The Monday Memo from John Stanko

Memo 1054: Walkabout

As we continue our travels with David while he was fleeing Saul, we encounter a story in 1 Samuel 26 that seems like déjà vu. We saw the same scenario in 1 Samuel 24: Saul was pursuing David, David was hiding, Saul goes to sleep, David gets near to the king, his advisor suggested they kill Saul, but David refused to raise his hand against the reigning king, even though the king was behaving badly—murderously badly.

This makes me wonder why David didn't stay in hiding. He was outnumbered and he knew if Saul captured him, it was the end for him and God's purpose. And even when he found Saul's camp, why did he have the need to get even closer by entering the camp with just one companion while 3,000 of the enemy were asleep? The slightest noise would have ended 1 Samuel with chapter 26. But instead, we see that David once again proved himself to be Saul's superior, not only as a warrior but as a servant of God.

SNEAK IN, SNEAK OUT

The story begins as follows:

The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?” So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David. Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived (1 Samuel 26:1-4).

As usual, people seemed only too glad to betray David's cause by informing Saul of his whereabouts and as usual, Saul set out with an army that outnumbered David five to one. David had learned not to rely on the information of others when he could see for himself, so he set off to confirm the reports of Saul's presence. Sure enough, Saul was at it again and David was in danger. Yet then David did something unusual, counterintuitive to common sense. Instead of fleeing or hiding out, David decided to get a closer look.

Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him. David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?” “I’ll go with you,” said Abishai. So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him (1 Samuel 26:5-7).

David sneaked into Saul's camp with only one companion, which meant he was then outnumbered 1,500 to one! We don't know the reason why he would risk such a move or what he hoped to accomplish, and even one of the two men he invited to go with him said, "No thanks." When David arrived, he was so confident of God's protection that he and his comrade engaged in a prolonged conversation as to what their next step should be. Abishai wanted to kill Saul, but just like in the cave in 1 Samuel 24, David wouldn't allow that to happen. Instead, he "borrowed" Saul's spear and water jug and they left the way they had come.

IF GOD BE FOR YOU

Maybe David was still hoping to talk to Saul and reason with him to stop the madness. Perhaps David was tempted to take matters into his own hands and assassinate Saul. Or maybe it was a foolish endeavor and God covered David's folly. Whatever the reason, we have to admire David's faith and courage. He was confident that he could get within arm's length of his mortal enemy and be safe. He was indeed safe, for we read, "So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep" (1 Samuel 26:12).

It's easy to quote the Bible but much harder to do what we quote. We can easily recite Romans 8:31: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" or Romans 8:37, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Yet then we don't travel because we are afraid of the unknown, don't create for fear of criticism and failure, or don't speak up lest others think we are stupid. Our enemies pursue us but instead of running at them to defeat them, we hide in the wilderness of our minds—or better yet, hide out in church where it's safe.

Perhaps it's time this week to have a walkabout in the land that seems to be foreign and dangerous for you. That may mean applying for university, shopping for a new car, or looking for better living quarters even when you can't see how to pay for them. James wrote in his epistle a simple truth: "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:17). Whatever David was thinking when he went on his walkabout, he trusted God and he put feet to his faith. It's time this week for you to do the same.

Don't be content to hear reports of what God or the enemy are doing, but go see for yourself. When you do, God will put your enemies into a deep sleep while He remains wide awake, and you will then have a testimony of what God did on your behalf when you didn't just watch your enemies, or sing about them, but when you went out to confront them, perhaps if only the enemies hidden in the recesses of your mind. Have a blessed week.

Memo 1042: The Big Head

What do you do when you do something well? What's more, how do you handle it when someone compliments you for something you did well? If you're like some, you may not know what to do in those situations. You don't want to appear proud or egocentric, so you may actually minimize your strengths and achievements in your eyes and in the eyes of others. This may seem spiritual or noble, but it can be detrimental. What should you do when you succeed or receive a compliment?  I'm glad you asked. For the answer, however, you will have to read on as we continue our series focusing on leadership and life lessons from the life of David.

A BIG HEAD

We have looked at the story of David and Goliath the last two weeks. (If you didn't read or receive those Memos, you may want to go here and get caught up.) Last week, we saw how David made specific declarations of what he was about to do to Goliath. He then made good on his promises and killed Goliath with one stone from his slingshot. It's what he did next that answers the questions I raised above.

After Goliath fell, David cut off his head.That was one big head not only to cut off but also to carry around.

The armies of Israel were encouraged by David's victory, and went forth to win a great victory over the Philistine army. That was one byproduct of David's success. Then David did something else that would be quite uncharacteristic for many I know, perhaps even for you:

David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put the Philistine's weapons in his own tent (1 Samuel 17:54).

What did David do with the head? I doubt he kept it in his tent or made a key chain out of it. He did what most champions did with such spoils of battle. David probably hung the head on a post for everyone to see. David celebrated his own victory and advertised his achievement. What's more, he kept a souvenir of the battle by keeping the giant's sword in his trophy case.

How does that answer the question of what to do when you achieve success? How does this give you insight into how you should respond when you receive a compliment?

DON'T WORRY THAT A BIG HEAD WILL GIVE YOU A BIG HEAD.

David celebrated his victory. He wanted people to see Goliath's head so that they would be encouraged to fight their own battles. As a good leader, David wanted the people to see that they didn't have to cower in fear. More importantly, David didn't minimize his success. He didn't say, "Well, it was nothing. You know, it was a lucky shot and God really did it, it wasn't me."

Instead, David said, "Look what I've done." That's what you need to do as well. If someone compliments you on something you've done or for something you are, say, "Thank you." Don't push their praise away. Then tell them how the Lord helped you and what it was about you that He used in that moment. Perhaps you can post something on your social media expressions to let the world know of your success.

If you have done something and no one compliments you, then compliment yourself. Admire what you've done. Savor the moment, without being self-conscious or worrying about what others would think of you if they knew what you were doing. If you achieve a goal for which you have worked hard, throw yourself a party and invite your friends to celebrate with you. Take a trip in honor of your new job, degree, or finished project.

David knew how to celebrate his victories—first killing bears and lions and then taking down Goliath—and used them to spur himself and others on to greater things. You and I need to do the same. Don't worry about a big head; there will be enough tough knocks and challenges to keep your feet firmly planted in reality. When you do something great or when God uses you to do it, don't be afraid to acknowledge it was great!  And if others acknowledge that as well, then it's all the better.

This whole process may help you see that your biggest challenge may not be fear of failure, but of what you will do if and when you succeed. Can you handle success and the admiration of others? I hope you will learn to broadcast your victories rather than hide behind mediocrity so that no one is offended and you aren't uncomfortable. Aim for great things, do them, and tell the world, if others don't, of what you and God were able to do as a team. Have a great week!

Memo 1034: Follow Your Star

This week I present a New Year's Memo from the archives about the Magi. I will resume writing fresh Memos next week, but in the meantime, Happy New Year!

 

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WHO WERE THOSE MEN?

 

Who were those wise men known as Magi who came from the east to visit Jesus and bring him gifts? (You can read this brief story by at Matthew 2:1-12.) We aren't really sure. We also don't know what they were looking for as they studied the heavens and what kind of star they saw that caused them to follow it hundreds of miles to find an infant king.

 

There were probably more than three men who came to see Jesus, but we have numbered them as three since they brought three gifts of myrrh, incense, and gold. They rode on camels for days, weeks even, not sure of what they would find when they arrived. Now that's faith! When they did arrive, they checked in with King Herod, convinced that he would know where the royal infant was. It is interesting that the wise men knew more of what was going on spiritually in Herod's kingdom than Herod did.

 

By the time the Magi arrived, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were living in a house, not in a stable. The men came some time after the night the shepherds went to see Jesus in the manger. Since Herod carefully ascertained when the star had first appeared and then had all the male babies two years of age and under killed in Bethlehem, the Magi could have arrived as much as two years after Jesus' birth. That's a long time to watch and follow a star.

 

FOLLOW YOUR OWN STAR

 

You will need God's help if you are to find and fulfill your purpose. That's not a problem, however, for God is in the business of helping people like you clarify your purpose. When Jesus was born, His star appeared and led those who were interested directly to his home. The same thing can happen today for you. God can lead and guide you right where you need to be at exactly the time when you need to be there. Often when you can't see your purpose, you aren't quite ready to find it. Yet if you keep searching and following just like the Magi did, your star will appear and suddenly your PurposeQuest will make sense.

 

As we prepare to celebrate a new year, I urge you to follow in the footsteps of the Magi. Wise men and women still seek Jesus and, as they do, they find purpose. I pray that 2019 will be a year of purpose and productivity the likes of which you have never seen, imagined or enjoyed. I also pray that when you find the star and follow it, you will end up where the Magi did—worshiping the King and giving Him gifts. There is no greater gift than devoting and dedicating the fulfillment of your purpose to Christ and His kingdom. That is what I plan on doing in the year ahead.

 

From all the Stanko household, we wish you a very happy, prosperous and purposeful New Year!

Memo 1032: Down But Not Out

As we close out 2021, I trust you have had a purposeful and productive year despite the pandemic's aftermath. Please enjoy this popular Monday Memo from my archives and apply the purpose lessons it contains to your life this holiday season and into 2022.

 

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I love spending time in the city of London. One year while I was there, I went to see Handel’s Messiah at the Royal Albert Music Hall. What a wonderful way to enjoy a timeless masterpiece of music and Scripture in the city where it was composed. That visit sparked one of my Christmas favorites from the Monday Memo archives, which I present to you again this year.

 

MESSIAH

 

Messiah is considered by some to be the greatest musical feat in the history of mankind. Commissioned by a charity to produce a

benefit concert, Handel wrote the Messiah in only 24 days. A musician once told me that someone trying to copy the Messiah could hardly do so in 24 days—that is the level of inspiration in which Handel operated when he wrote. Handel never left his house for those three weeks. His food trays remained untouched outside his office door. A friend who visited him as he composed found him sobbing with intense emotions. Later, as Handel groped for words to describe what he had experienced, he quoted St. Paul, saying, “whether I was in the body or out of my body when I wrote it, I know not.”

 

What’s even more impressive is that Handel wrote Messiah under extreme duress. The Church of England strongly criticized and opposed Handel and his previous scriptural works put to music. At the age of 56, he had no money, often going out only at night so as to avoid his creditors. Handel performed what he considered his farewell concert and went home, fully expecting to end up in debtor’s prison. Yet the first performance of Messiah in Ireland in 1742 raised almost 400 British pounds for charity and freed 142 other men from debtor's prison. Of course, the rest is history as countless millions have enjoyed and marveled at his work for more than 250 years. Handel also went on from there to enjoy tremendous success and popularity in his latter years.

 

So what does this have to do with you? Perhaps you are a person of purpose but you feel frustrated, even defeated in your PurposeQuest. Maybe you find yourself down and out, discouraged and criticized, forgotten and a failure. Perhaps your finances are in poor shape. If any of those descriptions fit you, read on, for this Memo can restore your hope and faith. If that’s not where you are right now, read on anyway, for that will probably describe you one day as you pursue your purpose.

 

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE DOWN AND OUT

 

What should you do if you are in a season of “un-use,” disfavor, or inaction? As we close out 2021, I urge you to do three things if you are discouraged, disillusioned, or dismayed. And if you’re not, I urge you to find someone who is—you shouldn’t have to look too long or hard—and encourage them in their dark time.

1. Renew your faith in God. Your success and purpose expression don’t depend on your faithfulness; they depends on God’s. Remind yourself that God can do anything, and then rest in Him. Handel went home to retire and perhaps thought it was all over for him. Yet God helped him when a group found and commissioned him, and God can do the same for you.
2. Keep preparing for your day of success. I don’t think Handel went home to retire and abandon music. Don't you abandon your love either. Keep writing, reading, learning, and practicing. When the phone rings or the mail comes with your opportunity, you will be fresh and prepared, having worked in faith for the day of success.
3. Be generous. Handel wrote Messiah for charity, even though he was destitute. What can you do for someone else even though you are down and out? It is a good thing to do the unexpected in hard times, and giving something away definitely fits the bill when you are in need yourself. What better way to express your trust in God?

I’m grateful for God's help as 2021 comes to an end, a year that rivaled 2020 in its challenges and breakthroughs. I hope you can find reasons to be thankful as well. If it's been a tough year for you, thank God for His faithfulness that kept it from being worse. At least you’re still alive and purpose eligible! Then take this Memo to heart or share it with someone who needs it. I pray that as you do what I recommend above, you will see a purpose breakthrough in 2022. Thank you for allowing me to come into your life every week and thank you for being a fellow PurposeQuest-er. As I close this Memo, I wish you not only a great week, but a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.

Memo 1031: Let's Make a Deal

Last week, we saw how Joshua prepared the people to enter the Promised Land. Then in chapter two, he sent out two spies to "look over the land." Those spies came to the house of Rahab who not only gave them shelter but also protected them from the local authorities who were looking to take them into custody. There are many interesting aspects of this story. We can look at it from the perspective of Rahab who "cut a deal" with the men to save herself and her family. We could look at the fact that Rahab is mentioned in Jesus' family tree (see Matthew 1:5), all because she tied a scarlet cord in her window and all Israel knew to spare those who were in that house. Yet I thought I would look at this story from the perspective of the spies as we examine their faith and boldness in this week's Monday Memo.

THE MISSION

Joshua handpicked these two spies, obviously being confident in their skills and trustworthiness. It would seem they had to put their lives on the line to carry out their mission, for their enemies would certainly have killed them if they found them. So the spies had courage but they were also resourceful. However, the king of Jericho seemed to have full knowledge of their mission and whereabouts and it took the courage of Rahab that matched their own courage to save their lives.

Think of Rahab's courage for a moment. She risked her life and those of her family to conceal the spies. She stood against her own people because she had a revelation, for she knew who the spies were and what their mission was. How did she know? She knew because God had revealed it to her. Even though she lied and deceived, she did it in faith and her faith was rewarded with "salvation." And in a sense, the spies' faith was rewarded for they chose the correct house owned by a faith-filled women of dubious moral character who saved their lives and preserved their mission.

THE DEAL

The aspect of the story I want especially to focus on was the deal that the spies made with Rahab. They could not check back with Joshua in headquarters to get the deal approved. They really didn't even know if Rahab was telling the truth. What if she was lying or changed her mind and revealed their whereabouts or destination after she helped them escape down the wall? These spies had faith and then Joshua and the nation honored their deal by sparing Rahab, as long as she kept her end of it through the scarlet cord.

This deal made me think of what Jesus said: "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them" (Matthew 18:18-19). The spies had leeway and authority to strike a deal and it saved an entire household and impacted Israel for generations to come.

My point in all this is that we have the same authority the spies did. We are to venture out to see what the Lord is doing and when we find faith, we are to offer salvation to the people who respond. Jesus told His disciples not to waste time with those who did not receive their message (like the king of Jericho) and devote their efforts to those who were open and responsive (like Rahab). Then when they found such people, they were to loose heaven's blessings on them and heaven was duty bound to respond to their efforts.

Neither the Lord nor Joshua told the spies what to do where Rahab was concerned. They discerned the situation and acted in faith. God wants you to do the same. Where can you take the initiative to extend God's kingdom, not worrying if you are overstepping your boundaries but confident God is with you as you go? How far are you willing to travel to find a Rahab to whom God has spoken and is ready to respond in faith? I encourage you to be a good spy for God and realize that as you go, you are going on His behalf and He is watching and waiting to see what good deals you can make that will bless those with whom you make them. Have a blessed week!

Memo 1030: Enterfear

This past week, I had some down time at a conference I was attending and opened my Bible app to the book of Joshua:

I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:3-9).

While reading, I thought of a word that really isn't a word but it seemed to fit this scenario in Joshua 1 and that word is the title of this week's Memo: enterfear. Let's examine that make-believe word more closely.

WALK THE LAND

The first thing that struck me about the above passage was the opening phrase: "I will give you every place where you set your foot." The people were about to enter the Land and they had to walk it to gain a sense of ownership of its size. You and I need to do the same thing, for our purpose land is big, bigger than we can imagine. That requires us to have faith, "step" out, and get comfortable with the scope of our call. That may be to a people group, a nation, or a certain type of work like among children or the elderly.

Then the next thing that stood out was the promise that "no one will be able to stand against you." That didn't mean no one would try to stand against them, it simply meant they would not be successful when they did. Often we misinterpret promises in ways we want them to read instead of how they actually do, and this would be one of them. We would hope there will be no opposition but often there's a lot and we must trust the Lord of our inheritance to help us withstand our enemies.

After that, I noticed the phrase "I will never leave you nor forsake you." That sounded like a promise Jesus made: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). That indicates that our "land" or work may not be across the street or where we would like it to be but where God chooses it to be. That may be in a distant land or among people who don't look, think, or talk like we do. Finally, there were repeated admonitions to be courageous and fear not, which is where the source of my new word enterfear comes into play.

FEAR

The people were about to enter the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering in the Wilderness. They along with Joshua were afraid. They were fearful to enter the Land thus suffered from enterfear. I would suggest that you may as well. We allow fear to inter-fear with entering into what God has for us to do and be. Our inner-fear interferes and thus we are paralyzed by enter-fear. We struggle to get started because we feel the assignment is too big or we aren't worthy or the timing is not right.

I don't think the Lord would have told Joshua to have courage and not to be afraid or discouraged in five different phrases in those opening verses unless that is exactly the state he was in. He was afraid. It reminds me of what Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7: 'For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid [or has not given us a spirit of fear], but gives us power, love and self-discipline." While we are familiar with that verse and can usually quote it, we don't often quote it in conjunction with the previous verse: "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands." What's the context of the fear about which Paul wrote? It's in conjunction with the gift of God that's in you. You can suffer from enterfear when you need to embrace the gift you have and the impact God wants it to have.

Do you suffer from enterfear? Where are you hesitant to enter into and then walk the land God has given you? Where have you allowed fear to shroud the gift of God that's in you? This week, God wants you to listen to the words He spoke to Joshua and apply them to your own situation so you'll no longer allow enterfear to interfere with God's will for your life. As you do, you will bear fruit and experience joy that only comes from being used of God in a way that exceeded your expectations, but not His. Have a blessed week!

Memo 1028: Your Pay

When I conduct a purpose seminar, which by the way I could do every week if I had the opportunity, I sometimes make this statement, "Jesus never recruited anyone to a paid ministry position. He recruited people to fulfill their purpose, and He promised to be with them no matter where they went or what they did." Let's look at that statement more closely.

Jesus did not approach His disciples and say, "Men, I have a job for you to do, and that is to be fishers of men. Now, I will pay you a certain amount, plus benefits, for your efforts. You will have two weeks off every six months, and I will put away a certain amount for your retirement." Jesus did not fully explain how He would take care of the men, but He did promise to do so.

The question that people raise with me when I talk about this is, "Well, that's because the disciples were in ministry, and that's how people in ministry are to live. But I'm a carpenter or a teacher or a nurse, and I need to get paid!" That, my friends, is the crux of the matter, isn't it? Does God have the right to ask you to work at any job and trust Him for your provision?

A WORKER IS WORTHY

Let me give you some examples. I often meet with people to coach and counsel them where purpose is concerned. I do not charge them anything to do so and most of the time, they don't offer to pay. God has sent them to me and in a sense, I am serving a pastoral role at that time, which is God's will for me. Another examples is that I have completed a full commentary on the New Testament, verse by verse. I could not escape the fact that I was to edit and publish it in its entirety—all twelve volumes.

That was my work God had assigned me to do. No one paid me to do that, and there were no guarantees of sales to support me. Yet, God provided for me to work on that project in other ways, and I felt His pleasure as I did it. God has recruited me to write and has promised to care for me as I do. So far, all the bills are paid, money is being saved, health benefits are covered, and I have money left over to give away. Am I the exception or the rule where this issue of God's provision is concerned?

At some point in the discussion, people often quote the verse that says the laborer is worthy of his or her hire (see Luke 10:7 and 1 Timothy 5:18), and of course that principle is true. A laborer should be paid by whatever entity benefits from his or her efforts. But isn't that verse also a promise about God's faithfulness? If God "hires" you to do something, won't He be true to His own promise and, as your employer, make sure you are taken care of?

People usually tell me that "I have a family to feed and support," to which I respond, "Oh, so you are the one to take care of your family? God has no role in the process?" Do you think it's more difficult for God to provide for a family of five than for an individual? Do you think God needs a company to do that? Do you think God needs you to work at a company to do that? God can use a company to feed you and yours, but God doesn't need one to feed you all. And ultimately, who is the real source of the provision—God using the company or the company itself? And one more question: Is God limited only to use your company to pay you or can He provide for you in other ways along with the pay you receive?

JESUS SAID

It would be good to read and then reflect on Jesus' own words on this matter. Ask yourself, "Did He mean this for those in ministry or for every one of His followers?" If He meant them for all, then how can you apply them to your life and work? I have shared with you how they apply to mine.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:25-34).

Do you need to adjust your thinking where your provision is concerned? Yes, your company pays you as it should, but ultimately it's God who is using them to provide for you. Therefore, you can put your trust in Him to provide with or without the company. That means you can embrace any work He has given you to do and trust that He as your employer will be sure to provide as promised, even if He has to use unusual means to do so—means that prove He is your source in every situation. Have a blessed week.

Memo 1026: Purpose or Work - Or Both?

I sat counseling a woman last week who was in dire financial straits. She is talented in one area of work but felt like it wasn't something that glorified God. At the same time, she knew her purpose but didn't know how she could make a living by fulfilling it. We talked for about an hour as I tried to help her understand the difference between her purpose and an occupation. Since she was desperate for money, she was all ears and I feel like she left with a clearer distinction between the two and how God often positions them. Perhaps you have the same need.

Paul's purpose was to bring the gospel of Christ to the Gentile world. We know this because his "call" on the Damascus road has a prominent place in the book of Acts. In fact, Paul referred to his purpose in each of his letters, usually relating his purpose to an Old Testament passage. When Paul talked about himself, he referred to his purpose, yet that purpose wasn't his occupation. To earn a living, Paul made tents.

Yet Paul never talked or wrote about his occupation. The only way we know Paul made tents was that Luke wrote about it in the book of Acts. Don't you find it interesting that Paul never referred to making tents? That was what he did, but it wasn't who he was. He was an apostle to the Gentiles and that's what got the choice place in his heart, time, efforts, and writings. (Paul returned the favor. Nowhere did Luke mention he was a doctor; Paul told us that in Colossians 4:14. Obviously Luke learned from his mentor the difference between purpose and occupation.)

WHO ARE YOU?

I'm not asking what you do. You may sell insurance or work as a telemarketer, but who are you? You may be a missionary to some people group or a comforter of children or the elderly, while insurance or telemarketing pays the bills. When people ask you what you do, like I just did, how do you respond? Do you say you're an insurance salesperson or a missionary? A telemarketer or a comforter? If you answer the salesperson, then you're defining yourself by what you do. If you say missionary or comforter, you're focusing on purpose, the essence of who you are, and not on the role God uses to pay for your food. You may only get to the mission field once a year or the old age home once a week, but the other weeks you're praying and working to fund your purpose like Paul did when he made tents. You don't have to quit your occupation to embrace your purpose. You may simply need to distinguish between the two and hold the proper one in a place of preeminence.

What's more, God can choose to pay you from some means other than your purpose activities. Your purpose could be to counsel people but your job pays the bills so you can offer your counseling free of charge. To take this even further, God can have you work in your purpose, not work another job, and trust Him to provide for you as He sees fit—which happened to Paul when other churches sent an offering to support him while he was out in his mission field. The main point in all this is that God wants you to focus on purpose. if your purpose and job are one and the same, then that's ideal, but if they aren't, as in Paul's case, then you save the best of who you are for your purpose, understanding that you don't work to make money (God promises to provide). You work to express and extend God's kingdom through every aspect of your life to the world around you.

This plays out in my own life through my relationship with social media. I'm active on many social media platforms because my purpose is to write. I don't get paid for what I post and write in most cases. I do it because it's an important part of who I am. God provides for me in other ways, and I understand it's my job to write and broadcast. God's job is to provide for me as He promised. I do His will, He confirms His will through His provision, and many people are impacted every day, not because I'm paid to reach them but because I'm called to do so. The same would hold true for my work in Kenya.

OCCUPATION VS. PURPOSE

Os Guinness wrote the following paragraph in his book, Entrepreneurs of Life (since he uses the words "calling" and "vocation" instead of purpose, I have taken the liberty of inserting the word "purpose" where appropriate):

Calling [purpose] helps us finish [our lives] well because it prevents us from confusing the termination of our occupations with the termination of our vocations [purpose]. If we ever limit our calling [purpose] to what we do, and that task is taken away from us—we suddenly find ourselves unemployed, retired, or pronounced terminally ill—then we are tempted to depression and doubt. What has happened? We have let our occupation become so intertwined with our vocation [purpose] that losing the occupation means losing the sense of vocation [purpose] too.

Have you either not found or lost your sense of purpose? Then perhaps you have confused the difference between what you do and who you are (parents and spouses included; your role is that of a spouse or parent; your purpose is who you are). I suggest you take this week to reflect on this important distinction. No longer be content to define your life in terms of what you get paid to do but rather by who you are. Oh, and by the way, I sat and counseled with the woman I mentioned at the beginning free of charge because it's part of my purpose, not my job. Have a blessed week!

Memo 1023: Hiding in Your Baggage

I often ask audiences, "Who is the most charismatic king in the Old Testament?" By that, I mean who had the most miraculous and unusual spiritual confirmation of his call to leadership? Most people answer David but that is not the answer I am looking for. The answer is actually David's father-in-law, King Saul. We first meet Saul when he was looking for his family's donkeys and connects with the prophet Samuel (see 1 Samuel 9). From that encounter, we read of a number of supernatural events and confirmations, all indicating that Saul was to become Israel's requested leader. Let's spend a few weeks examining some stories in Saul's life to help us learn what to do and not to do when God chooses us to fulfill His and our assigned purpose.

"WHAT'S UP?"

We won't look at all the stories leading up to Saul's coronation, but there is one aspect of his story that stands out. After Saul met Samuel and after many unusual spiritual events took place to indicate Saul was to be the king, he returned home. Then we read,

Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?” “Looking for the donkeys,” he said. “But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.” Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.” Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship (1 Samuel 10:14-16).

I find it unusual that after Saul met the most famous prophet in Israel and after he had been confronted with the fact that he was to be king and after God had "changed his heart" and after Saul prophesied with the prophets, he had no testimony. He had nothing to say. When his uncle in essence asked him, "What's up with you?" Saul did not report any of those events to his uncle. I find that odd. I would have told anyone who asked what God was doing in my life and that I was about to be king. Yet Saul said nothing. Could it have been humility? Perhaps. Or could it have been disinterest and reluctance to take the high position God had given him? His next actions answer this question.

HIDING IN THE BAGGAGE

We read,

When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was taken. Finally Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. So they inquired further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” And the Lord said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.” They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!” (1 Samuel 10:20-24).

When Saul's big day came, he hid himself and no one knew where he was—except the Lord who "ratted" him out. The people didn't seem to mind, so they went to where Saul was and brought him to his own party where he was the guest of honor. Saul stood "head and shoulders" above his people, but he didn't stand to the height got had given him. Instead, he tried to shrink so he would be invisible. Perhaps he was afraid or maybe he just didn't want the job God had given him. Whatever it was, he went hiding among his baggage, assuming he was safe from the long arm of the Lord.

How about you? Are you hiding in the baggage of your life? Perhaps it's your past, fearful or maybe even relieved that your past disqualifies you (or so you think) from the call God has on your life. Are you hiding in your emotional baggage, excusing yourself because of your tender, weakened, or wounded condition? Maybe it's the baggage of all your responsibilities, convinced that your job, family responsibilities, financial instability, or age (young or old) preclude your involvement in anything beyond your current duties? Have you actually piled up a lot of baggage, maybe even subconsciously, to bolster your fear that you are inadequate and prevent your taking on more duties?

The good news of course is that God is more than adequate and His grace may even come find you in the baggage car of your life train. The problem is that if you don't go willingly and allow God to change you, you will continue to sabotage your own success along the way just like King Saul did. Perhaps you simply need to surrender like Jesus' mother did when she told the angel after she asked how she could possibly be pregnant: "'I am the Lord’s servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled'" (Luke 1:38). This week, ask God to show you if you are hiding in your baggage, and then give Him permission to bring you out so you can attend your own coronation as He installs you as His representative before a few or many to fulfill your purpose and express your creativity. Have a blessed week!

Memo 1021: Drink Like a Deer

Last week, we looked at a verse found in Habakkuk 3:19, which states, "The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights." Those words were first penned by David and can also found in 2 Samuel 22:34 and Psalm 18:33. Obviously, Habakkuk had turned to the psalms in his distress and incorporated words that were particularly meaningful to him in his time of trouble. What verses are special to you in your own time of trouble?

The psalms include one more passage that mention deer, and that is found in Psalm 42:

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (Psalm 42:1-3).

All the deer references speak to God's' ability to sustain you in times of trouble. In fact, God won't simply help you maintain or survive in tough times, He will cause you to thrive and stand strong. That is one of the reasons why tough times come: to prove that the work God has done in your life is for real and will stand not just during problems, but for all eternity!

James also later wrote about God's work in your life during difficulties:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).

In Psalm 42, the psalmist used a vivid word picture to indicate our need for God in our problems. We must be like a thirsty deer that needs to find streams of water for its survival. It did not look for lemonade or some other beverage, for only water was what the deer needed. The same is true for us: In times of trouble, we don't need a vacation or some entertainment diversion, we don't need to read a self-help book. Instead, we need the Lord. Jesus said He was like water and that all who thirsted should come to Him and drink:

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them" (John 7:37-38).

The woman at the well had discovered that truth earlier in John's gospel when she came to the well for water, but instead heard Jesus say, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14).

If you are facing difficult times, is God your source of sustenance and refreshment? Are you standing strong and drinking deeply of His word and His presence? James urged you not just to endure the trials, but to consider them a joyful experience because the end result will be a strengthening of your commitment to follow Jesus. During those trials, God will work things into you (and out of you) that are for your ultimate good. I pray that you will be like a deer during this season of your life, standing firm in Him and drinking deeply of the encouragement He will give you in abundance, but only if you seek Him as the source of relief and strength in your distress. Have a blessed week!

Last week, we looked at a verse found in Habakkuk 3:19, which states, "The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights." Those words were first penned by David and can also found in 2 Samuel 22:34 and Psalm 18:33. Obviously, Habakkuk had turned to the psalms in his distress and incorporated words that were particularly meaningful to him in his time of trouble. What verses are special to you in your own time of trouble?

The psalms include one more passage that mention deer, and that is found in Psalm 42:

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (Psalm 42:1-3).

All the deer references speak to God's' ability to sustain you in times of trouble. In fact, God won't simply help you maintain or survive in tough times, He will cause you to thrive and stand strong. That is one of the reasons why tough times come: to prove that the work God has done in your life is for real and will stand not just during problems, but for all eternity!

James also later wrote about God's work in your life during difficulties:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).

In Psalm 42, the psalmist used a vivid word picture to indicate our need for God in our problems. We must be like a thirsty deer that needs to find streams of water for its survival. It did not look for lemonade or some other beverage, for only water was what the deer needed. The same is true for us: In times of trouble, we don't need a vacation or some entertainment diversion, we don't need to read a self-help book. Instead, we need the Lord. Jesus said He was like water and that all who thirsted should come to Him and drink:

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them" (John 7:37-38).

The woman at the well had discovered that truth earlier in John's gospel when she came to the well for water, but instead heard Jesus say, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14).

If you are facing difficult times, is God your source of sustenance and refreshment? Are you standing strong and drinking deeply of His word and His presence? James urged you not just to endure the trials, but to consider them a joyful experience because the end result will be a strengthening of your commitment to follow Jesus. During those trials, God will work things into you (and out of you) that are for your ultimate good. I pray that you will be like a deer during this season of your life, standing firm in Him and drinking deeply of the encouragement He will give you in abundance, but only if you seek Him as the source of relief and strength in your distress. Have a blessed week!