The Monday Memo from John Stanko

Monday Memo 1162: Be Useful

In John's epistle, he gave and repeated the reason he was writing to a group he labeled "fathers."

I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one (1 John 2:12-14, emphasis added).

While this is addressed to men, Paul had something to say to Timothy about the older women:

Do not add any widow to the list of widows unless she is over sixty years of age. In addition, she must have been married only once and have a reputation for good deeds: a woman who brought up her children well, received strangers in her home, performed humble duties for other Christians, helped people in trouble, and devoted herself to doing good (1 Timothy 5:9-10, GNT).

Now obviously times have changed and Paul would probably write something a bit different if he were alive today, but the main emphasis for fathers and widows was this: be of service to others. The "fathers" were to take their experience knowing God for a long time and distill lessons from those experiences that would benefit others. The "widows" were to "devote [themselves] to doing good." They were to find and create ways to be useful.

For me, being a father and doing good is expressed through writing and being active on social media to help others find purpose and to release creative. It is expressed through publishing—coming alongside mostly first-time authors to help them produce their creative projects. it's traveling to other countries where gray hair is honored to teach about leadership, purpose, and church reform.

I'm a "father' in the church and my life philosophy must be what John wrote a few verses after he mentioned "fathers": "The world and everything in it that people desire is passing away; but those who do the will of God live forever" (1 John 2:17). I'm teaching people what little I know about "doing the will of God" where purpose is concerned and I'll do that until I don't have strength or die.

What is doing good for you? How can you make yourself useful by doing the good you are able to do? Have you retired from God's kingdom work, satisfied with your past record or are you pushing on to share your knowledge of God through words and deeds? What more can you do? What have you thought about doing but dismissed it because of your age (either too young or too old)?

I hear people today dismissing age as "only a number," but I respond, "Yes, but my number is pretty big!" None of us are getting out of her alive, but I'm determined not to cooperate with the typical image of old age. If I understand purpose correctly, we're never too old to find and fulfill it, so I invite you to join me on the road named "doing good." There's no limit to the number of stops you can make on that road if your heart is to serve and your mind is forever young. Have a blessed week!

Monday Memo 1161: Serving The Young

Abishag: King David's Sokhenet - TheTorah.com

David lived to be 70 and at the end of his life had a problem staying warm. Let's read what his attendants did to address this problem:

When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. So his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm." Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her (1 Kings 1:1-4).

There's nothing wrong with staying comfortable in one's advanced years. The problem in this case, however, was that while the servants were focused on David's well-being, one of his sons decided he wanted to be king. Everything that David had worked for was almost lost due to the insurrection of his renegade son.

About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome (1 Kings 1:5-6).

The writer also lets us know that David created this problem with his son by not disciplining him "at any time." David's lack of fathering skills didn't just impact him or his family, but had implications for the entire realm. And now, it seems that it was more about David and his needs than the needs of the nation. What lessons are there in this story for us as we study the topic 'Never Too Old for Purpose'?

It would seem the main lesson is that you never retire from God's Kingdom work or responsibilities. The same principles that got you through your life still apply when you're older. Certainly you should not ignore your physical limitations or needs, but they should not be the main focus for you or those around you. You must maintain a Kingdom mindset throughout your life, remembering that it's not about you or what you have done. It's always about Him and what He's doing and wants to do—even after you're gone. No one, including God, owes you anything for your life of service.

David was popular but on more than one occasion his self-centered tendencies caused his subjects many problems. Determine to be a person of purpose right up to the end, not insisting your own needs be met but doing what you can to meet the needs of others. And don't look for a way for the young to serve you but find ways to serve them to ensure that they have a chance to be successful in their day just as you had in yours. Have a blessed week.

Monday Memo 1160: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Let's go back and look at a verse we mentioned last week when we looked at Joseph as a good example of someone who wasn't too old to flow in his purpose:

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16, emphasis added).

The specific verse is "all these people were still living in faith when they died." Faith is a lifetime assignment. It's not an event, but a lifestyle. It's not a pill you swallow when needed but a spiritual vitamin we take every day. And faith isn't just for things we think we need that we don't know how we can get them, but it's to be applied to goals and aspirations of things God has laid on our hearts to do.

In the passage above, we see what's involved in faith by the words in bold. First, we live in it. Our whole existence requires faith. When we drive over a bridge, we have faith it won't collapse. When we buy food, we have faith that it's not going to make us sick. When we go to the hospital, we trust that the people there are well trained and competent. So to trust God for provision or to fulfill a promise isn't that unusual of an exercise, since we are creatures who function best by faith—no matter our age.

People of faith also see things. They see the future so clearly, sometimes even the future after they have departed this life, that they welcome those pictures of what is yet to come and work to make them a reality for themselves and for those closest to them. I guess you can say these people are visionaries.

Then faith involves admitting the truth of who we are. Faith never requires us to deny reality. We just don't allow reality to have the final say. We choose to allow God's word to have the deciding vote. Abraham was as good as dead in age, but chose to believe God that he would have a son to serve as his heir. What's more, people of faith say things that are compatible with faith. For example, I never say "I'm too old for this or that." Yes, as I grow older there will be physical limitations but I'm trusting God that my latter years will be as fruitful, perhaps more so, than my earlier ones.

After that, those with faith are thinkers. Faith is rational, perhaps the most rational act of our existence. Faith may involve our feelings, but at the end of the day, it requires that we weigh the evidence and the possibilities and allow faith to have the upper hand. And finally, people of faith are longing for something better, which is the reward of our faith. We have a destination in mind and faith fuels the journey. Now all this occurs regardless of your age. You're never too young or old for faith.

Having said that, how is faith impacting your life? Are you living or simply existing? Are you admitting the truth of your own weakness but trusting in God's strength? Has faith affected your speech so that you are uttering faith words and not those of doubt and doom? And how about your thinking? Are you using your rational capabilities to concoct exciting faith scenarios or fear-filled options for your life? And finally, are you longing for more—to do more, be more, see more, and understand God more?

If you answer yes to those questions, then the final promise of this passage is for you: "God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." I want to be a citizen of God's city and not just someone living on the outskirts of town because I was unable to take up residence in the place God has for me. I would love to have you as my neighbor there, but the price of admission is a life of faith up until the end. I hope you're willing to pay that price. If you are, I look forward to sharing faith stories with you as we talk across our backyard fence on Faith Street. Have a blessed week.

Monday Memo 1159: Die in Faith

We've looked at Joseph's sons the last two weeks, but now let's backtrack and take a look at Joseph in our series "Never Too Old for Purpose."

It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left (Hebrews 11:22, NLT).

Joseph had heard the stories from Jacob, his father, that God was going to give the people the land according to the promise He made to Abraham. Joseph put his faith in that promise and was confident it would take place, even though Joseph himself had been in Egypt for 80 years when he was about to die. His people's population in Egypt by then was growing to the extent that it would seem almost impossible that they would be able to return one day to where they had buried Jacob, but Joseph believed it was going to happen.

What's more, Joseph left one command in his last will and testament and that was for the people to take his bones with them when they went back. That indicated Joseph didn't believe the return was going to happen any time soon, but it was going to happen and he wanted to be a part of it. It would happen almost four centuries after his death.

This makes me think of what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, quoting Psalm 116:10: "It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken." Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak." What did Joseph do in his old age? How could he fulfill his purpose to rule over his family as God had promised? He directed their faith focus to the promise of God that they would return to their home by speaking words of faith.

Then we read the report in Exodus that took place hundreds of years after Joseph's death: "Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, 'God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place'" (Exodus 13:19). Joseph made a decision on his deathbed: "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance" (Hebrews 11:13).

He decided to die in faith, even though he did not receive what was promised. And I made the decision years ago I would rather die in faith than live in presumption or fear. I write now in faith my books will outlive me. I am building a publishing company that I hope will out-survive me. I am teaching about what I believe the Church should look like as we move on in the 21st century. What about you?

As you grow older, what is your focus? The present or the future? The current mess or the future promise? Pessimism or optimism? Are you just living your life waiting to die or are you living to live, fueled by vibrant and active faith? Joseph spoke what he believed God would do. He was an example of the truth that no one is too old for purpose or faith living. Now it's up to you to come to the same conclusion and then live your life according to that truth, speaking words of faith until the day you can't speak any longer. Have a blessed week!

Monday Memo 1158: Words and Worship

This week, we focus on Jacob, the grandson of Abraham and Sarah, who was a hero of faith in his own right by following in his family's footsteps. Since this series is titled "Never Too Old for Purpose," let's go to one verse that described Jacob "when he was dying":

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff (Hebrews 11:21).

This verse tells us a lot so let's examine it point by point:

1. Jacob was dying and so are you. None of us are getting out of here alive should the Lord tarry, so it is an event we all must and should plan for.

2. Late in life, Jacob had to make a transition in the midst of a severe famine to a foreign land with all his family to see a son he thought was dead. His other sons had conspired to perpetuate a lie that Joseph was dead, causing their father much grief and sadness for more than two decades.

3, Nothing had gone as tradition would dictate for Jacob's family. His eldest son did not get the blessing but his grandchildren proved to be a double blessing. His sons continued to be a disappointment and source of pain until the end.

4. Jacob's strength was limited so that he had to use a cane to help him stand and move. But he used what he had in his last days, which was his breath and his mind, to produce words of blessing and to worship God.

5. Jacob had to lean on his staff, not just because he was old but also because he was still weakened from when he had wrestled with the angel, who had dislocated his hip. At his weakest moment in the natural, he was the strongest in God.

Jacob took the best of the past and the present to pronounce a blessing for the future, proving that after all his own failures in life, he had chosen to put his trust in God. He focused on his grandsons and Joseph, reached back to build on what his father and grandfather had taught him about God's promise and pronounced a blessing on his family—his grandsons who had only met recently and his sons with whom he had every reason to be estranged.

Where is your focus if you are in your later years? Is it on what you can't do or on what you can still do? Are you doing all that you can to bless others or are you bitter or cynical in your latter years? Are you focusing on the future to help equip others (including your family), even though there's a chance you won't be there to see it? And if you're not yet "old," are you preparing for that day by doing all you can today to leave a purpose legacy for those you will leave behind?

Jacob was not a perfect man, but in many ways, his flawed life story had a happy ending. Yours can too if you follow his lead by using your last days to produce and be a blessing. You would do well to keep a record of God's faithfulness and then make sure that inventory is passed down to anyone who is interested to read and learn from your life. And then do your best to end your days with words of blessing for others and the worship of God. Have a blessed week!

Monday Memo 1157: Good As Dead

Hebrews 11 has a lot to say about Abraham, but let's focus on this one verse:

And so from this one man [Abraham], and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore (Hebrews 11:12).

You probably know the story. Abraham and Sarah couldn't have children, tried to have one through a surrogate mother, and when they had all but given up in the natural, God moved and Sarah got pregnant. We tend to romanticize stories like this because the Bible covers the years in which they took place so quickly. But put yourself in Abraham's and Sarah's place.

They had to change diapers and walk with their sick child—in their old age. They had to cook and make a life for their child—in their old age. They had to train and teach Isaac the ways of life and the ways of the Lord—in their old age. Abraham had to take Isaac to the mountain to sacrifice—in his old age. I'm sure they had help but still, a child coming in their nineties was a major interruption of life as they had known it.

And now you are challenged to learn from and be like Abraham. That means you're to trust God to do something—your business, ministry, education, or provision. You are waiting, hoping, praying and preparing, but the fulfillment of your promise or dream is in God's hands. So what if He doesn't "move" or act until you're at an age at which you thought, "it's too late"?

I'm 74 years old as I write. I'll travel 100,000 miles this year. With God's help, I'll write five books and publish 20 more for others. I work six days a week, usually from 6 am to 8 pm. And there's no end in sight. I've prayed the prayer, "Put me in, Coach" and He has and is. Like Abraham, I'm past my prime but also like Abraham, I'm available to God so we can accomplish His purpose in and through me.

I'm not interested in retirement for as someone once said, "Why would I stop doing what I love to do nothing?" My latest doctor's visit gave me a thumbs up in every area, but I know that can change without notice. So even though, like Abraham, I am "as good as dead" and in the latter part of my life, I'm alive in Christ to do all the things He puts before me to do

So what about you? What mindset do you have? Are you thinking "I'm as good as dead," and acting like it? Are you afraid to try something new or move into expressions of your purpose and creativity you haven't tried before because you think you're too old, afraid something "bad" will happen? Are you playing the "I'm too old" card, or thinking, "I'm forty and God has to move now or it will be too late", like things to happen now or else?

The truth is, it's never too late when you're in your purpose. You're only too old for purpose if you accept that thinking and then act it out. Or you can be like Abraham, seeing your best fruit in your later years, because you knew how to draw strength from the Lord as you walk in obedience to His will for your life, for which you are never too old. Have a blessed week!

Monday Memo 1156: The Mother of Faith

In the story of Abraham and Sarah, Abraham gets most of the attention for his faith, but he wasn't alone in his faith journey:

And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise (Hebrews 11:11).

Another translation says it this way: "She believed that God would keep his promise" (NLT). Sarah was trusting God right along with Abraham and together they produced faith fruit that has been set forth as a model for all to follow down through the ages.

In this series, "Never Too Old for Purpose," we're looking at people in the Bible who were fulfilling their purpose into their later years, which is why we have come to Sarah's story this week. Sarah's faith journey wasn't perfect and yours doesn't have to be either:

“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.“There, in the tent,” he said. Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?" Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh" (Genesis 18:9-15).

What do we learn about Sarah in this passage? At first, her thinking wasn't consistent with faith thinking. She was old and assumed that there were certain things she could not do at her age, and one of them was having a baby. She scoffed at such an idea, but then found out that God knew her thoughts and was ready to reveal them as a sign of His promise—not to condemn her but to reveal His power. Then Sarah lied, denying she had laughed at all, but God was revealing that He could not lie.

The beauty of the story is that none of Sarah's frailties, either physical or mental, disqualified her from receiving the promise. Hebrews 11 doesn't focus on her weakness or doubt; it endorses her faith. And that's good news for you and me, for while God is intimately acquainted with our thoughts and actions, He's still willing to use us—as long we allow our faith and not our doubt to have the last word.

About what have you said, "I'm too old"? Where have you laughed at the thought of doing something for God that you wanted to do when you were young, but have disqualified yourself due to your age? And if you're young, do you have the thought that when you're old, you (and others) are pretty much impotent where purpose and serving God are concerned?

If Abraham is the father of faith, I guess that makes Sarah the mother of it. Determine to follow both of their examples throughout your life and that will ensure that you, like they did, will have live a life of purposeful faith all the days God allows you to have. Have a blessed week!

Monday Memo 1155: Old-Age Faith

There's an old proverb that says the old die and the young can die. That is the reality of life—and death. Unless the Lord returns, none of us are getting out of here alive. However, there was at least one man who found the secret of a smooth passing and that man's name was Enoch:

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:5-6).

We're not exactly sure what happened to Enoch but it seems that he made his transition from life as Elijah had, who was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot. But the point I want to focus on in this week's 'Never Too Old for Purpose' series is that the context for Enoch's life and death set the stage for the Bible's most famous quote about faith: "without faith it is impossible to please God."

Whatever happened to Enoch occurred because he had faith in God, not just as a young person but throughout his life. His faith was what fueled his transition from this life to the next. His faith was the common denominator and expression between his now life and then life. I'm not insinuating that if you're older and have faith, you'll be like Enoch and somehow disappear without a trace. I am suggesting, however, that God sees your faith and will help you make your heavenly transition while living out your last days serving Him.

I've often said I would rather die in faith than live in presumption or fear. And therefore I have faith for things that may not happen until I'm gone—or may not happen at all—and I'm fine with that. I write in faith for a best-seller. I am trusting my work in Africa will outlive me. I live in faith for my children and grandchildren, niece and nephew. And yes, I have faith for the end of my days that I will glorify God up until the last, bearing fruit for the Kingdom and glorifying Him for the work He has done in my life.

Are you living in current-day faith or the faith you had as a young person? Where is your faith focus if you are older? (Where is it if you're younger?) Are you still being productive for Him? Can you describe your faith projects that you're trusting God in this life to do and see—or will die hoping for their eventual fruition?

Enoch was so consumed by faith that he graduated to glory without a ceremony. That's my goal too, that my faith will take me to the next stage of my existence where I will continue to serve God. I invite you to join me in that faith journey no matter where you are in your own span of life, for all of us, young and old, will only please God by living and dying in faith. Have a blessed week.

Monday Memo 1154: Wisdom Dispensers

As we move on in our 'Never Too Old for Purpose' series, we see another messenger arrive after Simeon was finished speaking to Jesus' family in the Temple:

There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:36-38).

Anna had been married for seven years when her husband died and was 84 when she met Jesus, so she had probably been a widow for more than sixty years. She was recognized as a prophet (so much for those who think women should not be allowed a ministry role) and was probably given living quarters in the Temple, which is why she was there "day and night."

So while Anna had a title and a place in the "church" of her day, few people were listening to her any longer. Yet she continued to faithfully do what she knew to do and God was watching. While the priests and other officials had long ago disregarded her ministry, she went right to some of the "common people," namely Joseph and Mary, to share what God had shown her concerning their son. We aren't told if she was able to pass that information on to anyone else.

If you grow old in the Lord, you will accumulate wisdom from your experiences. Not everyone will want the wisdom you can dispense, but some will. And you should position yourself, as Anna did, to be able to share what you see and know with those who will listen. That means you will have to accept a diminished role in the eyes of some, but not in the eyes of God. How did Luke know about this story between Anna and Jesus? Undoubtedly Mary told him fifty years later when he interviewed her while writing his gospel account.

Are you willing to accept a smaller but still important role in God's master plan as you grow older? Are you willing to mentor and direct the young, those who are willing to listen? Can you be faithful to do what you know to do whether you have an audience or not?

As I write, I am 74 years old. I no longer have a role in a local church; those are now filled by younger men. But I write, consult, counsel, edit, and coach as God provides the opportunities all over the world. I'm working diligently to provide a legacy of material on social media and through my books that God can use now or after I'm gone in whatever way He chooses, which includes not using them at all. I invite you to join me as a wisdom dispenser to those who are willing and able to hear.

And one more thing: If you're young(er) and reading this, I hope you live a long life. But if you do, keep in mind that one day you will be where I am today. So take a moment every now and then to pay attention to what an older person has to say for one day you'll be looking for the same listening ears that we are hoping to find today. Have a blessed week.

Monday Memo 1153: Finish Well

In this 'Never Too Old for Purpose' lesson, we look at a man who seems like he was old at the time of the story reported in Luke 2:

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace . . ." (Luke 2:25-29).

Let's take a look at some lessons from Simeon that can help you later in life as you serve the Lord through your purpose.

1. You don't have to have a title for God to use you. Simeon wasn't part of the priestly family but was simply identified as a man who was "righteous and devout." The Spirit revealed something to him that He did not reveal to those with an official title or Temple position.
2. Being in touch with the Spirit is the key to ongoing effectiveness for the Lord. The Holy Spirit is mentioned three times in three verses. Your old age is no guarantee of wisdom or spiritual insight but your relationship with the Holy Spirit is.
3. You're never too old to obey. The Spirit moved on Simeon to go into the temple courts. It doesn't seem he was told why he was going, he just went as he had many times before. This time, his obedience was rewarded when he saw Jesus and his parents and the fulfillment of the Spirit's promise.
4. When you're old, you can serve to direct, encourage, and instruct the young. Simeon went on to say that Jesus was the Messiah, that He was the way for the Gentiles to come to God, that Jesus' life would be controversial, and that His life would be a source of pain for Mary.
5. Simeon finished well. Simeon had not retired, but was interested in the things of God up to the end of his days. God used him in a special way that so impressed Luke that he included the story in his gospel account when the other writers did not.

Simeon was a happy old man because God had made a promise to him and to Israel. For whatever reason, the Spirit had chosen to show Simeon the fulfillment of that promise.

Are you ready to accept the role God has for you in your latter years even if you don't have an official title or role? Are you willing to help others understand theirs by sharing your perspective and spiritual insight with them? Are you listening to the Spirit and what He is doing even if you may not get to live long enough to see or enjoy it?

Simeon had not retired. Instead he was watching and waiting and was rewarded with good news. I urge you to follow in His steps and prepare for a life of significance that carries through even your last days so you can finish as well as you lived. Have a blessed week!