke from heaven endorsing Jesus' ministry and some thought it was thunder. The Lord told Peter in Acts 10 to "kill and eat" and Peter said, "No way!" That would have required him no longer eating a kosher diet, which he assumed God would never change, and therefore, God had to tell him multiple times.
4. It was never God's intention that we "wait on the Lord" for every action in life, especially where our creativity and purpose are concerned. Second Corinthians 6:1 says that we are God's "coworkers." In Genesis 2:19-20, God brought all the animals before Adam so he could name them. God did not whisper in Adam's ear what to name them, but rather left it to Adam's creativity to do that. God directed Adam's work but Adam involved who God had made him to be to complete the task.
5. We have been taught that we have a wicked heart, so we must be wary or downright hostile toward the desires in our hearts. We ignore the fact that God promised--and has followed through on that promise--to give us a new heart by His Spirit (see Ezekiel 36:26). I am not claiming our new heart is infallible, but it is not as wicked or wayward as the old one. We can trust it far more often than we currently do.

AN EXCUSE

God has given me a gift to write and a heart to serve in Africa. I have walked with him for 46 years, studied His Word, and learned His ways. A decade ago, I said, "Put me in, Coach" and He has done so. He has presented opportunities to me and has asked, "What are you going to do with these? What do you want to do with these?" My answer has been, "As much as humanly possible by the power and energy You supply!" 

God could give David the plans for the Temple and the mind to understand them because decades earlier David had composed music and poems. Then he creatively fought in the Lord's army and learned how to recognize and hear the Lord through circumstances as well as the still, small voice. Then he organized his kingdom, and finally, he was ready for even bigger things--a building the likes of which the world had never seen. As you insert yourself into "game" situations, the heavenly Coach will be able to entrust bigger and more significant opportunities to you. If you use Him as an excuse for inactivity, you will languish on the bench of life, soaking up God's love but never knowing the joys of being on the field of action.

Are you using God as an excuse not to create? Are you waiting on the Lord to do what only you can do? Do you have your marching orders and the apostles did but you are not marching, or only marching in place? The disciples stepped out after only being with Jesus for a little more than three years. How long have you known Him, and what are you doing to prove the validity and vitality of your relationship with Him? I urge you to take a more aggressive and active role in being and expressing who God made you to be, trusting that God will direct you as you go and realizing He won't pull you as you resist or continually wait on Him. Have a blessed week!

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ALASKA (Aug 2019) AND ISRAEL (Apr 2020): Don't forget about my upcoming trips to Alaska and Israel. Click on the link to get the information you need.

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900: The Authority of Love

This week, we continue our quest for an answer to the question, "Is it permissible to take an active role in being creative and fulfilling purpose, or must we wait for the Lord to direct all our actions?" I am of the opinion that not only is it permissible, but mandatory that we express ourselves in as many ways as possible, and I have published entries on this topic under the theme, "Put Me In, Coach."

Jesus was asked, “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?” (Mark 11:28). If you stop out and do more than you are currently doing, someone will ask you the same question. Let's try to find a biblical answer.

SHOULDN'T WE?

Jesus instructed His disciples to love one another. How should we define or recognize this love John defined it this way: 

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:17-18). 

Let's expand what John wrote to include any need that a brother or sister may have? If we have experience that could benefit them, shouldn't we share it? If we have a gift that could edify them, shouldn't we express it? If we have a creative expression that could bless them, should we not produce it? Would God have to direct us to do these things, or would love dictate that we do it unless God specifically directs us not to do so?

LOVE'S AUTHORITY

When asked by what authority we choose to put ourselves in the game, I maintain it is by love's authority. I am a gifted teacher, so love is all the authority I need to volunteer to teach a class. Love will motivate me to go to school or read to become a better teacher. It will drive me to watch other teachers to learn from them to be even more effective. Paul explained what I am describing this way:

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:13-14). 

We are freed by faith, but we are to make ourselves slaves by love: "Do everything in love" (1 Corinthians 16:14).

One final thought: we don't offer to put ourselves in the game of life more often because we are afraid, pure and simple. We are afraid of missing the Lord, of getting ahead of Lord, or disobeying the Lord. I stopped being afraid and took seriously 1 John 4:18: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

My fear was a manifestation of imperfect love--for God and others. My problem was not a fear problem but a love problem, so I asked God to expand my heart. Today, I write, travel, and speak in love, and I put myself in the game because the Coach, my magnificent Master, has loved me enough to use me. It doesn't get any better than that. Have a blessed week!

899: The Authority of Purpose

I was getting ready to teach a class this past week, and one of the students brought in a cake and snacks because it was her birthday. When I said, "You invited yourself to the party," it reminded me on a Monday Memo I wrote five years ago titled, "Invite Yourself to the Party." I knew right away it fit in with our current theme, which is "Put Me In, Coach." Let me explain with examples from my own life.

For years, I would be a guest on media shows, after which the host would rave about how well the show went, promising to have me back on the show soon. In almost every instance, I was never invited back. Now, either they were lying that the show went well (I concurred with their assessment that it did go well) or they had no intention of asking me back (which meant they were lying), or they just did not follow through (sincere but inefficient). Whatever the reason, I decided after so many disappointments to invited myself to the party: I sponsored my own weekly show on two AM stations for six years, and I hosted hundreds of blog radio shows. I started a Vimeo channel and have many video shows posted there and on Facebook. 

My point is that I was no longer content to be invited to the party. Just like my student, I threw my own party.

A CALL TO PURPOSE

I ran across this commentary I wrote eight years ago on Matthew 10:1-4.  First, here is that passage, and then my comments:

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

When God calls you to a purpose, He calls you by name and He calls you to Himself. It isn’t just a task, it’s a unique relationship with Him. I have found that when I function in my purpose, God provides for me and takes care of all I need to fulfill my purpose. He speaks to me, and my relationship with Him is somehow closer and more intimate when I am going about my purpose. 

In Matthew, Jesus called twelve men to Himself and gave them authority. That was a question the Jews always asked Jesus; “By whose authority do You do these things?” Jesus did the things He did in the authority of His purpose. That is all the authority you need as well, for your purpose is your assignment from heavenly headquarters. When you move in your purpose, you don’t need an invitation to the party, so to speak. You invite yourself. Someone else said that you nominate yourself for the job.

AUTHORITY

If your purpose is to help the poor, you don’t need anyone to invite you to do so. You show up where the poor are and start helping them. I was reflecting on this issue of authority the other day, and came up with nine aspects of purpose that give you the authority to do whatever it is God wants you to do. Here they are:

1. The authority of results – your purpose helps you bear fruit. No one can question your authority when you can show them the fruit of your labors.
2. The authority of clarity – your purpose is a clear, concise statement of what you are on earth to do. People will follow and respond to you because you are direct, clear, and focused.
3. The authority of knowledge – your purpose enables and even drives you to be skilled at what you do. You will have more insight and knowledge about your sphere of purpose than others.
4. The authority of calling – God assigned your purpose and wants you to fulfill it even more than you do. He will open doors and create opportunities for you to succeed.
5. The authority of integrity – your purpose causes you to live by your values, the things that are most important to you. You don’t want to undermine your purpose, so you have added incentive to be an honest person of your word. 
6. The authority of courage – your purpose makes you a leader where you function. You face your fears because your purpose is more important than you are. There are people waiting to benefit from what you do and who you are, so you press through obstacles to be there for them.
7. The authority of success – your purpose gives you endurance to press through the barriers and endure long periods of suffering and frequent setbacks. You don’t only achieve short-term results; you do so over a long period of time, which constitutes some measure of success
8. The authority of humility – you know your source of strength, which is God Himself. You acknowledge your source, but you don’t deny that you are good at what you do because you know God helps you produce results. 
9. The authority of honesty – you do not engage in “false humility” (denying what you can do). You know and face your limitations and weaknesses with openness and transparency, and you do the same with your strengths.

When you have a purpose, you have all the authority you need to act. If you can't find a partner to help, you go it alone and wait for a partner to find you. If that doesn't happen, you then be content with the fact that you have the most important partner of all, the Lord Himself, and together you will attend a purpose party that will impact the lives of others and enrich your own. Thanks for reading, and have a purposeful week!

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ALASKA AND ISRAEL: Don't forget about my upcoming trips to Alaska and Israel. Click on the link to get the information you need.

898: Reward

Let's take another look this week into the concept we have been discussing this year, which is summarized by the phrase "Put Me in, Coach." We have been looking at our role in bearing fruit and being productive for the Lord, specifically if we can actually volunteer to act or do we need to be directed by the Lord at all times. The last two weeks we studied Jesus' life, the greatest volunteer of all time. This week, let's look at the man who had the greatest impact on the early church after Jesus, and that is the Apostle Paul.

VOLUNTARILY

Paul wrote the Corinthians about his commission to preach the gospel:

If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:17-18).

It seems Paul was indicating it is acceptable to carry out God's will without volunteering, but it seems that there is no reward for doing so. It is simply a matter of duty. Yet if we do it voluntarily, there is a reward, but not as we would think. Paul's reward was that he could volunteer to preach free of charge to those who heard.

It was customary in Paul's time for teachers and speakers to travel and receive pay for their services. Paul also established that this was an acceptable practice for God's servants as well. Yet Paul chose to work and cover all the expenses for his team. He chose to do this; he says this was his reward for volunteering to preach the gospel. Therefore, Paul preached voluntarily and then volunteered to do it for free, adding to his responsibilities the task of working for a living. Paul saw his ability to volunteer as his reward for volunteering to preach. That's an interesting spin on what he did, don't you agree?

FREEWILL OFFERINGS

In the Old Testament, there was such a thing as a freewill offering: "These offerings are in addition to those for the Lord’s Sabbaths and in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the Lord" (Leviticus 23:38). This was an offering that was not prescribed or demanded, but was given because the offerer chose to do so. God did not "lay the offering" on their heart and they obeyed; they chose what they wanted to give.

I include the concept of the freewill offering because that seems to be what Paul was doing when he voluntarily preached and also volunteered to do it for free. He chose of his own free will to do it. Yes, the Lord appeared on the Damascus road and said He was sending Paul to the Gentiles. When He did, Paul said in his heart, "I'll go," and then added on the part about doing it for free. 

God has assigned your purpose and gifts, and bestowed on you a measure of creativity. You should now willingly and enthusiastically accept them and not sit back and only wait for God's direction. You should voluntarily make all those things available and accessible to other people. I am not suggesting God will not direct what He has given you; He most certainly will. At the same time, He will not direct every expression, but will wait for you to volunteer. When you do, make it an extravagant expression, just like Paul did, and receive the same reward, which is the knowledge that you are in partnership with God and the two of you make an unbeatable team. Have a blessed week!

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ALASKA AND ISRAEL: Don't forget about my upcoming trips to Alaska and Israel. Click on the link to get the information you need.