Welcome to the December 13th edition of Faith & Life Lessons.
You will see this email full of tidbits from my week. My goal is simple. I hope that from how I live my life, you can find a thing or two that helps you as you try to live a life that matters. I am always trying to do one thing - make Christ-focused decisions in love, work, and life. And this was my week.
The Story Of My Week
I started the plan for my 2021 year
As part of the process, I did a review of my 2020 goals. I smiled as I looked at all of them.
I didn’t achieve a single one of any of those goals. 2020 was that kind of year. But I’d rather continue to believe in the coming prosperity of the righteous than embrace a vision of gloom and doom for the future.
With this in mind, I drew up my plans and goals for 2021.
One of the biggest things I did during the process was to address a limiting belief I didn’t know I had. I saw it in action in my life.
To fight it, I discovered a liberating truth. It’s the statement that I build the rest of my coming days on.
And it will help me make a difference in my life and the lives of the people around me.
I am excited about 2021. I know that I will live out the full measure of God’s plan for me.
God’s child is coming into 2021.
The glory of God will shine through me.
It is a good season for me
It has started and it continues as God continues to lead me in His triumphant quest.
I will be part of bringing Jesus’ victory on the earth
Things I Learnt
1-We all can Fall: It was a bit of a tough week on the public pastors' situation. A couple of pastors were "outed" for sexual failures. A couple of us were talking about it - all of us were hurt.
It's also painful to know that none of this would have come out without the power of social media. Some of the pastors involved had used all their means to keep it "in-house".
At some point, one of the pastors had said the women in question seduced him. Not an original excuse. I bet Joseph would have a different opinion on that matter.
The biggest mistake we can all make is to assume that we are immune to fight off sexual temptations without guardrails in place.
Isn't it instructive that the Bible tells us to resist the devil but flee from anything that stimulates youthful lusts?
But you know something else? There is a silent joy in all these "outings".
God is purifying His bride. He is also getting people's faith right - fixed on Him and only Him.
In everything, I remind myself that I am liable to committing the same sins the pastors are all accused of.
I am not throwing stones. I am using the lessons of their falls to remind myself why I need to also improve my guardrails.
There are no supermen in God's kingdom.
Only mere men, redeemed by Jesus not to be ubermen but men under the authority of the kingdom.
I'm keeping my guardrails up.
2-Remembering the Foundations: I got one song on repeat most of the week. It's from way back and it reminds me of what the most important thing as Christians should be.
I played the song all night long and in the day. It's a song from my earlier days in my faith walk.
I won't say more. I hope the lyrics awaken something in you like it still does for me.
Look me in the eye by Margaret Becker
Verse 1
I found a letter I wrote to you
In the bottom of the drawer
Simple words, simple point of view
That I don't have much anymore
It said "I don't want fortune
I don't want fame
I only want the treasure
That time can't take away"
Chorus
Look me in the eye
Tell me if you see
Traces of yourself
Growing here in me
Tell me if you find
Your heart in mine
I pray you'll see your light
When you look me in the eye
Verse 2
Many years have come and gone
Since I wrote that page
And somehow with the passing time
I've let that truth slip away
Dear Lord remind me
Each and every day that your
Holiness, your Godliness
Is all that will remain
Bridge
Now I see you
Much too dimly
But someday we'll be
Eye to eye
When I see you
I want to hear you say
That you were proud of my life
Lord touch my heart
Center my soul
Till all I do
Is for You alone
You can listen to it on youtube here
Postscript
I pray that the world around you will see more of the life of Jesus in you. I pray that Jesus can look you in the eye and say "I see traces of me in you" (Amen)
0 comments