List or no list?

I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it. (Philippians 3:12-16)

Dewey reminds us, "Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another." A life lived without goals, a target in mind, is kind of like being set adrift on the open sea - hoping for the best, but totally unprepared for the worst! When I have large projects in mind, I usually write out a 'pick list' of sorts - telling me the supplies I will need to gather, large purchases I will need to make, and certain steps that I must take to ensure the project will go well. When I have something small in mind, like washing the dishes, I don't need a list - I just need to do it! Some of our actions need a bit of structure, like the list, while others are just going to happen because they are part of our habitual practices. We need both - some things being bigger and harder to undertake than others.

Have you ever just headed somewhere, but not been too sure where you were going? On occasion, my BFF and I like a day out, just going from hither and yon, in search of treasures. We may not have a specific 'place' in mind, but we 'set out', allowing the yard sale signs to guide us. We could not live all of our lives that way, though. We'd be in chaos if we did. We need some structure and 'pre-planning' to our lives. Focus is what helps us stay on track with our goals. Development of focus is something we must allow in our lives, but we must be cautious about 'what' or 'who' does that development within us. If it is the Holy Spirit, illuminating scripture, prompting us to take certain actions, then we are likely to be aiming at the correct target. If it is the influence of the world, through things we see and hear, then the target may be kind of a wishy-washy one.

The 'right track' is something we need the influence of the Word of God and the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us with. There are lots and lots of tracks we can choose - knowing which one is right for us to take today is not always clear. I have lots of projects in mind - knowing which one will yield the right outcome in the right season of my life is harder. Clear paths are not just 'found' - they are learned because there is a consistency in traveling them. God may ask us to take the same path over and over again until it becomes 'habitually traveled', but there will be times he will set a target out before us that seems a little 'less traveled'. That is where we need the clarity of his still small voice, confirmation of his direction through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and the assurance of the Word of God to guide us. Just sayin!

Are you keeping those resolutions?

You know I have to ask, and I am not meddling, I just want to do a little 'check-in' this morning. How are all those New Year's Resolutions going so far? How many have we already given up on? How many are we just putting forth half an effort toward? How many have we seen become a very consistent and ingrained part of our lives? If you are like the majority of 'resolution making' individuals, you have probably broken at least one! According to what I could find in research, approximately 40% of us make resolutions, while nearly 25% of those who made them will quit them within the first week! Sadly, only about 10% keep them long-term. I think that speaks very clearly to our 'resolve', doesn't it? 

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. (Galatians 5:16-18)

I don't know about you, but letting the Holy Spirit guide my life is a bit of a challenge at times. I get all wrapped up in what I think I can 'resolve' to do myself and don't have a clue just how hard it will be to keep that 'resolve' just a little piece down the road. If you have already broken that resolution, chances are you weren't relying upon the help of the Holy Spirit in either forming those goals, or in keeping them on a daily basis. 

Have you ever heard the expression, "Opposites attract"? In the most literal sense, opposites attract if you are magnets. If we were to consider this term in reference to our weak sinful nature and the powerful help of the Holy Spirit, we might see our issue with keeping our resolutions a bit differently. You see, God knows we will be attracted to things that we should be repelled from (sin). He also knows we need to be 'pulled' toward right living. Is it possible that the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives is able to 'attract' us toward making right choices? I think it just might be!

Pushed or pulled - it doesn't matter. We are moving in some direction hoping it is the right one. It the stronger we are to resist the pull of temptation, the more we will find ourselves 'enabled' to keep those resolutions. This might be the day we take a good look at those resolutions (goals) we have for the year and then take them to God in prayer, specifically asking him to allow his Holy Spirit to 'pull' us toward right choices that help us develop consistency with them. Just sayin!

Racers, start your engines!

Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. (I Chronicles 16:11)

"Desire is the key to motivation, but it is determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek." (Mario Andretti) Imagine a race car driver assuming the position behind the wheel of a highly powered auto, revving the engine several times, buckled in, watching intently for the flag to drop signifying the start of the race. What sense would it make for the driver to rev and rev, then putt-putt away from the starting line, lagging behind all those who are out lapping him? He has all the power he needs - he just doesn't tap into it! He knows the goal is the finish line, but he doesn't seem to be committed to the goal, just the ride. God needs individuals who are more than along for the ride - he needs those who will tap into the power he provides - using it fully to see they cross the finish line. 

Seek him - but when you find him, what will you do with him? What will you allow him to do for you? That racer has sponsors - those who will invest in him time and time again. We have one 'sponsor' - God himself - investing in us time and time again. Never tiring of making that investment - all he asks of us is the commitment to see the race through with all the power he provides. We have strength beyond our means, but will we use it? Whatever you are facing today that seems a bit like it might overwhelm you is kind of like what that race car driver faces when being 'out lapped' by a few cars. He doesn't just allow them to 'out lap' him - he pushes the pedal to the metal and taps into the power of that engine!

Continual seeking means we engage the 'engine' - we do more than 'rev' it a bit. We tap into the power God provides in our seeking and we take the laps with gusto. We may not gain much in one lap, but when we continue to face each lap by tapping into the 'super-powered engine' within us, we soon 'out lap' the doubts, fears, and disappointments of life. We don't know the potential within us, but when we do more than 'play with religion' and actually take on this relationship with gusto, we see that potential released full force! Just sayin!

Stop looking at the obstacle

Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal. 

(E. Joseph Cossman)

The goal - what is it you have laid out before you as today's goal? Maybe you are a bigger thinker and have even set out goals for the month and year, or even a five or ten year plan. I am not that big in my thinking and really don't set very long-range goals other than saving well so I will some day be able to retire. In my retirement, I want to do a fair amount of fishing in the streams and lakes around the state. I guess that is a longer range goal. Most of us set some goals, even very small ones, because we have come to realize without goals there is no aim. The problem is that some of our goals are kind of 'out there' - they aren't always easily recognized. They will require consistency, hard work, and even a little bit more than a smidgen of faith. My BFF and I have a goal of starting a small business from our homes that allows us to stay busy into retirement, but also gives us a source of creative release. In turn, we hope it generates us a little extra revenue for those fishing trips! Will there be obstacles - you bet! Will we get distracted by the obstacles on occasion - likely so! Will we refocus - definitely yes! Why? The goal is a good one and it is important to us. We want to pursue things that will utilize our talents and keep us occupied, but enjoying our retirement. It is always good to have goals, but it is never good to let the obstacles keep us from realizing those goals.

I do not say that I have received this or have already become perfect. But I keep going on to make that life my own as Christ Jesus made me His own. No, Christian brothers, I do not have that life yet. But I do one thing. I forget everything that is behind me and look forward to that which is ahead of me. My eyes are on the crown. I want to win the race and get the crown of God’s call from heaven through Christ Jesus. All of us who are full-grown Christians should think this way. If you do not think this way, God will show it to you. So let us keep on obeying the same truth we have already been following. (Philippians 3:12-16)

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - three friends of Daniel - do you think they woke up one morning planning to end up in the furnace, fire lapping at their heels? I daresay they probably didn't imagine their devotion to the one true God was going to end in a fiery death! Nebuchadnezzar was the king of the land of the time and he had a pretty good-sized ego. He commissioned a huge golden statue, said to be fifteen times the height of a man, as an object of worship - an idol. He then demanded everyone bow down to worship this idol - at a particular time of the day when the horns sounded. These three, along with Daniel, refused to bow the knee to any other god - they served the one true God. Their devotion would cost them something - their lives. The king was less than pleased at their refusal, so he threw them into the fire to burn alive. His fury over their refusal was palpable - but I believe the fullness of their faith was equally as palpable!

Do you know that they were bound up in their coats, thrown into the fire by the king's soldiers, and while the soldiers were putting them into the furnace, the soldiers were burnt up? In short order, these men could have recanted their faith - agreeing to bow down to the golden god. Yet, they remained steadfast in their commitment to honor the Lord of Lords and King of Kings alone. Within in minutes, it is reported to the king that the soldiers had died, but the 'bound men' were walking in the furnace free of their bonds and there was a fourth now walking with them! At that moment, the king realizes they have been set free by the Most High God - not the golden idol he had erected, but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He commands their instant release and brings them to him. Why? To acknowledge their faith and to command that anyone who shows disrespect to their God be punished. 

It may not seem like much, but these three men didn't waver in their faith. They didn't choose the easy way out. They didn't focus on the 'obstacle' in their path - they kept their focus on the one true God. Too many times we allow obstacles to change our path. Instead of changing your path - change your focus. Get your eyes off the obstacle and back on Jesus. If you want to see the fulfillment of a goal, then focus on the goal. If you want Jesus to be the thing others see when they look into your life - then focus on him! Just sayin!

Disappointment yields discontent

I once heard it said that disappointment is the fertile breeding ground of discontent - the more we hope for something that may not ever happen or takes way longer to happen than we imagined, the more discontent we become in the circumstance we are living. It is because we are so focused on the object of our hope that we lose sight of the many blessings already right here in front of us. It is possible to be too "future focused" - hoping continually for something "better" in the future - that we forget just how blessed we are right now.

The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. 

(Proverbs 10:22 NLT)

My pastor spoke this past weekend about the realization of goals - getting from "here" to "there". As he made his point, he reminded each of us of the dangers of getting somewhat off-course "on the way" by the things that distract us somewhere in the midst of that journey. As he put it, "You will get somewhere, it just won't be there." There are a probably more times we realize "somewhere" moments in life than we might just realize. The moment we lose sight of what it is we are seeking, experiencing a little disappointment in the slow progress we are making, the more we become distracted by the things that get us to "somewhere", but not "there". 

Discontent is bred when disappointment isn't overcome - when the hope or goal isn't renewed on a frequent basis. The "hope" or "goal" is really our "direction" in life - we are headed a certain way because we hope for a certain outcome. When that direction is altered in anyway, we find the trajectory of our lives takes a totally different course, sometimes landing us in a totally different spot than we set out to achieve. Some of us tend to map out a course and never revisit the map along the way to be sure we are still on course!

Whenever I plan a driving trip, I map out my journey. I look at the online maps, or drag out one of those actually "foldable" paper types, and look at the various routes I might take to get me from here to there. In many cases, there is more than one option to get me to that destination. In some cases, there may only be one. It is important to know this before I begin, but what I don't realize is how distracted I can become by the length of the journey. There is that tiny antique place just off the highway, or the promise of some fish in that lovely creek just down that road. Before long, despite the careful planning at the start, I can be on a totally different journey simply because I act upon my discontent!

We don't always know what will come up between our "here" and "there" moments in life, but if we deal with the disappointments along the way, we stand a lot less chance of succumbing to the discontent bug that gets in our bonnet! Just sayin!

Stepping stone or stumbling block

12 I’m not there yet, nor have I become perfect; but I am charging on to gain anything and everything the Anointed One, Jesus, has in store for me—and nothing will stand in my way because He has grabbed me and won’t let me go. 13 Brothers and sisters, as I said, I know I have not arrived; but there’s one thing I am doing: I’m leaving my old life behind, putting everything on the line for this mission. 14 I am sprinting toward the only goal that counts: to cross the line, to win the prize, and to hear God’s call to resurrection life found exclusively in Jesus the Anointed.15 All of us who are mature ought to think the same way about these matters. If you have a different attitude, then God will reveal this to you as well. 16 For now, let’s hold on to what we have been shown and keep in step with these teachings. (Philippians 3:12-16 VOICE)

Walt Whitman's words caught my eye this morning: "I am as bad as the worst, but, thank God, I am good as the best." If we think on that one a little in light of what Paul says to us in the Book of Philippians, we might draw the conclusion that none of us has "arrived" at perfection yet, but we are gaining on our goal toward "perfect behavior". The Lord declares us "perfect" in every way simply because we are joined in fellowship with Christ Jesus the moment we say "yes" to him as our Lord and Savior. Along the way we discover we need to embrace this "perfect" way of living in each and every one of our actions - until all our behavior aligns with what God has declared to be true about each of us. Actions don't just automatically align with being declared perfect - we have to reign in the bad ones, practice the better ones, and repeat the cycle until the best ones are the consistently practiced ones!

Note what Paul tells us about those things we view as obstacles or roadblocks along the way - NOT ONE will stand in our way. Why? It is simple - we are in the hands of Jesus and he won't let us go! We all probably experience moments of frustration when our behavior isn't quite as it should be. It is like we beat ourselves up because "once again we failed" to do as we should, speak in a loving way, or exhibit the Christlike behavior we so desperately wanted to display when faced with that difficult relationship issue. We see these things as failures - I think God might want us to see them as stepping stones to discovering "perfection". Think about it - if you never experienced any type of failure, would you appreciate any type of accomplishment? I have known some seriously "smart" individuals who never failed a test in school, aced their SAT exams, sat their MCATs without missing a beat, and they still don't feel like they have accomplished anything.

I have failed more than one test in my lifetime - maybe it wasn't always a "classroom" test, but many other "tests" have been "assigned" to me and I just plain blew 'em! Those failures didn't stop me from "retaking" the test, though. In fact, they bolstered my determination to learn from what didn't work the first time and helped me to "change up" how I approached the test the next time. I haven't "arrived" at perfection when it comes to consistently modeling the behavior God wants to see in my life, but each inconsistency is an opportunity for me to move a little closer to realizing that goal. I use these as stepping stones, not stumbling blocks! You might just want to do the same! Stop focusing on those failed moments as stumbling blocks - begin to see them as stepping stones on your way to a goal you are certain (guaranteed in Christ Jesus) to achieve in his power and through his grace!  You aren't stumbling alone - you are also not stepping across those stones alone either. Just sayin!

Goal oriented living

None of us is exactly what God wants us to be, are we?  We all struggle with just a little bit of the same things - we may just call them different names. Regardless of what we call the things which keep us from being entirely what God wants us to be, we haven't reached our goal.  What is that "goal"?  Many times we go through life without ever asking that question - where am I headed, why is it important for me to get there, and what will it take for me to realize the goal?  For a long time, I saved money, but had no idea how to invest it, or how much I'd actually need to save in order to reach some goals, such as paying off the house mortgage or being able to retire from a full-time job.  It took me a while to realize without a goal, I'd just continue to be half-hearted in my saving.  It took a plan.  God has plans for our lives and he is quite willing to share those plans with us - to know where we are headed, why it is important for us to get there, and what it will take for us to take the steps toward that goal.  All we have to do is ask!

I don’t mean that I am exactly what God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. That’s what Christ Jesus wants me to do. It is the reason he made me his. Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me. I keep running hard toward the finish line to get the prize that is mine because God has called me through Christ Jesus to life up there in heaven. All of us who have grown to be spiritually mature should think this way too. And if there is any of this that you don’t agree with, God will make it clear to you. But we should continue following the truth we already have. (Philippians 3:12-16 ERV)

Realizing the goals Christ has for our lives requires some things from us, just like any other goals we set in life.  We have a part to play and we must be faithful in playing that part or we will just be aimless in our walk.

- We must forget what is in the past.  We ALL have a past.  None of us is immune to the memories of the past, although we may try to block out some of those more painful and disappointing ones.  The past has a way of weighing us down, like an anchor holding a ship firmly in place.  Until we let go of whatever it is which links us to where we once were - how we once lived - we won't be able to move fully into where it is God desires us to live today.

- We have to exhibit a tenacity toward achieving our goal.  No one achieves something they desire just because it "happens" that way.  We achieve because we put forth some effort on our part.  There have been a couple of times in life when I lost weight without really trying, but as soon as the physical condition was "fixed" within my body which was causing me to shed the weight, the weight went back on.  I may have been at my desired weight, but I didn't get there because of anything I did!  To stay there would have required some effort on my part, but I was so glad to be over my illness each time that I just went back to the same way of eating and guess what happened to my weight.  You got it!  It was right back on me!  It doesn't take much from us at times to get us headed in the right direction - but it does take some tenacity to stick with it once we are finally moving in that direction!

- We have to realize we are called to run toward our goal.  It isn't just because we "want" it that we are moving toward it - it is an actual calling to achieve it! When we begin to see the goal as something we were appointed to actually achieve, we might just face the goal a little differently.  Most of the time, we set goals for ourselves which WE have to do all the work to achieve in our lives. When we realize the goal of finishing this race toward the development of solid Christian character is something Christ has actually appointed us to achieve, not in our own efforts, but because we partner with him to run this race to the finish, we see the race a little differently.  We begin to run because we know we will win, not because we "hope" to win.  

- We run according the truth we presently have - not the truth we think we must attain in order to run "better" or "harder".  We have been given truth and all that is required of us is to walk in the truth we have already been given.  We might think we need more truth, but if we are faithful to use what we already have, God will begin to add to the truth.  It is like when we begin to use the muscle and energy we already possess to do whatever we can to begin an exercise program for our physical body.  We may start out pretty lame in the realm of endurance and distance, but in time, we find the one block gets to be two, the two becomes four, and before long, we are doing a mile without even straining.  Why?  We used what we had been given and then allowed the rest to "develop" within us as we were faithful in the small stuff.  This is the principle of how God helps us realize goals in our lives - using the little we have been given to accomplish the much he has prepared for us!  Just sayin!

Gaining Focus

Have you ever just chased your tail?  The harder you seem to work at something, the more difficult it seems to become.  You never seem to "catch up", never seem to fully "grasp" the goal.  In the end, you just stand there in total frustration, more in a muddle than you were when you first began.  Just as quickly as we started, we find ourselves out of energy to continue to journey!  We stop short of the goal - never really crossing the finish line.  What a waste.


Paul writes to the Philippian church, reminding them of the importance of staying focused.  His honesty in the first part of this chapter just thrills my heart.  He recounts the various degrees he has obtained, lists the various "things" the world looks upon as measures of success, and reminds us of the senselessness of relying on any of these to give us prominence or importance in the Kingdom of God.  


His honesty is recounted in these words:  "I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back."  (vs. 12-14)  He hasn't "arrived" - and neither have we!  


He is open about the struggle (the strain) it takes to reach the goal set out before us.  He isn't the "expert", but he knows the voice of his God beckoning him onward.  Here we find the point of most of our failure - in the hearing of God's voice beckoning us onward.  We all struggle with the "stretch" once in a while, but sometimes we struggle more than others - either because we hear and don't respond, or because we just refuse to hear.  


So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.  (Philippians 3:15-16 The Message)

Anything less than total commitment really is not commitment!  Commitment suggests engagement - active participation.  Therefore, anything less is really "dis-engagement".  Paul's reminder to us is of the need for total engagement.  Throughout scripture, we see accounts of many who start well, then get off-course along the way.  Why?  It usually begins in the "listening".  We "hear" a lot of stuff - what we "listen to" is what affects us the deepest.  I have shared many times - listening is an action, not a passive process.  Listening is indeed engagement.


It makes no sense to hear clear direction and then ignore it, right?  Yet, we do!  We read God's Word, become acquainted with is will for us, then just go on without ever "conforming" to his will.  Paul reminds us it is all a matter of focus - the clearer our focus, the easier it is to stay on track.  It is God who gives us clarity - it is up to us what we do with the clarity we receive!