The Monday Memo from John Stanko

933: Immanuel, God with Us

During the holiday week, I want to make a few observations about the significance of John 1:14: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." In a sense, God endorsed humanity as the crown of His creation when He willingly took on human form so we could behold His essence in a manner we could comprehend. This indicates that God is more comfortable with our humanity than we often are, wishing to change less about us than we are eager to change about ourselves.

The message of Christmas is that God is with us, as Matthew explained in his gospel when he quoted from Isaiah 7: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”) (Matthew 1:23). Let's consider some other implications of what this concept of the Incarnation (which means the Word made flesh) represents for us as we pursue purpose and productivity.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

When God endorsed humanity by gracing it with His presence, He re-emphasized what He had said in the beginning: "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). That meant all the activities of His humanity were also good, and that included sleep, work, eating, recreation, procreation, teamwork, communication, purpose, and creativity. When Adam and Eve sinned, those activities remained intact and were still good, but would constantly be fouled by sin. I liken it to a computer that has a virus. The computer can still function, but its files and operating system are corrupted. Seldom is the computer discarded, but the virus must be found and eliminated. That is similar to the process of salvation and sanctification (the process of holiness). God did not discard mankind, but sent a remedy for the sin virus that has affected our operating system and files.

When Jesus was born, He came with the purpose of restoring things as they were meant to be in the Garden. Paul explained it this way: "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1:19-20, emphasis added). Jesus did not come primarily to get you into a church (although that is important); He came to restore to their original working order your purpose, creativity, and all the other human traits He put into all people. This will not be completed in this lifetime, but the process has begun, and as God said in Genesis, "it is very good."

IMPLICATIONS

Often we believe that we need a complete overhaul before God can use us. That is not the case. Yes, you need your computer system upgraded and your files cleansed, but the essence of who you are is still God's idea. Your personality, gifts, thought process, likes, preferences, dislikes, and limitations are consistent with who God made you to be. God created you with your love for organization or your hatred for details. He made You an introvert or extrovert. He gave you your impatience for injustice or patience for the elderly. You were created not to be an end unto yourself, but were made to function best in a team where you can contribute who you are and rely on others for who you are not—with God in the midst of us all.

As I mentioned at the beginning, God is less interested in changing some things in me than I am. He has used my love of sports, my competitiveness, my writing gift, my lack of mercy, my love of travel, and my humor for His purpose and when I express them all, I am glorifying Him. When I try to change the essence of who I am, I am saying, "God, You made a mistake. You should have made me more like this or that." God knows best.

The message of Christmas is that God is truly with us. He is not intimidated or offended by our mess or our humanity in its less attractive aspects. He is content to dwell with us, in fact He dwells in us, not after we get cleaned up but so He can facilitate the process. As you celebrate the birth of Christ and rejoice in who He is, spend time time rejoicing in who you are as well, for He came not because He tolerates you but because He celebrates you. If God is happy to live with you, shouldn't you be happy to live with yourself? Have a blessed week and Happy New Year.

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MATCHING GRANT: Two generous donors issued a matching challenge grant, agreeing to contribute up to $3,000 to match donations up to that amount that are received by  December 31. I am calling this The Twelve Days of Christmas Challenge Grant and you can double your gift by giving toward this grant. If the Monday Memo has been a blessing to you, please consider a gift to help the children in Kenya this Christmas season. You can give through my website, via Facebook, or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you for helping the orphans and widows in Kenya and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Memo 932: Daniel and the Wise Men

There are many fascinating aspects of the Christmas story, not the least of which is the Magi who showed up to welcome the new king who had been born. We read in Matthew, 

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born . . . After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route (Matthew 2:1-4, 9-12).

Who were these Magi? Where did they come from? What were they looking for when they saw and followed the star? To answer those questions, let's learn a little more about these mystery men.

THE MAGI

Dr. Craig Chester, past president of the Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy, gives the following description of the Magi:

Magi is the plural of Magus, the root of our word magic, and “court astrologers” is probably the best translation, although “wise men” is also a good term, descriptive of the esteem in which they were widely held. The group of Magi in question came “from the East.” They might have been Zoroastrians, Medes, Persians, Arabs, or even Jews. They probably served as court advisors, making forecasts and predictions for their royal patrons based on their study of the stars, about which they were quite knowledgeable. Magi often wandered from court to court, and it was not unusual for them to cover great distances in order to attend the birth or crowning of a king, paying their respects and offering gifts. It is not surprising, therefore, that Matthew would mention them as validation of Jesus’ kingship, or that Herod would regard their arrival as a very serious matter.

He adds, "The Magi were such important significant individuals they would not have traveled alone. In fact, they probably traveled with a very large entourage including soldiers, even a small army for protection. So it should not be surprising that Herod and the citizens of Jerusalem were troubled when they arrived."

But how did these Magi know what to look for in the sky and when they found it, decide to make the long trek to Judea to welcome the new king? The answer is where Daniel enters into the story.

DANIEL'S INFLUENCE

There were many Jews in Babylon who did not return after their exile was over. One of them was Daniel who we know was appointed "chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners" (Daniel 5:11). There is no doubt that Daniel's peers and his fellow Jewish exiles would have been familiar with Daniel's prophetic insight into the kingdoms that were to follow Babylon. These Magi heard something from Daniel that intrigued them to such an extent that they studied the heavens and Daniel's writings for 500 years until one day, a star appeared and they were convinced they had found what they were looking for, which was what Daniel had predicted. They decided to make the long journey, probably with an entourage of soldiers and personal aides, to welcome the new king. No wonder Herod and all Jerusalem were disturbed when the Magi appeared.

As we close this series titled Success in Babylon, we see that Daniel's purpose in going to Babylon far exceeded his own awareness. God had a plan for his life that transcended his generation. I would encourage inmates with the same truth that God has a plan for their lives, even though they were incarcerated in a place not of their choosing. Daniel was faithful to his prison sentence to continue serving the Lord and God used him mightily. The same was and is true for the inmates, and it is true for you.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, recommit yourself to live a life of purpose and creativity, not once your circumstances improve but do it right now right where you are. Daniel served, wrote, spoke, advised, and prayed in Babylon. As I have mentioned earlier, he may have been imprisoned behind walls but there was no roof. He had direct access to heaven and heaven could reach and touch him. No Babylonian could prevent that. You can succeed in your Babylon if you are determined to find the Lord there and not try to escape. Who knows what God can and will do through you if you have stop focusing on the "out there" and start focusing on the here and now. Have a blessed week.

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MATCHING GRANT: Two generous donors issued a matching challenge grant, agreeing to contribute up to $3,000 to match donations up to that amount that are received by December 31. I am calling this The Twelve Days of Christmas Challenge Grant and you can double your gift by giving toward this grant. If the Monday Memo has been a blessing to you, please consider a gift to help the children in Kenya this Christmas season. You can give through my website, via Facebook, or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you for helping the orphans and widows in Kenya and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

931: Power in Babylon

Last week, I mentioned the Apostle Paul when he was a prisoner on a ship heading to Rome. The ship ran aground but before it did, an angel appeared to Paul and foretold what would happen but assured Paul that no lives would be lost, after which he told the crew, "So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island" (Acts 27:26-27). Now my question to you is: Who was in charge, who had the power, on that ship? Was it the experienced sailors? No, it was Paul for he was the only one who had clarity on what was going on.

That leads us to this next-to-last lesson about Daniel and his exile in Babylon, and I will ask the same question as above: Who was really the leader in Babylon? Was it the king? Was it his wise men and advisors? Was it the armed guards or army who surrounded and protected the king? No, I would suggest it was Daniel, and let me devote the rest of this Memo to explain why I make that claim.

THE REAL POWER

Daniel was the real leader for six reasons. Since Daniel's purpose was to be a source and dispenser of wisdom in Babylon, I will use the book of Proverbs (all verses from the NKJV) to justify my claim that the true leadership power resided in and with God's prophet and administrator:

1. The power of wisdom: A wise man is strong, yes, a man of knowledge increases strength (Proverbs 24:5).
2. The power of revelation: Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength (Proverbs 8:14).
3. The power of service: Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; so he who waits on his master will be honored (Proverbs 27:18). 
4. The power of excellence: Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men (Proverbs 22:29).
5. The power of prayer: The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight (Proverbs 15:8).
6. The power of integrity: The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them (Proverbs 10:9).

Daniel was a man of purpose and his life was undergirded by his spiritual disciplines and commitment to do exceptional work. God promoted him not based on potential but on the fact that Daniel developed his potential. Daniel served four separate kings in three different kingdoms, withstanding change and the whims of kings to ascend to the heights of governmental service where God planted him.

This was an important lesson for inmates during my prison ministry days for obvious reasons. They were walled in and surrounded by armed guards. Many felt they had to escape their Babylon before they could serve God and be effective. Our team taught them that they could be powerful and lead where they were. The same is true for you. Are you in prison in more ways than one? Are you hemmed in by your circumstances and also by how you view your circumstances? if you see them as limiting, then you will be limited. If you see them as irrelevant or as the means by which God prepared you for greatness, then you will lead, regardless of your title.

CAN WE DO ALL THINGS?

There is a verse at the end of Daniel that summarizes his life that we have studied for the last five months and it is found in Daniel 11:32: "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." There is no doubt that Daniel did great exploits in his day; can the same be said for you in your day? If you quote Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," then let me ask you one final question: Can you describe what the "all things" are that you are doing? The word can is a statement of potential but not necessarily the fulfillment of that potential. Daniel lived in his expressed potential and he serves as a model for us, whether incarcerated or not, to follow to bear the fruit God wants us to bear.

Next week, we will look at one aspect of the Christmas story as it relates to Daniel, for his influence extended five hundred years after he lived. Until next week, I pray that you will accept the fact that you have power to lead not based on authority or title only but also based on the fact that you know your God, and that gives you strength to carry out great exploits for Him. Have a blessed week!

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GIVE A KID A CHRISTMAS: Can you contribute $25 this Christmas to feed and clothe an orphan over the holidays? Please find it in your heart to fulfill James 1:27, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world," by giving $25 or more through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you and God bless you!

930: Esteemed in Babylon

This is the next to last week in our Success in Babylon series in which we have looked at Daniel's life and what made him thrive in such a hostile spiritual environment. Of course, we are studying this to extract lessons that will help each of us in our own Babylon. This week, let's move to chapter nine where Daniel is once again seeking the Lord:

“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive!Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name" (Daniel 9:17-19).

Like Nehemiah after him, Daniel spent a great deal of time as described in chapter nine crying out to God on behalf of his people. He enumerated and repented for his people's sins and called on the Lord to have mercy.

One of the things I would point out to the inmates when I was involved in prison ministry was the sheer amount of time they had on their hands and the chance to use it for good: study, service, prayer, and personal development. You may not have as much time as inmates who are serving "time," but you still have 24 hours a day. What are you doing with your time? I am currently revamping my daily routine because I am not happy with my level of productivity and development. I must use the time I have effectively. Daniel certainly did and used the time he had to touch and reach heaven.

GOD IS WATCHING    

After Daniel's prayer, he had another angelic visitation to teach and inform him:

While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill—while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision" (Daniel 9:20-23, emphasis added).

The phrase I want you to see if that Daniel was highly esteemed. Can you imagine? Heaven knew who Daniel was and it seems that he had a special place in the heart of God and the beings of heaven. God heard what Daniel prayed. God was moved by Daniel's selfless service and exceptional attitude. God was watching Daniel and God is watching you. Are you doing things to distinguish yourself to God? Or do you expect God to do what you want when you want it just because, well, just because you are who you are and that's what you want?

This makes me think of another man whom God honored and esteemed for his exceptional service in God's kingdom, and that man is the Apostle Paul. When Paul was on the ship heading to Rome and the major storm made it look like all was lost, Luke wrote this report of Paul's words:

"Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me" (Acts 27:23-25, emphasis added).

Because Paul was on the ship and God recognized his service, all the other passengers were spared. Is your presence with others that important and powerful? Does God protect them because of you? I encouraged the inmates to take this truth seriously and not wait until they got out to make an impact for the Lord (and some were never getting out). Daniel was highly esteemed as an exile in Babylon; inmates can be highly favored in prison; and you can garner God's attention as you serve Him in your difficult life situation.

Are you trying to escape where you are, or are you serving the Lord and others where you are? Have you surrendered the control of your life to Him, deciding to be content where you are, and not holding God's purpose hostage until He meets your demands before you will release your gifts to serve Him? I urge you to do what you can to earn heaven's favor now, right where you are with what you have. Pray, repent, confess, declare, seek, and devote your life to His purpose for you, and I promise you will capture the attention of heaven, and when heaven is pleased with you, who can be against you? Have a blessed week.

929: Mysteries in Babylon

We are close to wrapping up this series titled Success in Babylon: How to Thrive in a Spiritually Hostile Land. For the last few months, we have examined the life of Daniel to learn how he was able to succeed in a foreign land as one of God's first missionaries. Daniel's life was extraordinary, filled with suffering, surprises, and setbacks. Yet through it all, Daniel sought the Lord and served his God. Tradition has it that when the first of those in Babylonian exile returned to their land, Daniel refused to accompany them, preferring to spend the last of his days in the land far away from home where God had chosen to send him.

Not only did the Lord show Daniel the spiritual reality of his own day, but also revealed to him things that were in the future and yet to come. In a sense, Daniel was the first of the end time prophets, which is remarkable considering where he was (Babylon) and what he was doing (a government official). Yet Daniel was the precursor to a worldwide movement that transitioned God's people from the comforts of their homeland in Israel to a strategy that reached the whole world with God's message of love and forgiveness. Daniel was a pioneer of sorts and proved that God's purpose and revelation are not dependent upon geography (where one is) but rather on purpose (what God has assigned one to do).

IT'S A MYSTERY 

Daniel was overwhelmed with what he saw about God's purposes for the Earth:

Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’ “This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself" (Daniel 7:27-28).

On another occasion, Daniel tried to make sense of what he was seeing, but concluded,

“The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.” I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhausted for several days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding (Daniel 8:26-27).

When I was involved in prison ministry, I urged the inmates to use the time they had to seek the Lord and learn more about HIs ways. They were in their own Babylon, but God wanted to reveal Himself to them in more ways than helping them understand their own personal situation. God wanted to show them His purpose beyond prison, for them and for others. I worked with one discipleship group that wrote a book titled The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Inmates, which was distributed to other prisons beyond the one where it was written. That was exactly what I was trying to teach them--that God had something more in mind for them than serving their time and making them comfortable. The same is true for you.

BEYOND UNDERSTANDING

Perhaps you are in a tough place and you are seeking God for the meaning of it all. God is not obligated to explain it all to you and you would be wise to conclude as Daniel did that "it is beyond understanding." That is how suffering is. It doesn't make sense except that you live in a fallen world and that somehow God uses it for your good. Suffering plays a role in your personal development and those who succeed in breaking out of their world of pain to minister to others in pain (like Daniel did) are the most successful--as God defines success. Peter wrote about suffering and you would do well to heed his words:

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry (1 Peter 4:1-3).

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Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name (1 Peter 4:12-16).

Are you suffering? Are you trying to make sense of it when there is no sense to be made? Then it's time to change your tactics. Try using your situation to learn more about Him and then share what you learn with others. Daniel did the one thing he could do with what he saw: He recorded it. Today, we read it and are blessed because he did not give in to self-pity and refused to be consumed by the pain. That would be a good strategy for you as well. Don't let your Babylon be your prison, but let it be the launching pad for missiles of prayer and testimonies that speak of God's goodness even when you don't understand what the heck He is doing. Have a blessed week!