JUNE 21 – A DIFFERENT ROAD

I don’t want your confidence to be based on man’s wisdom. I want you to be anchored in the power of God. There is wisdom in what we have told you who follow. But it’s not this world’s wisdom. No, that will never last. We speak of the Lord God’s ageless wisdom that is hidden from them. It’s a different way. (1 Corinthians 2:5-7)

                   Where do you go for answers? When a big decision looms, and the stakes are highest, is it a consultant, a mentor, or a book that you scour for answers?

 

 If Paul is to be believed, all that wisdom – if it comes only from the minds of men and women – is temporary. It is destined to become old, dated, and even irrelevant. Paul taught Jesus. He spoke Jesus. He sought Jesus. That is what following Jesus means. Jesus is the answer to every part of life for any person who will follow Him. Ideas, information, observations, experiences, and the like will often come from human sources. How you regard this information must be determined by Jesus though – if you truly want to follow Him. And, much of God’s wisdom is the opposite of this world’s wisdom (Luke 16:15). It is a different way.

   Take the great risk that the world will call you foolish. Trust Jesus who, unlike them, loves you and calls you His own. Trust Him always.

JUNE 20 – VOCATIONAL FOLLOWING

Jesus told Peter, “Follow Me.” (John 21:19)

Whoever doesn’t accept God’s plan for his or her life, and follow Me – accepting whatever that journey requires – can’t be mine. (Luke 14:27)

                   Have you really considered the enormous cost that Jesus requires of you? “Following Jesus” sounds nice and neat and safe enough. After all, God is love. He cares about me. Could He let harm or difficulty come my way? He did promise, repeatedly, that it would. Immediately before asking Peter to follow, Jesus gave him a picture of the future. It was not a nice, neat, safe vision. Three times Jesus explained to Peter he would give his life away to other people, and then he would meet a difficult, unpleasant end.

   Jesus told followers; promised them, that there would be uncertainty, difficulty, and pain for anyone following Him. He clearly said the cost for each person is to accept that unknown future unconditionally; to enter a vocation of simply following Jesus in every part of life.

   Will you accept God’s plan for you without reservation? To make any exception is to say no to Jesus. Say yes – Follow Him - whatever the cost.

JUNE 19 – NO AGENDA

Take the work I give you, and learn the way I will show you to do that work. Like me, you will find the right way that has been prepared just for you if you accept the timeless wisdom of God’s way to good life. In that life you will find real rest. (Matthew 11:29)

                   Can you really submit to Jesus as He asks? Not only by exception – in the moment where you are motivated to do some act of mercy, or choose a moral option. Jesus is talking about an ongoing, daily relationship that will go to the office with you. He will show you what to do, and how to do it all day at work, as you lead your people. He will set the priorities of your life down to the details. Are you ready for that?

                   With this offer, Jesus may have been thinking of God’s word to Israel through Jeremiah (6:16), where the prophet challenged the Israelites to choose one of the two paths at the crossroads of life, God’s way or not God’s way. He promised that, in God’s good way, they would find real rest for their souls.

                   Always, in every situation, decision, plan, and attitude of life, there are the same two choices. Like Jesus, choose God’s good way, and find His rest and peace.

JUNE 18 – LIKE JESUS

As we love God, learning to live in His love, the Lord will bring that love to completion, giving us confidence that defeats fear. All this because in this world we will then be like Jesus. (1 John 4:17)

                   The writer here says clearly, “if you live in God your character and nature become what you love.” In loving you – God (verse 14), through His Holy Spirit (verse 13) has revealed and given you Jesus Christ (verses 15-16) as evidence of His love. Your love for other people, expressed by your actions to seek their interests more than your own, is what will become your character; your very identity. Your nature becomes the Christ you love, as you grow in that love and lead in response to the overwhelming love God has shown you (verse 19).

                   You are then becoming “like Jesus.” Like Jesus, your life reflects a selfless love. Like Jesus, what you want is never the basis for what you choose. Like Jesus, others will be influenced, and they will find their way to new life. Like Jesus, the world will not value and honor your work and your life, and will even despise and oppose you as you try to show them God’s love.

                   So, do you really want to be like Jesus? Is your love for Him such that you will have no ambition but to follow Him? If so, a life of passion and powerful transformation can be yours. Be like Jesus!

JUNE 17 - HOW?

Jesus responded, “You must love the Lord God with all you are. That is to be your whole understanding of life. That is most important! And the rest of it is, you must love everyone with whom you deal by showing them a true and pure love. Love them as you love yourself. That’s everything – all of it – in two, simple statements. (Matthew 22:37-40)

                   If your vision is to be summed up in a description of your response to God (worship), it may be said that your values will be about both your relationship with God and everyone whom He sends to encounter you (love). These values statements are promises that you make to explain what it means to be in such relationships of mutual dependence and love.

                   Jesus was very clear when He spoke of what He valued. He gave details, painted stories that were relatable, and cautioned those who wanted to ignore the hard parts. Your challenge, with your people, is to be like Him; clear, detailed, relevant, and wise, as you prepare them to join with you in pursuit of what the Lord is calling you to do.

                   Pray for the wisdom to understand your people and pray for the courage to be clear and uncompromising on the standards God sets before you.

JUNE 16 – DO WHAT?

Because I came down from the heavens to do only one thing – the will of the One who sent me – not to do what I want to do. (John 6:38)

                   Are you here to do just one thing? Did God create you to lead an organization? Is your purpose to be successful in creating and achieving aggressive business goals; to make a mark on your industry. Are you to impact your culture at large? What is your one thing to do?

                   Jesus said, “My one thing is worship.” He would do what pleases the Lord God. He would consider it to be His work, His life, and His entire focus for life. Nothing is ever more important nor urgent than simply doing the Father God’s will. When you consider the nature of a vision statement, it is a visualization of what will happen in the future. This statement is Jesus’ vision statement. He was more concerned with attitude, relationship, and obedience than busy activity, goals, and objectives. Consider as you lead you people whether you talk about what the Lord wants rather than what you want. Consider – do you want to bring glory and honor (worship) to Him, or make your mark in the world?

                   Communicate your vision in a way that leads your people to a relationship of community, and be sure that community understands your one thing.

JUNE 15 – WHOM?

Everyone the father is giving to me will come to me, and those who are all heading for me right now, I will receive as my own. (John 6:37)

                   Do you believe that the Lord God prepares each day’s agenda for you? Your days are a series of encounters with people. Do you believe that each meeting has significance from the Father’s eternal perspective? Do you value and engage with each person in a way that is consistent with your belief? Jesus recognized, in a very simple, practical way, that life is planned and ordered by God – toward His purposes. He taught followers life should be lived with constant regard for that plan. Encounters were never chance for Jesus. He was always alert for the people who were heading his way at that moment.

                   So, when you are tempted to carve out pieces of your day or week that are “just business” or “personal time,” maybe you could ask yourself, “Who may Jesus be sending to me right now?” Will you receive that person like Jesus did – as your own (responsibility)?

                   Recognize that the person who is sent to you may be entirely different than you expect. Have no expectation then, except that God will continue to send them. And, when He sends them, accept them as your own. Whom? All of them.