First the macro. These are indeed difficult times and many of us are yearning for the return of the good times of the recent past. In this we are like the children of Israel who longed to return to Egypt. Egypt in the Bible represents the world and its strength and prosperity. Our ancestors had a very consistent record of turning to idolatry after a season of the Lord’s blessing and also first looking to Egypt for help when He brought chastisement on them for their sin. They cycled through this process multiple times.

Again, in the macro view I believe that this is a picture of our national situation. We aren’t Israel, but our nation was surely founded on the principles of God and intended to honor Him and to encourage us to live according to His ways. In many ways this commitment brought His blessings to our nation. As a nation we have been challenged in our understanding and application of this concept over the years but until just after He delivered us from evil attack
at the end of WWII we stood pretty true. The late 50s and 60s ushered in a season of rebellion and resistance to all authority including God, and to the worship of a materialistic, hedonistic form of life,basically idolatry, which has grown steadily to this day, leavening even our church culture.

I believe that, in the manner of our spiritual forefathers Israel when they sinned and turned from God, we are now in a time of chastening as a nation. Chastening always increases in intensity with the purpose of leading God’s people to repentance and restoration. God will not relent and the severity will increase until repentance is manifest. If and when true repentance comes God’s blessing is restored, but not before or until. In the Old Testament this most often came as a result of a prophet calling out leadership. (We are presently in a season where we are short of both!)

I’m sure that there were many in Israel who were not directly involved in the national sin but just sort of lukewarm as the nation slid down the slippery slope of turning from God to idols, but when the hammer fell, they were punished along with the worst offenders. As an example, although they weren’t guilty at all of the sin of the majority, Joshua and Caleb marched in the desert with all the rest for 40 years until the generation that sinned died off. There are always sinners and always a remnant, but there is also a “tipping point” with  God it seems. There comes a time where He says “Enough!” I believe that we are near or at that point right now.

Personally I believe that those hoping for a quick return to our recent past prosperity are going to be very disappointed as, in my opinion, things are likely to get worse, maybe much worse, before they can get better. The macro view can be discouraging, even depressing.

That’s why I praise God for the micro view. “I will always have all I need to do all God asks.” Each individual who responds in obedience to the call of God is taken under His wings in a way that the material world or the flesh will never know or understand. Each of us has been identified and called out by God to walk with Him and extend His Kingdom. As such the promise of constant supply is ours. Our area of influence is the marketplace. It is a critically important niche at this point of history. Business is the language of the world, perhaps the most universal form of communication since
Babel. If our country and our world is to be led in a turn from idolatry it will never happen apart from our niche and, it is very possible, if not likely, that it will lead it. Each of us has been given a holy work to do in His Kingdom and actually selected for such a time as this and equipped by God for the work from “before the foundation of the earth.” We are truly called to our role in the marketplace. May we walk worthy of our calling.

Two more points; Of course it is hard. It always has been. It’s not nearly as hard for us as it is for most of our brothers and sisters in the world, but it is hard in comparison to the spoiled life that we recently had, and had come to think that we deserve. Yes, it’s hard,but no one is dieing here, no one is starving, or tortured, or really persecuted – yet.

We are called not to a life of ease and pleasure but to a life of sacrifice and obedience that is centered in our service to others while being conformed to the image of our King as we walk His narrow path with Him.

Our associates are suffering under the pressure of the prolonged economic recession and the uncertainty of the ever-changing globalization process . Many of them are hurting and fearful because of the loss of, or threat to, idols such as personal wealth, reputation and financial security. So are some of us. Some of them will quit and run for Egypt.
Of course they will, they always have. Will we? Should we cry to our Father for a return to Egypt? Or should we expect to be exempted from the trials that those we are called to serve endure? I say NO! We are called to lead in faith under trial and in perseverance through adversity. How can we model these qualities to them and truly lead them if we are unwilling to be example to them? We are called to remind them that “God works all things together for good for those who are called according to His purpose” and show them what that looks like applied by faith to real life. Our light shines brightest in adversity. Ours is a role that is true leadership, Christ-like, servant leadership. It is our destiny.

You will note that there is a question mark after the word ”Encouragement” in the subject line above. These words are surely not the “feel-good” fluff and “I’m OK, you’re OK” babble that many mistake for encouragement in our day, but they are reality. Our God, His call, and our life in Jesus Christ and His in us are reality. Eternal life and the rewards God has promised to His faithful servants are reality. His sovereign supply to do all He asks is reality. The cross and the
narrow path are reality and they guard the way to the joy of our Lord.

I pray that reality may bring refreshment to remind and to renew. May the joy of our Lord be our strength! Press on!

For the King our God and for the Lamb! Forever!

For those of us who claim to be Christ-followers, does that fact stand out in any significant way to the “watchers?” Is there and discernable difference between what they see in us and what they would see in anyone else? Should there be? All true Christ-followers know the answer to that question is a loud yes! Of course it should matter that Jesus lives in us. Of course His values should not only guide us but lead us to a lifestyle that is based on His example and teaching. If that is true, our lives today, as His did then, will contrast to the lives of others in a way that is pretty obvious. We will be light and salt. Are we?

Jesus asked some of His followers, “Why do you call me Lord Lord and don’t do the things I say?” Were He to ask us the same question, what would we answer?

What are some of the distinctives that “watchers” should see in the lives of Christ-followers?

Where do you think the typical non-Christ-follower would see a difference in the life and lifestyle  of the average  member of your church? Your pastor?

Jesus told some of His followers that He wished that they were either “hot” or “cold” and that to be “lukewarm” was disgusting to Him. What do you think a “lukewarm” Christ-follower might look like in today’s culture?

In the first century a non-Chris- follower, Artstedes, described Christ-followers to his Emperor this way: 

 They love one another, they never fail to help widows. they save orphans from those who would hurt them. If they have something they give feely to the man who has nothing, if they see a stranger, they take him home and are happy as though he were a real brother. They don’t consider themselves brothers in the usual sense, but brothers, instead through the Spirit, in God.

Wouldn’t it be cool if the “watchers” of our lives could say that, or something very close to it today about you and I and the Christ-followers that we hang with? It’s not impossible, but it won’t  happen by accident, it will need to be the intentional result of choices we make based on the values and priorities we hold most dear. It is our choice to make, we don’t have to guess what His would be. Why would we call Him Lord and not try to do whatHe says?

For believers, Christ followers, we have each been assigned a race. One trip around the track of life on Earth.  Running into our eternal destiny. For some our race is a sprint, for others middle distance, and for some a marathon, but for each it is a race, even an obstacle course. Things get in our way as we run. We struggle to press on against the thought of giving up, to press on to finish strong. No one’s race is easy but, unlike some races, in this race there will be more than one winner. In fact in this race, the real race that each of our lives represents in the eternal picture, everyone can win. Some won’t, but everyone can win. To win is to finish life and to hear The Master say “Well done! Great race!”

What will be the criteria for winning? Simply put, it will to be and to do what we have been designed for and sent here to be and do. To win is to be what God has created us to be by His definition and based on His design and criteria which will have very little in common with those our culture holds high.

We are going to talk about what God’s criteria are and what 6 tactics we need to incorporate in our lives to accomplish them but first, what are those weights,  snares and entanglements that we struggle through? There are 9 of them, maybe more, but at least 9 majors, they are;

Struggles

1.) Unbelief.

2.) Complacency and compromise.

3.) Self-righteousness.

4.) The fear of, or desire for, the approval of Man.

5.) Love of sensual or fleshly pleasure.

6.) A worldly mindset or paradigm of life.

7.) Self confidence.

8.) Hubris or arrogance.

9.) Distracting and ungodly thoughts.

As we run these 9 snares are constantly jumping up at the least opportune time and are almost constantly trying to trip us or knock us off the track.  Which of them do you identify with right now? Have you tripped over any lately? They are strategically placed by a purposeful antagonist whose job it is to test our commitment and desire to succeed and win our race. They have worked for millenia  distracting, deflecting, and discouraging many, many runners. They don’t have to work on us though. We can win! Listen!

Our Trainer has given us at least 9 exercises that we can use to get past the snares and traps and we can win if we use them diligently. They are:

Tools

1.) Faith in God and His Word.

2.) The Eternal Perspective of Life.

3.) Meekness in serving others

4.) Trust in God’s opinion of us.

5.) A Stewardship Focus on God’s Kingdom.

6.) Embracing the Narrow Path or the way of The Cross.

7.) Humility

8.) Accurate self-assessment.

9) Taking every thought captive to Jesus.

We all run but in fact we don’t run alone or, unless we choose to do so, in our own strength. The One who designed and sent us to run this race runs with us and in us urging us on, warning us of dangers ahead, and helping us up when we fall. As each snare jumps into our path He points out just the right tactic to avoid it and coaches us to apply it. He has given us a training manual and a personal trainer who never accepts less than what is best for us. We will expand on our Trainer’s tactics and the 6 Characteristics Common to Finishing Well in our next post, but that’s enough for today. What and whose tactics are you using to run your race? We are all running you know. Stride, stride, stride…

Our ability to mentor others is limited by our ability to express to them what God wants them to hear, and our ability to do so is defined by our intimacy with God. When we look for someone to input into our lives as a mentor we should look for one who has demonstrated the fruit of intimacy with our Father. Intimacy with God flows into the manifesting of the fruit of His Spirit and the fruit of His Spirit produces eternal fruit in the lives that are touched in daily relationship.

Eternal fruit is what happens when, because of our obedience to God’s Spirit, others are encouraged to grow closer to God. Everywhere Jesus went and in every relationship He had eternal fruit was produced. Eternal fruit is produced by a combination of revelation and relationship. Revelation meaning we know what God has said or is saying, and in relationship with others is how we share it. Knowing what God has said or is saying flows from intimacy with Him and His Word through prayer, study, and meditation, all of which take time, consistent time. The classic definition of the practice is called “quiet time.” Let me be direct; we can never give what we don’t have and we can’t receive from someone else what they don’t have either. The purpose of our lives in Christ is to finish our race and hear Him say “Well done!” No matter whether we are looking for a mentor for business reasons, marital guidance, personal spiritual growth, or any other reason, the only truly valuable input that we can get has to be founded in and flow to us from the heart of God. God has a plan for each of our lives and all His guidance is to the narrow path of His will. We can get worldly advice from anywhere but only godly advice will ever really be of value. So, rule number one in looking for a mentor is “Look for someone who spends a lot of time with God.” How much is a lot? Well, at least more than you do! A tree is known by its fruit. We aren’t judges but we can be fruit inspectors! What qualities of your spiritual walk need strengthening? Where do you need to apply God’s ways more deeply or specifically? Ask God to show you and then to lead you to one further down the path than you are. Press on!

Mentoring is very different from teaching as mentoring flows from life experience combined with knowledge and need not be academic to be effective. Teachers impart knowledge, mentors impart life. Teaching may or may not edify, mentoring always edifies.

Mentoring is a voluntary relationship that is a heart connection at its base between mentor and mentored. Most often a mentoring relationship is initiated by the one seeking to be mentored.

Today we suffer a great void from a lack of mentoring relationships in the Body of Christ. We have moved into a electronic/digital age where things often move too fast, are too busy, and are too driven by stimulus and reaction, to spend the necessary time to build a true mentoring relationship or even to think to look for a mentor. We will have to become intentional to see that change and realize the untapped benefits that are available to us.

For those who sense in their spirit that I am touching something that is a need and who would seek a mentor I have good news and bad. First the good – your mentor is out there, you know them, or of them, or can find them. The bad – they are rare, not common, and must be selected with care, We should look for mentors whose lives demonstrate a quality or qualities that we know we lack or have been convicted to build into our lives. For Christians we should start with basics and move from them to the more specific needs we might have.I will list the seven fundamental qualities today and discuss them more deeply in future posts.

The Seven Qualities of a Highly Effective Mentor are:

1. The first quality of an effective Christian mentor is that he/she spends a lot of time with God. True wisdom is derived from intimacy with God and intimacy comes only by spending time together with God in the classic disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and meditation.
2. Look for a mentor that serves their wife/husband (if they have one) in a healthy, Biblical relationship.
3. A godly mentor parents his/her children as a life priority before career.
4. Has a history of ministering truth to others fruitfully.
5. Is aware of and actively resisting excessive acquisition and materialism.
6. Displays self-discipline.
7. Is a lifetime learner.

We will go into the process of identifying and establishing mentors in future posts, but for today let’s start with a bit of self-examination by rating ourselves from 1-10 in each of the seven qualities listed above. 1 is low and 10 is perfect or very good. Here’s a hint for future consideration; we should choose mentors who have strength where we are weak. This self-test will be a good start point. More to come…