Doing the Work

We all want to accomplish something great in life. What separates those who have the desire and those who accomplish it? I think a lot of it comes down to our willingness to work. I have been reading through 1 Chronicles and came across the following verse. David reminds Solomon (who was soon to be king) to:

Be Strong
Be Courageous
Do the Work

Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the LORD is finished correctly.

1 Chron. 28:20 | NLT

Being willing to do the work is important in accomplishing what God puts in our hearts. It was in David's heart to build the temple. But God's plan was for Solomon to build it. David made the preparations - he did the work. He gathered supplies, had plans and even motivated the people to give. But now David was reminding his son to "be strong and courageous, and DO THE WORK."

Along with all of this there is an amazing promise that David gives Solomon. I think it is a promise that comes from first hand knowledge of who his God was. What was that promise?

God is with you
He won't fail you
He won't forsake you
He will see that the WORK (His work) gets done

The amazing thing is that as we work with diligence to see things that God has called us to get done, God is making sure that they are accomplished!

What is it that He has called you to build?
Be Strong
Be Courageous
Do the Work

But be sure to remember that:
God is with you
He won't fail you
He won't forsake you
He will see that His WORK gets done!

Whose steps are you walking in?

When I was a little kid I remember going to the beach with my family. One of the things I still remember to this day is seeing my dad's steps in the sand and trying to walk in those same steps. His feet seemed so big and his strides seemed so long...but it was a fun challenge to try and keep up and follow the pattern that he was putting in the sand before me.

Each of us need someone to follow after in life. I am so thankful for mentors in my life (some I have deep relationship with and others I have never met in person). They are people who I have observed how they walk and I see the steps they take and I try to learn from them and follow the godly pattern they lay down with how they live their life and how they carry themselves in ministry.

The truth is that many of us don't have mentors. Some of us have them and don't even realize it. What I mean is this: sometimes we see people and follow the pattern they lay down...not even realizing that it is influencing the way we live.

Here are a few thoughts on steps worth following:

1. Find someone going in the direction you want to go in
Keeping the end in mind, who is going somewhere that you want to go in life? Find a godly example and allow them to sharpen your life.

2. Find someone who is further ahead than you
A mentor is someone who has something to add out of their experience. Find someone who is further down the road in life than where you are at. Be TEACHABLE. LISTEN. ASK QUESTIONS.

3. Find someone who can stretch you
If you can already keep up, you probably wont be challenged. Mentors are people who will make you better, not just keep you comfortable. Some of the greatest defining moments in my life have come when a mentor has stretched me when I wasn't looking to be stretched.

4. Find someone who lives it
Don't just follow someone who can talk it. Follow someone who can live it out!

As a kid, I tried to keep in pace with my dad. I still am doing that today. He is someone who has exemplified these qualities time and time again. As I have watched his life - his steps - it has challenged, encouraged and inspired me to live life in a way that would bring glory to Jesus.

Whose steps are you walking in?

4 Reasons to Grow

Here are a few thoughts on why we should continue to strive for growth in our lives:

1. Mediocrity is not a valued ability
No matter how much we might enjoy just relaxing and kicking back, mediocrity is not in high demand. No one, when they are young and dreaming of their future, wishes that someday they will live a life that is average or mediocre.

2. Growing keeps you dreaming and thinking
If you have a vision for growth in your life, you take time to think, pray and dream about where you are going and what you are doing. Determine to be a life long learner. If you do, you will be a life long grower.

3. None of us have arrived
No matter what area of growth it is (leadership, faith, discipline, knowledge, kindness, clapping on beat, etc.) none of us have arrived and already know everything there is to know. We are all still in process...and that process wont be done until we are done (i.e. dead).

4. You don't want to stay where you are
The truth is to stay where we are is often comfortable, but it is not always the best for us. When I was young and growing I would get "growing pains" in my knees. It wasn't fun. In fact, there were times that I would have rather just stayed the height that I was at, instead of having to deal with the pain associated with growth. But I would not have been okay with not living up to my full stature, just because I wanted to stay where I was out of comfort. Don't allow this to happen in your life as it relates to growing. You don't want to stay the same "stature" that you are at today for the rest of your life.

Press forward and grow!

Confidence

A few years back I remember a time where I felt like my confidence was shaken. I knew I was saved, that Jesus loved me, and that He had a great plan and future for my life. Even though I knew all those things, I didn't feel the confidence that I knew I should have as a Christian. Then I came across something helpful in the book of Hebrews:

Hebrews 10:35-36, 39 (NIV)
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

We are reminded to not throw away our confidence. Unfortunately, that is one of the first things that we throw off when we are facing a trial or a difficult season. The problem with allowing our confidence to be shaken is that it hinders our ability to walk by faith. As you read on in Hebrews 11, if we are not walking in faith, it is impossible to please God (see Hebrews 11:6).

Here are some thoughts on how to keep your confidence, no matter what you are facing:

1. Remember Jesus is our source of confidence
On the cross, Jesus finished the work for me and you. Our confidence can not be rooted in what we can or cannot do in our own strength or ability. If your faith is in Him and the work He did for you and I, there is no reason to have your confidence shaken.

2. Don't base your confidence (or the lack there of) on feelings
If you base everything on how you feel, you will live life on a roller coaster of emotion. Sometimes your feelings do not tell the truth like you would hope. As Christians, we have this amazing opportunity to hold tighter to our FAITH than our FEELINGS. Don't allow your confidence to be altered based on how you feel, when you know that faith is saying something else.

3. Remember there is a reward
As we keep our confident faith in Jesus, there is a reward! Not only does it bring us a greater sense of peace and hope no matter what we are walking through, but there is blessing for our lives as we walk by faith and not fear. We are those who "believe"! The Greek word for "believe" in verse 39 is the same word translated "faith" all throughout Hebrews 11.

Keep your confidence in the Lord. If my confidence is based in what I can do or achieve or accomplish, I am in trouble. But if my confidence is in the One who never changes, the One who will never give me more than I can handle, the One who is always faithful - it is a confidence that can remain.

Keep Confident!

Refusing Unbelief

Psalm 106:24 NLT

"The people refused to enter the pleasant land,
for the wouldn't believe his promise to care for them."

Have you ever allowed unbelief to creep into your life? The problem with unbelief is that is keeps us from all of the good things that God has for us. In Psalm 106 the psalmist is recalling all of the good things that God did to show favor to His people. As they left Egypt He gave them a chance to go claim their inheritance. Unfortunately they did not believe.

"...for they wouldn't believe his promise to care for them."

What does it take to refuse unbelief?

1) Trust in His promise more than your opinion

2) Trust in His ability to care more than your fear

3) Trust in His provision and guiding more than what the evidences appear to be.

Refuse Unbelief