The Monday Memo from John Stanko

780 - A Spiritual Hammer

Many years ago, I showed up at a church for a Saturday work and cleanup day. Somehow, I ended up spending the morning taking the plaster off the basement ceiling so it could be repaired and re-plastered. The supervisor had me stand on a scaffold, where I held a hammer and hit the ceiling with the side of the hammer. I did this again and again, and it was not bad work because I could see the results of my labor as I watched the entire ceiling come down blow by hammer blow.

The scaffolding did not have to be moved so I just walked across the length and width of the basement, smashing away. The plaster fell all over the place, and I had a mask on because the dust was thick. When I finished, I tried to put down the hammer, but I could not. I had swung the hammer so many times that my hand was frozen to the shape of the hammer handle! What's more, when I did pry the hammer out of my hand, my hand remained in the same shape just as if the hammer was still there!

That experience helped me understand a passage that described one of King David's mighty men named Eleazar:

Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead (2 Samuel 23:9-10).

WHAT'S THE POINT?

Why am I telling you this story? I tell you because we often underestimate the level of commitment that is required when we have to engage in spiritual warfare. God has given promises for healing, provision, meaningful work, healthy relationships, and fruitfulness. We can easily think those things will appear because we say, "In the name of Jesus!" The truth is that they will not.

There are times when we will have to cling to our spiritual hammers and strike blow after blow after blow against the forces that stand between us and the fulfillment of God's promise. Yes, there are times when our spiritual hands will actually freeze around the promise of God that we must use as a weapon to bring down the plaster-like resistance encrusted around God's provision and protection.

Have you given up on God's promise for you because you misunderstood the nature and intensity of what you would have to do to obtain it? Has you spiritual hand frozen to your prayer, praise, and faith life? If the answer to those questions is "yes," then be encouraged. Victory may be just a few more swings away! Don't give up and don't give in.

God is not playing hard-to-get as He requires you to struggle for what He has already provided. He wants you to appreciate even more what you receive, because you value what you pay a high price to obtain. This week, I encourage you to pick up your spiritual hammer once more and begin to swing away at the promise of God for you life. As you do, I know each swing will bring you closer to the fulfillment of God's blessing on your life. If I can encourage you as you swing your hammer, please let me know!

705 - Good Church

I need a little more help with the upcoming school fees that are due for our Kenyan orphans. As I explained last week, paid education is not a luxury in Kenya; it is a necessity if these children are to have a chance to make it on their own as adults. We currently sponsor six children, and $1,650 of the $3,000 we need has come in so far. They go back to school for this term on May 4. Can you help? Even a $5 gift is huge and will help us make a difference in their lives. You can read the latest update from Alice their caretaker here. Then please give today using PayPal through my website or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. At the end of this Memo are many other announcements of interest concerning my new book and upcoming seminars, but first let's talk a little bit about what I call "Good Church" as a continuation of our series on purpose prayer.

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I have noticed over the years that many of us are satisfied with what I call good church. What is good church? Well, first of all, let me say that it is a whole lot better than bad church. Good church is four hours of church in a two-hour service. It is great music, powerful preaching, entertaining announcements and a move of the Holy Spirit. You can see why I say that good church is better than bad church. The problem I see is that good church has become the sole purpose for some, the end result of their spiritual pursuit. That is where they want to see God move and have an encounter with Him.

I maintain that good church is not the highest goal of the Christian experience. In fact, good church is nowhere described in the Bible. Yes, we are commanded to meet together to have an encounter with Him, but most of the Bible talks about our Christian experience outside of church and not in it. That is why for me purpose is such an important topic, for your purpose is a road map from heaven of what you are to do with your life, not just your church life.

When we pursue good church, it's not necessary to contribute to it. We can enjoy good church if we come once a month and regardless of whether or not we contribute in the offering. We can vicariously enjoy someone else's spiritual toil and feel like it is somehow our own. Good preaching will make us feel like we killed Goliath but not equip us to slay our own giants. Good church will help us feel like we are traveling with Paul, or sailing with Jonah, or crossing the Red Sea with Moses, while in reality we are in the same place after church as we were before. Good church will make us feel like we have a more dynamic personal relationship with the Lord than we actually do. It can fool us into thinking our walk, including our prayer life, is more productive than it really is. We can substitute our personal walk for our corporate one.

There is no question that being part of a church body should empower you to do more for the Lord, but it should not be your only source of productivity. You have something to do that only you can do and you must do it whether or not your church helps or even understands you. Good church should challenge you to personal faith. It cannot take the place of personal devotions or discipleship. It should inspire and equip you to go out and do God's will and not be the substitute for personal action.

Let me repeat: I am not speaking against good church, unless it is the end instead of a means to an end. I am passionate to see you fulfill your purpose and not only help a church achieve theirs. Go to church, hopefully a good one, and make it even better. Then walk out of church to fulfill God's will for your life, which is more than not robbing banks or watch bad movies (which you hopefully didn't do before you met Jesus). God's will for your life is your purpose and good church should inspire and equip you to do it for the glory of God. Thank you and have a blessed, purposeful week.

    Feel free to comment on this entry on the site where it is posted.

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LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST: I am speaking at the last Duquesne University Leadership Breakfast on Tuesday, May 12 from 7:30 to 10:00 AM. My topic is Unlocking the Power of Your Creative Edge: Staying Inspired!. You can find more information or register at the University website.

PURPOSE SEMINAR: I am hosting my next free purpose seminar on Saturday, May 16 from noon to 4:30 PM on the North Side at Allegheny Center Alliance Church. You do need to register even though it's free, so please email me to let me know you are coming.

#STANKOISMS: My latest book, #stankoisms: Wisdom for the Twitter Age is now available in paper or ebook format.

ANOTHER BOOK: I released another book this past week for which I served as the editor as well as being a contributing author. Leadership Essentials is now available in Kindle or paper format.

YOUR PURPOSEQUEST TV: I have four television shows posted online. Each one features someone's purpose story. You can watch them on my Vimeo channel. I also have all my radio shows archived on my website for your listening enjoyment. That show is entitled "Wake Up to Purpose."

704: You and Elijah

I need your help, as I do every week, with the upcoming school fees that are due for our Kenyan orphans. Paid education is not a luxury in Kenya; it is a necessity if these children are to have a chance to make it on their own as adults. We currently sponsor six children, which costs about $9,000 annually. They go back to school for this term on May 5. Can you help? Even a $5 gift is huge and will help us make a difference in their lives. You can read my latest update on one of the orphans here. Then please give today using Paypal through my website or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. At the end of this Memo are many other announcements of interest concerning my new book and upcoming seminars, but first let's get back to our series on prayer and purpose.

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We have been talking about prayer for the last several weeks, especially the need to pray prayers that are answered and have results. My mind this week goes to the verse in James 5:17-18: "Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." The key phrase is at the beginning of the passage: "Elijah was a human being" just like you and me. What does that mean? Why would James write that?

Perhaps he wrote it because of your tendency to dismiss your capability of doing great things for God when you compare yourself to others, whether alive or passed on. You read about Elijah and think, "Wow, he was so special. God chose him to do great things. He is a faith superstar and the best I can expect is to get vicarious enjoyment by reading about what he did." It never occurs to you that God wants you to be and do just like Elijah. You don't think it's possible so you dismiss the very thought.

Jame was saying, "Elijah was just like you. He prayed and God heard him and did great things through Elijah." Now, you have gotten into trouble when you have tried to use that prayer power for unusual or selfish means. That does not indicate that you can pray for anything you want and God is obligated to do it. He isn't your cosmic bellhop at your beck and call to get you a new car or fancy clothes. God is your purpose partner, however, and He is ready to answer your prayers that are related to what He sent you here to do, which is your purpose.

Paul wrote that you and I are God's co-workers: "As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain" (2 Corinthians 6:1). The word for 'co-worker' is where we get our word synergy, which is when the sum of the parts is greater than their individual sums. With you as God's co-worker, it means that one plus One equals 100, or 1,000 or 10,000! You plus God always constitute a majority. Elijah had a purpose to turn Israel back to God. When he prayed for the rain to stop, God stopped it, not because Elijah found some heavenly switch where he could turn God on and off at will, but because God sent Elijah to call Israel to repentance. If Elijah needed the rain to stop to accomplish his purpose, then God was only too glad to oblige.

Today I celebrate my 65th birthday. I have been teaching on purpose for almost 24 years and I am more convinced than ever that God wants to use you just like He used Elijah, for some purpose that only you can fulfill. He does not expect you to do that alone or without resources. He is ready to partner with you as a co-worker, synergizing with you to provide all you need to get the job done. Stop playing small, stop dismissing your purpose and life as insignificant, stop getting vicarious pleasure through someone else's purpose. Find your own, pray great prayers and then see God do great things as together you partner to achieve God's will in your lifetime. Thank you and may God bless you with a great, purposeful week!

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LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST: I am speaking at the last Duquesne University Leadership Breakfast on Tuesday, May 12 from 7:30 to 10:00 AM. My topic is Unlocking the Power of Your Creative Edge: Staying Inspired!. You can find more information or register at the University website.

G1 GROUP: Speaking of creativity, I host my monthly creativity support group meeting next Saturday, April 25 on the North Side of Pittsburgh. This is a group of 10-25 people who come together to encourage one another in their creative endeavors. Even some who need inspiration to be creative come to meet from 1 PM to 3 PM. Here is a our Facebook page. No need to register, just show us at Allegheny Center Alliance Church.

PURPOSE SEMINAR: I am hosting my next free purpose seminar on Saturday, May 16 from noon to 4:30 PM on the North Side at Allegheny Center Alliance Church. You do need to register even though it's free, so please email me to let me know you are coming.

#STANKOISMS: My latest book, #stankoisms: Wisdom for the Twitter Age is available in paper or ebook format.

YOUR PURPOSEQUEST TV: I have four television shows posted online. Each one features someone's purpose story. You can watch them on my Vimeo channel. I also have all my radio shows archived on my website for your listening enjoyment. That show is entitled "Wake Up to Purpose."

703: Prayer Retreat

For the last three weeks, I have written about prayer and its role in your purpose. I have watched over the years as many people have given themselves to prayer, yet have no answers to prayer. Their only answer to this dilemma is that the people of God are not praying enough. It is almost like God has to be asked a certain number of times before He will even consider doing something. We have prayer walks, vigils, retreats and sacrifices, yet we have no answers.

I realize that often we cannot see our answers, that at times our prayers prevented something from happening because we interceded. When that occurs, we often don't know that it occurs. Yet does that mean we should or can never see our answers? I think not. Many have turned to an intercessory life and then feel they are free from prayer accountability: "I prayed but God didn't do anything. Oh well, I did my part. I will just pray more." While they don't call it that, it becomes a form of a prayer retreat.

The early church was a place where prayer was offered and answered, tangibly and visibly. I have often said the book we know as the Acts of the Apostles could also be called the Acts of Purpose, for when the Spirit came, He empowered people to fulfill their purpose. The apostles, Barnabas, Dorcas, Timothy, Lydia, Paul, Peter and others became people of purpose as Luke reported in Acts, and they became not only people of purpose, but people of answered prayer. 

One of my favorite prayer verses is found in Acts 4:41: "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." Their prayer was so powerful and closely related to their purpose that the Lord resonated with their prayer and shook the building. Then they went out and saw their prayers answered as they boldly proclaimed God's word. You and I have two choices with how to interpret and apply that verse. We can dismiss it as an anomaly of the early church or see it as the norm for purpose-driven people. If we dismiss it, then prayer is just something we shoot into the air, never really certain that it has reached its target, never sure if it was supposed to hit its target. We don't have to see answers, we just have to pray.

I want to pray purposeful prayers that are answered. I want to see God move as you do, but I fear lest our prayer movements be forms of monastic retreat that keep us safe from harm - and accountability. A prayer retreat should be a place where we go to shake our buildings and institutions of the world. Too many have retreated to prayer to avoid the messiness of purposeful work. I urge you this week to examine your approach to prayer and your answers to prayer. If either are deficient, then I encourage you to change your perspective and see prayer not as a retreat but as an advance that is meant to shake things up, in your life and the lives of those around you. Thanks, and have a blessed week where you see your prayers not just prayed but answered.

    Feel free to respond to this entry on the site where it is posted.

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NEED YOUR HELP: Now that I am home, I need your help to continue my work now more than ever. Please give toward my purpose work, either through PayPal on my website or by sending a tax-deductible gift to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you for your generous support. I am working to set up a library in Guyana as well as get the next shipment ready for Africa, where we have commit to establish two new libraries as well as continue to support the ones we have. I cannot do this alone and I cannot do it without my own needs being met.

702: That Means You

Two weeks ago I began a series on prayer and purpose. This entry is one that I have posted before, but it fits right into what we are talking about. In John 14:12, Jesus made this astounding promise: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

In your opinion, what was the greatest thing that Jesus did?  Most people respond that it was when He raised the dead. If that’s true, then what could be a greater work than raising a dead person? Raising more dead people? Clearing out a cemetery or hospital?

Most people don’t think much about this verse because they don’t really believe that they can top what Jesus did, regardless of what they consider His greatest works. When you think like that, however, you miss a dynamic that could greatly help you be more productive.

Jesus did fabulous things but there were some things He didn’t do. Jesus never opened an orphanage. He never wrote a book. As far as we know, He never opened a hospital or organized a group to go on a mission of mercy to a foreign land. He never started a business and never gave a large sum of money to a worthy cause. Why didn’t He do those things? He left them for you and me to do.

YOUR GREATER WORKS

Therefore if you believe in Jesus, and I assume you do, why aren’t you doing greater things than He did?  Perhaps you have underestimated just how important and powerful it would be to actually achieve the things that are in your heart today. You may also think that only a supernatural miracle would qualify as a greater work. Since you don’t do supernatural miracles, you assumed that John 14:12 was for someone else and you were exempt or disqualified from this tremendous promise.

I have faith in Jesus and I want to do greater works. How about you?  If you answer “yes,” then what will you do?  Where can you apply your faith so that the results are miraculous?  Maybe you will care for AIDS orphans or perhaps you will open a chain of businesses. You can create some educational innovation that will revolutionize the way children learn. You may invent some technique that will make life easier, enriching yourself in the process. Then you'll start foundations like Mr. Kellogg, Mr. Ford or Mr. Rockefeller that will fund humanitarian projects long after you’re gone.

You get my point. You may ask, “Who am I to think about doing those things?”  If you believe in Jesus, the answer is, “Who are you not to think like that?”  The question you have to settle is whether or not John 14:12 only applies to a select few or to every believer, including you. If it’s for you, then you have some work to do. The good news is that you’re not alone if your work is coupled with faith. With faith, you are guaranteed that your results will be great, greater than you could ever imagine because God is with you.

THE SOMEONE IS YOU

What have you said someone ought to do?  Could that someone be you?  Write down in your journal what I call your elegant dream. You don’t have to know how you will do it right now; you just have to know what it is.  Let it come out of you in its entirety. Once you write it out, study it. Let it become a part of your thinking every day.

If there's something you can do to make it a reality, what would it be? Do you need to go back to school?  How can you make that happen (remember, you must incorporate faith)? Do you need to have money to do achieve your elegant dream?  Are you sure that's your greatest need? You could meet someone this week who could help you develop a plan or give you the money for this elegant dream that could eventually qualify as a greater work. You have to be able, however, to articulate that dream, before you can expect anyone to understand it and respond, and that may start with you accepting John 14:12 as possible not just for others but also for you. What are you waiting for?  Get moving, and have a great week proving the truth of that mind-boggling promise in John 14.

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NEED YOUR HELP: Now that I am home from my March travels, I need your help to continue my work now more than ever. I published three thank you emails from Kenya and soon I will announce plans to establish a library and IT center in Guyana. Read the latest thank you-s and then please give toward my purpose work, either through PayPal on my website or by sending a tax-deductible gift to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you for your generous support.

701: Purpose Prayer

Last week I began a series on prayer and purpose. I want to continue this for a few more weeks, so before I depart Guyana, here is another Memo for you to think about. And please, just because I am heading home does not mean that I don’t need your financial help – I do now more than ever. I am coming home from Guyana with more purpose – there is much to do here to help my pastor friend start a library and a computer center – but I cannot help him if you don’t help me. He and his church have been generous with me, but I need your help after I spent nine days here, speaking 10 times on purpose. You can give toward my support through my website or by sending a gift to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. And now, let’s continue our series on prayer.

WHAT DID JESUS REALLY SAY?

If Jesus said that apart from Him you can do nothing, isn't it true that in Him you can do anything? Alright, maybe not everything, but something? Let's look at the entire passage and you'll see what I mean:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples (John 15:1-8).

Jesus said if you don't abide in Him you can't do anything; if you do, however, you will bear much fruit. If you don't, you are a useless branch and will be pruned and burned. Of course, if you are fruitful, you will also be pruned and burned, but that is so you will bear more fruit. That is another message for another time. Did you also notice that if you abide in Jesus, you can ask for whatever you wish and it will be given to you? While the warning of what you can't do without Jesus is real, what you can do is much more prevalent in this passage.

 PURPOSE PRAYER

I have heard and read many comments on the verse above when Jesus said, “Ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.” Most dodge the promise made in this verse, explaining it away and limiting its power. Others do the opposite and claim it is a promise that covers everything, and if the answer doesn’t come, there is something wrong with the asker’s faith. I choose to interpret what Jesus said a bit differently.

 The promise that Jesus made was in the context of bearing fruit. Since God wants you to bear fruit, there is no place better to bear than when you are in your purpose. When you are flowing in purpose, God will give you what you need to help you fulfill it. After all, I have reminded people many times that God wants you to fulfill your purpose more than you do. That’s why you are here. God isn’t trying to withhold from you; He is waiting for you to see where your productivity lies and then He will help you bear fruit. God doesn’t want you just to be a nice person; He wants you to be a nice, fruitful person, and purpose is the place you bear fruit.

I want you this week to wrestle with what Jesus said in John 15 about fruit and prayer. Then I want you to be honest. Are you getting any answers to your prayers? If your honest answer is “no,” it’s not that God is angry with you. It’s that you are probably praying outside your purpose and accompanying fruit. If you will start to focus on what you need to be fruitful, I promise that you will get answers to prayer.

Getting answers to your prayers is one of the most exhilarating experiences as a believer. Yet it’s not just praying any old prayer and expecting God to respond like some heavenly butler. It is praying purpose prayers and seeing God act not only on your behalf, but on behalf of those people who will benefit from your purpose. Enjoy working through John 15 this week and I will be back next week (on time) to give you the next installment in our prayer series.