The Monday Memo from John Stanko

Memo 995: Faith GPS

I don't know about you, but A GPS has changed the way I drive and travel. (By the way, I didn't know GPS stands for global positioning system.) I don't have to call anyone for directions or print out a map. All I have to do is put in the address of my destination and in most cases I have instant directions of how to get from where I am to where I want to go. This week, let's look at Abraham, the father of those with faith, and see that he also had a GPS that gave him directions.

HE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW

The writer of Hebrews tells us this about Abraham:

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God (Hebrews 11:8-10).

How did Abraham know where to go and when he had arrived? He had a faith GPS in that God directed him. Yet his faith was not just to get him there, he had to live in faith once he arrived, making do in a tent like a stranger in a campground. However, he knew he was in the right place because God made it clear to him. In other words, God was his GPS. That sounds pretty basic and simple: The Lord led him where he needed to be. Yet was it?

Imagine leaving your homeland for good and not knowing what direction you were to go or where you were to stop (he was 75 years old at the time). Could you have that kind of faith that God would somehow lead you where you needed to be? And what was he do to do when he arrived? Abraham had to have faith every step of the way, but this was all training for the most important faith venture he would be required to take later when God directed him to go and sacrifice Isaac, his son of promise.

A LIFESTYLE, NOT AN EVENT

For Abraham, faith was not an event, it was a lifestyle. He left his home in faith, he lived in faith, he raised his son in faith, and he was prepared to sacrifice him in faith:

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you" (Genesis 22:1-2).

Abraham could do this because faith was as natural as breathing oxygen. He had come that far by faith and he was prepared to go all the way, as God proved through this incident. Abraham could set out to find the mountain because he had done it before and God had led him to the right place. This time, he at least had a general idea where he was going (the region of Moriah) but then we are told, "On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance" (Genesis 22:8). Because Abraham had faith, he saw what others could not see. Anyone else would have passed right by that mountain, but faith always gives you insight into the invisible—well, the invisible to the naked eye that is. The eyes of faith know what they are looking for or rather they know the One who will open their eyes to what they are looking for.

Eight years ago, I left behind a position at my church, surrendering 80% of my revenue, to start a publishing company. I had no money and some experience writing books but not publishing them. I set out from my place of comfort into the unknown, not sure what I would find and what I was looking for. Today, that publishing company carried me through the pandemic and has provided for a full-time and two part-time employees. My GPS, perhaps we should call it my God Positioning System, told me I was right where I needed to be in Him.

Are you lost, wandering around a maze of confusing professional or ministry opportunities? Are you fearful that your GPS is faulty thus causing you to miss your destination? Many years ago, I determined not to put my faith in my ability to hear the Lord but instead put it in His ability to speak to me. He can direct me through my confusion, doubt, missteps, and multiple options that seem attractive. He can do this even when I am not aware He is doing it and He can and will do the same for you. If you want to unlock the power of your faith, then you have to step out and move out into the great unknown, confident that your GPS is guiding your every step. Have a blessed week.

*****

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO PUBLISH?: My publishing company, Urban Press, wants to publish a book of poems, short stories, and essays from people who have something but not enough for their own book. You can read about the project here and then follow through or spread the word to see your work in print this year.

2022 TRIP TO ISRAEL: Here is the latest information including a link to the brochure for my 2022 trip to Israel with a group.

2022 TRIP TO KENYA: Here is the latest information I have on my 2022 trip to Kenya with a group.

Memo 994: The Just Shall Live by Faith

As we continue on our journey to learn how to unlock the power of our faith, let's examine one of the best-known and oft-quoted verses that speak to the issue of faith. This verse was the focus of the Reformation and was mentioned by Paul in Romans 1:17: "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: 'but the righteous one shall live by faith'" (NASB). While we associate a life of faith with the New Testament, the verse Paul quoted about faith is actually found in the Old Testament and was not uttered by one of the prophets. No, it was God who actually uttered those words, so that makes them pretty important! let's go back and see what He said, and why and when He said it.

HABAKKUK

The verse is found in a three-chapter book of the minor prophet Habakkuk after he raised questions with God as to why the violent and wicked seemed to have the upper hand while God was silent. We know nothing of who Habakkuk was except that he was a prophet who had a history of hearing from the Lord. After his lament in chapter one, he positioned himself to hear: "I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the watchtower; and I will keep watch to see what He will say to me, and how I may reply when I am reprimanded."

The prophet asked questions and fully expected God to respond, even if it was to reprimand him for a flawed perspective. Habakkuk was not disappointed for the Lord did indeed speak and introduced the concept we are examining: "“Behold, as for the impudent one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous one will live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). The NIV renders "impudent one" as "one who is puffed up." That tells us the opposite of living in faith is to be puffed up, inflated with one's own desires and importance. The person of faith faces problems of life, justice, and service and goes right to the source of all wisdom for answers. God is at the center of their world while the puffed up ones are at the center of their own worlds. But there's more to this and the prophet finishes his faith search with more insight in chapter three.

THOUGH THE FIG TREE . . .

The prophet saw that God was sending judgment against His people through invaders from afar. To this insight, the prophet wrote,

"I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights" (Habakkuk 3:16-19).

The prophet went to the Lord and fully expected God to speak to him. That's faith. Faith isn't getting away from problems, it's facing them and then coming away armed with God's perspective, which is commonly called wisdom. What's more, that commitment to wisdom transcends circumstances, for the prophet in essence said, "If I have nothing to eat; if the economy fails, if what usually happens [the harvest] doesn't happen, I still decide to rejoice in the Lord and be joyful in Him."

Is your faith tied to circumstances so that when they benefit you, you are up but when they don't you are down? If you are going to unlock your faith, you are going to have to learn to disengage from your environment and seek the Lord. That may sound strange that you have to learn how to seek Him, but that is another way to say you must learn how to hear from Him. Next week, we will look at a faith lesson from the life of Abraham, but in the meantime, read Habakkuk, the primary source for the knowledge we have that "the just shall live by faith." Have a blessed week.

*****

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO PUBLISH?: My publishing company, Urban Press, wants to publish a book of poems, short stories, and essays from people who have something but not enough for their own book. You can read about the project here and then follow through or spread the word to see your work in print this year.

2022 TRIP TO ISRAEL: Here is the latest information including a link to the brochure for my 2022 trip to Israel with a group.

2022 TRIP TO KENYA: Here is the latest information I have on my 2022 trip to Kenya with a group.

Memo 993: FaithSpeak

In case you missed the launch, I have started a new turn-into-a-book series titled Unlocking the Power of Your Faith. Faith is the fifth of the Goldmine Principles I have taught for many years, but is probably the principle I have focused on the least—although I would hope faith has been sprinkled throughout all I have written about the principles. This week, let's move on to the story of David and Goliath, one of the best-known and most-examined stories in the Bible to see what you can learn to help you unlock your faith.

"HE'S GOING DOWN"

When David arrived at the front line to bring supplies to his brothers, he observed that something was amiss in the camp. The army was assembled with its enemies arrayed against them, but no one was fighting! David thought it strange that there was no action, so he inquired as to the reason. It was explained to him that there was a small problem in the form of a big champion named Goliath who was too big for anyone to take on in combat. The soldiers and the king had concluded that Goliath was too big to hit, but David knew right away he was too big to miss! When David confirmed the reward for anyone who took Goliath down, he approached Saul, the king:

"Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:34-37).

David had assessed the situation and then made a bold prediction and promise to the king. In essence, he had what I call FaithSpeak and said, "Goliath is going down!" You should note that nowhere in the account does it say that the Lord directed or spoke to David to venture forth to fight Goliath. David concluded it was possible because of what he had seen of the present situation while  remembering how God had worked and used him in the past. He had killed the bear and the lion and in David's eyes, the only difference between them and Goliath was the giant had two legs.

HE WENT A-RUNNIN'

When we fast forward, we see David lined up across from Goliath when he makes the same promise to him that he made to Saul:

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel" (1 Samuel 17:45-46).

David did not say God had sent him but instead he said he was there in the name of the Lord and then predicted a gruesome end not only for Goliath but also for his comrades. Once Goliath said his piece, David went into action: "As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground" (1 Samuel 17:48-49). David did not wait for the giant to come to him, he went running toward the giant and, as he did, he loaded his weapon. David was so skilled that he knew what he could do and also knew the One who would help him do it. The rest, as is often said, is history.

Where are you hesitant to step forward to say and do because you don't want to say or do too much? Where have you not assessed a situation to which the Lord directed you? Where have you hesitated to do what David did: make an assessment and develop a plan of action? Is it possible that the Lord may lead you to a situation and then ask, "What do you want to do?" but not tell you what to do? David unlocked the power of his faith by doing what he knew and did best and following through on what he saw at the camp that no one else saw. You have the same capacity to see what others don't but it will be useless unless you unlock the power of your faith to do something about what you see. And it often starts by allowing your words to reveal your faith in the form of FaithSpeak. Have a blessed week.

****

2022 TRIP TO ISRAEL: Here is the latest information including a link to the brochure for my 2022 trip to Israel with a group.

2022 TRIP TO KENYA: Here is the latest information I have on my 2022 trip to Kenya with a group.

Memo 992: Get Off Your But

It's time to start another series, this one named Unlocking the Power of Your Faith. Faith is the fifth of five Gold Mine Principles I have taught over the years, the five being purpose, creativity, goal setting, time management, and faith. Without faith, the other four principles are just hard work. Faith mixed in adds joy and adventure and of course involves the most important component in all that we do and the element is God Himself. Eventually, this will become the sixth in my Unlocking book series, which includes Unlocking Purpose, Creativity, Productivity, You(r personality), and Thinking. Let's get started.

A BAD REPORT

In Numbers 13, we read about the spies who Moses sent into the Promised Land as God directed him to do. It is interesting that Moses recorded each one of the men by name, so their mission is not only recorded for posterity, but also includes their role as well. When God sends you on an assignment, He is watching and knows your name. Moses commissioned the men and gave them the parameters of their task that included this twist: "Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land" (Numbers 13:20). Moses didn't want just a report, he wanted tangible evidence for all the people to see. The spies complied as we are told:

When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land (Numbers 13:23-25).

But that's not all the spies brought back with them. Unfortunately, they also brought a bad report:

"We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan" (Numbers 13:27-29, emphasis added).

The spies knew the word of the Lord as it had come to them through Moses, but they had also seen with their eyes the reality of the Land to which God was sending them. That word but made all the difference in how they framed what they saw. When they had to vote for one or the other, they cast their lot with their but based on their eyewitness experience.

NO BUTS

Caleb tried to talk some faith sense into the people and his comrades by saying, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it" (Numbers 13:30). However, the seeds of doubt had been planted and their fellows spies had a ready response;

“We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them" (Numbers 13:31b-33).

Of course, this story is recorded to teach and instruct us so we know how we should respond to the word of the Lord to us, and it is quite simple: If you want to unlock the power of your faith, there can be no buts. You cannot say, "Yes, this is what the Lord wants me to do but I am too old, but I am too young, but i don't have training, but I don't have the money, but my partner doesn't approve." Where has your but caused you to stop short in your faith journey? Where has your but prevented you from knowing the joy of faith fulfilled? Where has your but caused you to sit on a word from the Lord, content to roll it around in your spiritual mouth like a mint, enjoying its flavor without deriving any spiritual growth or sustenance from it? It's time to get off your but and be like Caleb who did not allow his but to deter him from having the faith that God could do what He had promised for His people. Have a blessed week.