The Monday Memo from John Stanko

897: Love and Joy

Last week, we looked at the greatest volunteer of all time in our ongoing series titled "Put Me In, Coach!" That volunteer was none other than Jesus who willingly laid down His life in response to the Father's command. We read Paul's description of this act in Philippians 2 where Jesus emptied Himself and took on the role of a servant. Our goal is to follow Jesus, in the process becoming more like Him. How can we be more like Jesus and voluntarily lay down our lives? Let's try to answer that question this week.

NO LONGER SERVANTS

In John 15, Jesus talked to His disciples about His expectations for their lives:

"This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other" (John 15:8-17).

Let's look at these words more closely. 

1. Jesus expects us to bear fruit. By doing so, we will show ourselves to be His followers. Doctrine will not set us apart; fruit will.
2. Jesus does not define the fruit, but tells us how the fruit will be developed and manifest. We will produce a lot of fruit by keeping His commands and remaining in His love.
3. As we obey His commands, we will have His joy, which will guide our activities.
4. Jesus' commands will not be to direct our every action, but His commands can be summarized in one main directive: Love each other as He has loved us.
5. Once we know Jesus' commands, we understand the Father's motive for sending Jesus and that becomes the same motive He has in sending us. That motivation was and is love for people.
6. When we love others and have joy, we are no longer servants being told every step we need to make and action we need to take. We are God's friends, and friends do things for others not because they have to but because they choose to do so.
7. With love and joy as our motivators, we will bear fruit—willingly and of our own volition. We will pray and God will give us whatever we need to bear joyful and loving fruit.

EXAMPLES   

I write every day because I have joy doing it, and I publish what I write on social media because it may help someone. My motivation is love and joy. I travel because I love to travel; it gives me joy, and I have borne fruit all over the world when I coach, consult, and speak. My joy guides me, but my love drives me to touch as many people as possible with who I am and what God has made me to be. I never pray about where I go; I have told the Father to "Put me in, Coach," so I am never concerned that I am being misled when i am invited to go or when I decide I want to go, even if I do not feel God prompting me to do so. Don't misunderstand; He does at times prompt me, but at others times, I volunteer to go, and He meets me when I get there.

Jesus expects us to bear fruit, but He is not going to direct our every action. Our love and joy will direct some of it, and that will lead to fruit because we are fully engaged in the process. We are not held hostage by God's will; we have voluntarily offered ourselves to do it, and the results will show because we use all our energy and creativity to produce fruit. We are no longer afraid of missing God's will, for we are partners with Him, friends even, as we express who He made us to be. 

Next week, we will look again at Paul and how this concept played out in his life, but for now, I urge you to find your joy and express your love this week freely and without constraint. As you do, you will bear fruit and that is the end result Jesus is after in all our lives. Have a blessed week!

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ALASKA CRUISE: Ever been to a true wilderness? Seen grizzly bears? Watch salmon as they spawn? If that's been your desire, then come with me to Alaska this coming August for a vacation you will never forget! Here is the link to the information. Check it out and then come with me for a purposeful holiday at will produce memories to last a lifetime.

896: Voluntarily

I was seeking the Lord this past week for more material in our current series titled "Put Me In, Coach," specifically asking for other biblical examples of the concept of volunteering to do the work of the Lord. I am spending so much time on this topic because of the prevailing mindset that we are to sit and wait for directions from the Lord before we initiate any activity, which assumes we can perfectly hear from the Lord and then are poised to immediately carry out what we hear. Both assumptions are flawed. I am not saying the Lord never initiates good deeds or direction in our lives - He most certainly does. I am saying, however, that we have a role to play in doing things consistent with our purpose and creativity when God is not directing us.

As I was seeking this week, it occurred to me that I should focus on the greatest volunteer of all time, the man who volunteered to pay the highest price to do the Father's will, and that person is none other than Jesus Himself. Let's look at this concept of "Put Me In, Coach" from the Master's perspective and study His example.

WILLINGLY

Jesus was telling His disciples He was the good shepherd in John 10 and made these comments in that context:

The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father" (John 10:17-18 NIV).

Another translation says it this way:

“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded" (John 10:17-18 NLT).

We learn in these verses that Jesus volunteered to do what He did. He did it willingly and of His own accord. The command was to expand God's sheepfold to include Jews and Gentiles and when Jesus heard the Father's wish, He immediately said, "Put me in, Coach! I'll do it." There was no coercion, no sense of "this is what I have to do." Jesus offered Himself as a willing sacrifice, the extent to which He did is further explained by Paul.

EMPTIED HIMSELF

In Paul's letter to the Philippians, he wrote about Jesus' attitude in life and ministry:

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8).

A seldom-referenced translation translates verse six this way: "who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage" (Holman Christian Standard Bible). Jesus emptied Himself and refused to use His position and power as a means to building HIs own kingdom. Instead, He volunteered to carry out the assignment of the cross and we are in Him today because He did. No one made or coerced Him to do what He did; He did it voluntarily.

Jesus is our model for life, purpose, and ministry. Next week, we will look at the implications and God's expectations for us because of what Jesus did. For now, simply consider the fact that Jesus said, "Put me in, Coach" and see where you can follow in His footsteps and do the same. Have a blessed week!

894: Volunteering

Happy birthday to the Monday Memo. I wrote the first Memo in March of 2001, not sure how long it would go or if anyone would notice or read it. Now here I am 18 years later writing Memo number 894. I thank God for the number of lives that have been touched every week throughout the years, and I know other writers have been inspired to write because of its content. I have turned the content into six books, and committing to write every week has made me a better writer and enhanced my faith that God will meet me when I do my part and show up. I am not sure ow much longer I will continue, but 1,000 Memos seems like a good round number, but I will entrust that goal to the Lord and see what happens.

This week, let's return to our "Put Me In, Coach!" theme and look at an interesting passage and translation:

The Lord will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying,“Rule in the midst of Your enemies.” Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn,Your youth are to You as the dew (Psalm 110:2-3 NASB).

What does it meant to volunteer freely in the day of "Your power"? In fact, is it every acceptable and permissible to volunteer without a direction or leading of the Lord?

A CLOSER LOOK

Psalm 110 is what is known as a Messianic psalm and is often quoted in the New Testament books (23 times to be exact by seven of the nine authors), which means that Jesus would have taught the disciples from this psalm and they in turn delivered what He said to us. It seems that Christ has fulfilled this Messianic prediction, for He is now seated at the right hand of the Father, and is reigning while His enemies are being subdued under His feet. This is the day of Christ's power, for He sent the Holy Spirit to build His church and deliver and establish His people. 

Notice what His people are doing while He stretches forth His strong scepter from Zion: They are volunteering freely. What are they volunteering to do? We are not told, but it involves warfare and battle as the entire psalm describes. When we search for a biblical example of a volunteer, our mind should immediately go to David when he confronted the giant Goliath. Let's look there to see if we can get more insight so we can answer the question: Is it permissible to volunteer, to say "put me in, Coach"?

GOD DID NOT TELL HIM TO GO

When we read 1 Samuel 17, at no time do we see that the Lord told David to attack or fight Goliath. We read that David said he was coming to Goliath in the name of the Lord. We read David's vow to not only defeat Goliath, but also to cut off his head and parade it around the region. We do not read, however, that the Lord or any of His representatives directed David to do what he did. This is interesting, because we have other examples of David's battle strategies and often they involved asking God if he should attack and how he should do so.

This leads me to the conclusion that David volunteered to go of his own free will. He assessed the situation, weighed the probability for success, considered the rewards being offered, looked at the cowardice of the army, listened to Goliath's taunts, and after all that, said, "I'll go. I am your man. Put me in, coach!" We may even assume that God set up this situation that was perfectly suited for David to act, but He did not tell him to act. That was up to David to decide. It seems like God wasn't upset that David acted and helped him do what he set out to do.

I am not saying God never directs us to do things, for He most certainly does. But does everything have to be a word from the Lord before we act? I can't remember if the Lord directed me to write the Monday Memo 18 years ago. I had an idea to write and have had many theme ideas since then to produce 894 Memos. Has God empowered me to write for 18 years? Absolutely! Did God give me my ability to write? Of course! Did He give me specific input to write some of the Monday Memos? I know He did! Did He direct me to write them all? I cannot say He has. Some weeks, I volunteered freely in the day of His power, which for me has been the explosion of social media and publishing opportunities. Eighteen years ago, I said to the Lord, "put me in, Coach" and every Sunday when I write, my Mentor and Friend has been there to support me and help. 

I leave you with these questions: If you were not afraid of missing the Lord, what would you volunteer to do today? What would you freely give yourself to in the day of His power when the battle rages for people's lives? When you get the answer, I urge you to find a way to do it and trust that if He is not in it, He will stop you. If He doesn't stop you, however, keep going and maybe 18 years from now, you will look back on something you have done, not sure if God directed you to do, but glad you did it nonetheless. Have a blessed week!

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NEW BOOKS: I have released two new books that are ready for purchase. One is Go and Obey: God's Call to Action, which is a compilation of the series I did in The Monday Memo titled "Go And . . ." The second is the second edition of I Wrote This Book on Purpose . . . So You Can Know Yours. The latter is a book I wrote in 1997, so it was overdue for an update and expansion. Either one of these books can help you find and express your purpose and creativity. Also, don't forget about my upcoming trips to Alaska and Israel. Click on the link to get the information you need.

892: Self Promotion 3

God has assigned you a purpose, made you creative, and given you gifts so you can do His work in creation to the extent that He has established for you. I just returned from Kenya where I took 20 people on a tour of the country. I am well-known in Kenya and people readily associate me with the purpose message. Kenya represents a place where God put me in in response to my cry to "put me in, Coach!" I have been on numerous local radio and television shows there, and have spoken in many churches. God opened a door for effective ministry work for me, and I have not shrunk back or hesitated to say that God has sent me there. He put me in the game and I want to play to the full stature of my abilities and gifts. 

As I put myself forward in Kenya, I am actually magnifying the Lord, which is the concept I want to discuss in this week's Memo.

MAGNIFY THE LORD    

In the Old Testament, we are told to magnify the Lord. We have made that simply a matter of praise and worship where we exalt and describe God's attributes in clear and exuberant terms. Yet think about that word "magnify." Doesn't it also mean to take the smallest thing and make it larger so it is easier to see and examine? Could it mean that we are to take the smallest thing that God has done through us and in us and make it 'bigger' for all to see, not with the intent to see us, but in seeing us to help people see Him?

Is self-promotion, done with right intent, really any different than giving a testimony? When God does something for you –- provides, heals, delivers, or reveals -- is it wrong to stand up and say what He has done? So if God has given you a gift or purpose, is it any different to broadcast the truth of what God has done or can do in and through you? And when you do, is that not the same as magnifying the Lord -- taking His work in you and 'blowing it up' for all the world to see?

INTENT

Self-promotion can stem from two sources: the desire to promote yourself, pure and simple, or the desire to further God's work through you as you serve others. Consider what Paul said in Romans 11:13-14 (NKJV):

For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.

Paul magnified his office (other translations say "proud of, make as much as I can of, or glorify my ministry") so he could win more Jews to the gospel. Paul promoted what he did because God appointed him and his work was critical. He was not concerned with what others thought, only what God thought. He was telling the truth with the right motives, and therefore he magnified himself so he could ultimately magnify the Lord.

Your job is not just to magnify the Lord by behaving yourself and not robbing banks or watching bad movies.  Even heathen can do those things. What they cannot do but you can is to express God's love for His creation through you, specifically through your purpose, gifts, and goals.  Perhaps it is time you realized
that your distaste for what you call self-promotion is really a means to protect yourself from criticism and being misunderstood. It may also be an attempt to protect your privacy, for once God puts you on "front street," you lose control of your life. If God wants to put your face on a billboard, it's none of your business. Jesus and Paul 'promoted' and people criticized them; can you expect any different treatment?

We will require one more week to look at this topic and then move on to another aspect of the "Put Me In, Coach" series.  I hope this has been helpful and I look forward to your feedback, which you can post here.

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NEW BOOKS: I have released two new books that are ready for purchase. One is Go and Obey: God's Call to Action, which is a compilation of the series I did in The Monday Memo titled "Go And . . ." The second is the second edition of I Wrote This Book on Purpose . . . So You Can Know Yours. The latter is a book I wrote in 1997, so it was overdue for an update and expansion. Either one of these books can help you find and express your purpose and creativity. Also, don't forget about my upcoming trips to Alaska and Israel. Click on the link to get the information you need.

891: Self-Promotion 2

We are in the midst of a series titled "Put Me In, Coach," in which we are looking at the place and propriety of being more proactive as we engage in ministry and purpose opportunities. Rather than waiting on the Lord, this philosophy assumes that God is waiting for us to decide where and how we want to be involved in serving the Lord and others. Last week, we started a sub-series within the Put Me In, Coach theme. The basic issue before us is this: What is self-promotion and is it inappropriate to engage in it?

YOUR LIGHT

My thought for this week is found in Matthew 5:14-16, where it says to do your deeds so others can see:

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Later in the same sermon, Jesus gave this warning:

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, . . ." (Matthew 6:1-2).

Here we have an important distinction. We are not to parade our righteous acts, such as giving alms, which will glorify self but we are to show forth our good deeds that will glorify God. Since God has given you your gifts and purpose that will enable you to do your good deeds, then I conclude that, in most cases, it is permissible to let people know what you are doing and what you can do when God enables and empowers you to do it.

SERVICE

What's more, if God has given you gifts and a purpose and those are to be used to help others, then isn't letting people know what you can to serve them consistent with letting your light shine as we read above? First Peter 4:10 states, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." I can organize and do it quite well since God helps me do it. Am I permitted to say, "I have an organizational gift that is well developed; how can I help you?" It seems that adding the piece that my good deeds are to serve others as well as to glorify God makes self-promotion more acceptable and palatable than when it is simply to show off what I can do.

I hope you will "weigh in' this week and add to our discussion. Furthermore, I pray you will read what is being written so that you can develop your own personal philosophy that will enable you to comfortably promote what God has put into and done in your life so that others can benefit and grow. Thank you, and have a blessed week!

    Please respond to this post on the site where it is posted and let's keep the dialogue going.

890: Self-Promotion

Greetings from Kenya. This week, let's continue our discussion around the them "Put Me In, Coach," a look at the concept of putting yourself forward as ready, willing, and able to fulfill your purpose and express your gifts. I regularly have discussions with people concerned about writing a book or stepping out into other purpose work because they may be promoting themselves rather than the Lord. They are worried (yes, worried is the correct word) they will get ahead of the Lord, or somehow do something that brings glory to self instead of to God glory. Those are legitimate concerns, but are all based and rooted in fear, and we know that God has not given us a spirit of fear.

About ten years ago, I did a series title "Self Promotion," so I thought it would be good to revisit that topic in light of the concerns that my friends have recently raised, which are consistent with the "Put Me In, Coach" discussion. It's an issue I have pondered for a long time, since I have been labeled as self-promoting from time to time, so I am eager to share my thoughts with you. I will need your help as we examine this issue, however, and I ask you to respond with your own perspective (whether you agree or disagree) once you have read what I have to say. We will look at this topic over the next four weeks.

CONCEIT    

The main concern with self-promotion is best summarized in Philippians 2:3, where Paul wrote: ^"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." Many conclude talking about yourself in almost any situation is wrong or at least improper, and ambition is also considered to be in bad taste or downright evil. Are these interpretations correct?

Here are some thoughts off the top of my head for this week's discussion.

1. When Paul wrote his letters, he clearly identified himself as an apostle.
2. David approached Goliath and declared what he was going to do to the giant in no uncertain terms.
3. Jesus made many claims, although sometimes veiled to hide them from unbelievers, concerning who He was and what He had come to do.

Let's examine that last point a little more closely.

A PUBLIC FIGURE

Jesus' family thought he was self-promoting and eager for to be a public figure as you can see from John 7:3-4: "Jesus’ brothers said to him, 'Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.'" It's comforting to know that Jesus' family thought He was self-promoting, and to some extent He was -- promoting that is, but without the self and with a purpose. Is that possible for you and I to do? If Jesus was misunderstood as He carried out the Father's will for His life, then chances are you and I will be misunderstood as well.

Weren't Jesus' miracles a means by which He could gather a crowd to announce the coming of His kingdom? Did not the Father make Jesus a household name and a celebrity in all Israel? Did Jesus gather disciples whom He then sent out to extend His work and announce God's plan with even greater intensity and scope than He did? When Peter and John encountered the crippled man in Acts 3, they ordered him to focus his attention on them: "Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, 'Look at us!' So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them'" (Acts 3:5-6). The apostles didn't insist, "Don't look at us, look at Jesus." They drew the man's attention to them and only then did they give him what God in store for him through them.

We are not going to settle this issue this week, but I wanted to start the dialogue with this week's thoughts. What do you think? Is it wrong to promote yourself? When, if ever, is it permissible? Does Philippians 2:3 prohibit any kind of ambition or marketing? I leave you to ponder these questions until next week. Till then, have a blessed week!

    Please respond to this post on the site where it is posted and let's get the dialogue going.

889: Call Your Own Number

This week, we resume our series titled "Put Me In, Coach," which is designed to help you overcome your hesitation or fear of volunteering or enthusiastically embracing your purpose and creativity. You can catch up on my past entries here before we move on this week's topic "Calling Your Own Number." Let's go there now.

IT'S NOT PRIDE    

I was at a wedding last night and met the father of the bride who is a medical doctor. He is in the Navy Reserves and every chance he gets, he volunteers to go to danger zones in Afghanistan or some other war-torn area to serve as a surgeon. I did not get a chance to talk to him much, but I heard from others that the only reason he was home at this time was because his daughter was getting married.

This man was calling his own number, which is a sports term to describe when someone puts themselves in a game without being asked to go in (They say, "Number 24, you're in," and they wear number 24). It can also refer to when a player designates that they and no one else will take the important shot or kick at a crucial time in the game. The doctor I met was calling his own number when he decided he was going to serve rather than waiting to be called upon to serve.

It isn't pride for him to do so, nor is it pride when you do the same thing in your area of expertise, gifting, or purpose. In fact, there are many biblical examples of those who volunteered when they saw situations they knew they could address or help, and they did so without necessarily waiting for an invitation.

EXAMPLES

Here are some biblical examples I can identify of calling-your-own-number actions:

1. In 1 Samuel 17, David volunteered to take on Goliath. If you read the account, at no point are we told that the Lord spoke to David to fight. David came, assessed the situation, reviewed his past success killing lions and bears, and said, "I will fight Goliath."
2. We saw in the first installment in this series that Isaiah responded in Isaiah 6:1-8 to the Lord's question, "Who will go for us" by saying, "Here am I, send me!"
3. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 3:1, "Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task." Paul did not write, "If you want to be an overseer, you need to curb your ambitions and wait on the Lord." He said it was a good thing and then went on to describe the characteristics one would need to cultivate to become that overseer.
4. While the army of Israel was paralyzed with fear, in 1 Samuel 14 we are told how Jonathan decided to climb the cliffs and lead the army to victory. He was so uncertain of his idea that he said "perhaps" the Lord would deliver them and then asked for a sign to confirm his idea.
5. Paul did not advise the Corinthians to only look to Jesus. He wrote, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). Paul drew attention to himself as a good role model to follow for those who were under his authority.
6. When Lydia came to the Lord in Acts 16:11-40, she insisted that Paul and his traveling party stay with her at her home. Later, she was a source of encouragement and provision for Paul as he traveled to other venues.
7. When Nabal lived up to his name that meant "fool," his wife Abigail quickly prepared a picnic for David and his men and interceded on her husband's behalf. The Lord didn't tell her to do that. She acted quickly and prevented David from seeking revenge (see 1 Samuel 25).

My point in offering these examples is to prove that God is not offended when you step up and call your own number. When you see an orphan and say, "i will feed them," God is pleased. When you see a need and have the resources and skill to make a difference to fill it, God is not threatened. I have established several libraries in Kenya, collecting books and shipping them over at great expense. The Lord did not tell me to do this, but my partners in Kenya asked if I could help, and I figured that God must have sent them and called my own number to say, "I'll help."

In what area of your life are you ready to play the game? Where is there an opening on a team where you can step forward to say, "I can help. I'll serve." Wherever or whatever it is, I urge you to call your own number and put yourself in the game, then go about winning in that area for the glory of God. Have a blessed week!

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MATCHING GRANT FOR KENYA: I depart for Kenya this coming Thursday, February 14. I have an individual who has offered a $1,500 matching grant for the orphans there, meaning that they will match every donation up to $1,500 so I will have $3,000 to take with me. Can you give toward this great opportunity? If you, please give through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you!

ISRAEL TOUR: My tour to Israel is coming up in April, 2020, and will include an optional side trip to Jordan to visit Petra. If you are interested, please check out the website and register today. Give yourself a special gift this Christmas you will never forget.

ALASKA CRUISE: Looking for a unique vacation for you and your family? Then come cruise Alaska with me in August 2019. I have been to Alaska many times and it never gets old, for there are natural wonders to behold at every stop and along the way. Check out the website and then plan on being with me as we cruise the wilderness and talk about purpose.

888: Purpose Glory

The last few weeks, we have been pursuing a theme I have titled "Put Me in, Coach." We have focused on our need to prepare ourselves and then make ourselves available for God's purpose, even volunteering for service. This week, I want to return to a Memo I posted last June because it pertains to the current theme. Consider Jesus' words in John 12:42-43: "Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God" (ESV). Notice that Jesus did not say that His followers should not seek glory; He said they should not seek it from the wrong sources. Let's examine this concept a bit further in this week's Memo titled "Glory."

CUBAN ENCOUNTER

When I was in Santiago, Cuba years ago, a man came up to me and studied my face for a few seconds before he asked, "Are you John Stanko?" When I assured him I was, he informed me that he had heard me speak in Los Angeles a few years back and still remembered what I had spoken about, which of course was purpose. He then thanked God for the message and informed me that he had indeed found and was fulfilling his purpose. I also thanked God and left that encounter even more committed to spread the purpose gospel.

Yet, I also left that chance meeting with a renewed love for being recognized when I am in public. Once I was in an African airport and a man walked up to me, opened his briefcase, pulled out one of my books he was reading, and asked if I would autograph it and pose for a picture. I agreed to both and was exhilarated by his requests. I then thanked God that He had enabled me to touch that man's life through the purpose message in one of my books.

Then I was on a moving sidewalk in the Baltimore airport when a man moving in the other direction, yelled out, "Are you John Stanko? I read your book!" I smiled and waved back, wondering which book he was referring to, but thanking God once again that I had made a difference in someone's life. Those encounters are what have kept me writing, and at last count, I have published 42 books, including a few I have re-written.

In all three cases, I received a measure of glory in the form of recognition and praise. I was identified for who I was and what I had done for God that impacted others, and I was not uncomfortable with the experience. In fact, I wanted more - more recognition and more impact on people's lives. In a sense, you could say that I wanted (and still want) more glory. That's why I say regularly, "put me in, Coach!"

PURPOSE GLORY

I have discussed this concept of attention to self in my series on self-promotion, which you can read here or watch my videos on the subject on my Urban Press Facebook page. Jesus said it was a problem to seek glory from the wrong source (people) but permissible to seek it from the correct source (God). The safest way to obtain this glory is the same way that Jesus did, as described in John 17:4: "I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do" (ESV).

The glory I described in my three examples is what I call purpose glory. It is the recognition and impact that we receive when we function in our purpose. Today, I have a publishing company and I know I have helped people publish who otherwise would not have been able to do so. When they announce their books on social media, they thank God for their finished book project. God is glorified through the work I do (and their work as well), and then they also thank me for my role. God and I formed a partnership with the author that brought God glory as I fulfilled my purpose, and I shared in that glory with others. When I did, God was not offended, angered, or slighted in the least.

You will not give God glory by singing about it, saying the word "glory" in a worship setting, or reading about it in your Bible or some other source. You will not give God glory if you are afraid that some of it may spill over on to you, thus offending and angering God. God cannot get glory unless you do something that causes others to acknowledge His work in and through you that benefited and blessed their lives. Therefore, you need to "get over yourself" and your hang up about drawing attention to yourself and start drawing attention to yourself in a good way, and that is by seeking the glory that comes from God, a glory that is connected to engaging and finishing the work He gave you to do. When you are ready to participate in this glory exchange, ask the Lord to "put me in, Coach," and then get ready for results that will indeed give God glory. Have a blessed week! 

*****

NEW BOOKS: I have released two new books in the last three weeks. The first is my rewrite and re-release of I Wrote This Book on Purpose . . . So You Can Know Yours. This is an expanded and updated version of my 1997 best-selling book. The second is Romans, volume eight of my New Testament commentary. Both are available in Kindle and paper formats.

ISRAEL TOUR: My tour to Israel is coming up in April, 2020, and will include an optional side trip to Jordan to visit Petra. If you are interested, please check out the website and register today. Give yourself a special gift this Christmas you will never forget.

ALASKA CRUISE: Looking for a unique vacation for you and your family? Then come cruise Alaska with me in August 2019. I have been to Alaska many times and it never gets old, for there are natural wonders to behold at every stop and along the way. Check out the website and then plan on being with me as we cruise the wilderness and talk about purpose.

887: Your Spiritual Shadow

A few weeks ago, I began a new series I entitled, "Put Me in, Coach!" It is my story of how I overcame my fears to allow God to use me more than He was. I got over my fears that I didn't know enough, I wasn't prepared enough, I wasn't spiritual enough. I realized that those assessments were my assessment and not necessarily God's, and I concluded if I wasn't ready, I would never be ready, and also that part of my growth was not only to study the game and learn, but to play the game and learn. The game for me was my purpose and I presented myself to the Lord for Him to use me as He saw fit.not as I saw myself.

The rest is history, as they say, and the results have been the most fulfilling and productive years of my life. In all probability, you are ready to do more than you allow yourself to believe and this series is devoted to help you have the same mentality I had that stopped blocking my path to play in God's purpose game. Last week, we looked at a story in Paul's life and this week we will look at a story in Peter's life, both of which are designed to help you say, "Put me in, Coach!" Here goes.

YOUR SHADOW

In psychology, there is a concept called our shadow side. It is a side of our personality of which we are unaware or choose to ignore, but that doesn't mean it isn't active. People may encounter our shadow side every time they come in contact with us -- something like our sarcasm, competitiveness, need to control, fear, or greed. You can see why you tend to ignore those things, for they are not at all positive. Until we can bring those shadows into the light, they continue to operate and can damage our relationships, work, and ministry, and do so from a subconscious level.

Yet, did you know you have a positive shadow? It's the residue you leave whenever people have an encounter with you -- and it also can be something of which you are not aware. While the psychological shadow is usually harmful or negative, your spiritual shadow can be positive and leave a lasting impression for good. You can read about the Apostle Peter's positive shadow (even though his negative shadow had caused him to overestimate his loyalty to the Lord and led to his denial of Jesus): "People brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by" (Acts 5:15).

People get too hung up on the spooky spiritual side of this story, but for me, I take it to heart by praying, "Lord, help me recognize my negative shadow, so my positive one -- all the encounters I underestimate or aren't even conscious of with others, can impact them with your love and for Your glory!" Will you join in that prayer and then work to maximize every encounter you have with others for Him?

BE A GOD-CARRIER

Last week, we looked at a story found later in Acts: "God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them" (Acts 19:11-12). People went into Paul's workshop, took his work apron, allowed people to touch it, and they were healed. That leads me to another prayer: "Lord, I want my work to touch people whether I am present or not. Use my life -- my writing, speaking, teaching, and every other activity -- in a way that brings healing to peoples' lives, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual."

My goal is to be a God-carrier wherever I go and in whatever I do. I want my shadow and my work -- the extension of my purpose -- to go with me, before me, and remain after me so God can use them for His purposes. if that means I must make myself personally available for people to touch my shadow or my apron, so be it. My life is His and I will not worship at the altar of privacy if God wants me to go public. In other words, my prayer or mantra is, "Put me in, Coach!"

I urge you to join me in praying those two prayers this week, and then develop your shadow, life's work, and gifts to such an extent that God can use them all to bring healing and help to hurting people. Thanks for reading, and have a blessed week!

*****

NEW BOOKS: I have released two new books in the last two weeks. The first is my rewrite and re-release of I Wrote This Book on Purpose . . . So You Can Know Yours. This is an expanded and updated version of my 1997 best-selling book. The second is Romans, volume eight of my New Testament commentary. Both are available in Kindle and paper formats.

ISRAEL TOUR: My tour to Israel is coming up in April, 2020, and will include an optional side trip to Jordan to visit Petra. If you are interested, please check out the website and register today. Give yourself a special gift this Christmas you will never forget.

ALASKA CRUISE: Looking for a unique vacation for you and your family? Then come cruise Alaska with me in August 2019. I have been to Alaska many times and it never gets old, for there are natural wonders to behold at every stop and along the way. Check out the website and then plan on being with me as we cruise the wilderness and talk about purpose.

886: Touched by Your Work

Last week, I began a series around the theme "Put Me In, Coach!" in which I am exhorting you to volunteer and make yourself and your work available for God to use. Don't sit on the sidelines, hoping that someone will discover, fund, and release you to a wider audience. Release yourself -- in sports it's referred to as 'calling your own number' -- and put yourself in the game according to your purpose. This week, let's look at a passage that goes along with this theme. It's found in Acts 19:11-12: "God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them."

WORK THINGS

That passage can make us uncomfortable because of how some people have applied the concept. We have heard of people who promised to send us a prayer cloth over which they had prayed, guaranteed to produce results in our lives, if only we would send a donation to their ministry. I once saw a ministry send out a shower cap with a red outline of a hand on top with the promise that when the recipient wore the cap in the shower, the sender's hand would be on them to bless them while they bathed. We know that's silliness and we have run in the opposite direction (rightly so) to never be involved in that foolishness.

The zaniness of how others have applied these verses, however, does not diminish the fact that God used Paul's aprons and hankies to heal and deliver others. I am not sure if people had Paul's permission to use his things in this way. Maybe they went into his work area or personal effects, took his work clothes and other items, and went off to pray for people, without Paul even knowing. Perhaps he cooperated with their actions, but whatever Paul's disposition toward this, people were helped and God was glorified.

What are the lessons for us from this story?

THE LESSONS

The main lesson is this: You have no right to hold on to something if God can use it to help others. If your words, poems, presence, ideas, perspective, prayers, gifts, purpose, or insight can benefit someone, you have an obligation to get them out there for others to benefit from and use. What's more, once you put them out there, people are free to use them and you lose control of whatever it was you shared and made available -- just like Paul's personal items.

When I write a book, one person can buy it and share it with 20 people. I get no financial return from that, but my work can then touch, heal, and deliver 20 people. I want that to happen. Someone could even take my ideas and write their own book with my ideas and teaching, thus helping more people. What am I do to? Bring a lawsuit against the author? No, that author took my hankie and apron, touched others, and made them well. I am not to resist that; I am to cooperate with that. Who knows, maybe that author will do a better job than I did, but at least they will touch more people in their world who were not part of mine.

When I publish something on social media, people are free to share it however they wish. They can even mess it up or distort it, but that's the risk I take when I commit something to God by putting it out there beyond my reach or control. In a sense, I am not saying "Put me in, Coach" but I am saying, "Put my stuff in, Coach. Use it as You see fit, which includes not using it at all."

Years ago, I complained to the Lord that my books were not selling well. He spoke to me and said, "Who said you have to sell them?" That changed my thinking and showed me that I was to stop controlling my stuff but was to put it out there by whatever means possible. That attitude has complemented my philosophy of "Put me in, Coach" quite nicely, and that is why you see me all over social media, always looking for a way to touch more people with my life lessons, humor, and fruit. If someone has a problem with that, well, then that's their problem, and I urge them to read Acts 19:11-2 to see that I am only following what the early church did with Paul's things -- with or without his permission. Have a blessed week!

*****

NEW BOOKS: I have released two new books in the last week. The first is my rewrite and re-release of I Wrote This Book on Purpose . . . So You Can Know Yours. This is an expanded and updated version of my 1997 best-selling book. The second is Romans, volume eight of my New Testament commentary. Both are available in Kindle and paper formats.

ISRAEL TOUR: My tour to Israel is coming up in April, 2020, and will include an optional side trip to Jordan to visit Petra. If you are interested, please check out the website and register today. Give yourself a special gift this Christmas you will never forget.

ALASKA CRUISE: Looking for a unique vacation for you and your family? Then come cruise Alaska with me in August 2019. I have been to Alaska many times and it never gets old, for there are natural wonders to behold at every stop and along the way. Check out the website and then plan on being with me as we cruise the wilderness and talk about purpose.