The Monday Memo from John Stanko

426: Wake Up!

I apologize for not writing last week.  We had to take my wife to the hospital when she could not see out of her right eye.  She was diagnosed with a torn retina and the doctor is trying to repair it with laser surgery so she won't need major surgery. We are praying for his success!

This week I want to finish up our study of Deborah that we began two weeks ago.  You can read the first installment here if you missed it. You may want to read Judges 5 also before we go on from here. 

INACTIVITY

When I read Judges 5, I get the idea that Deborah's main role was encouragement and influence the people of God to act. She urged God's people to do something and they did it.  Without Deborah's influence, they could have remained in bondage much longer.  Here are some of the verses that give me the sense that Deborah stirred people to action:

"When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves—praise the Lord!" (Judges 5:2).

"Village life in Israel ceased, ceased until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel" (Judges 5:7).

"My heart is with Israel's princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the Lord!" (Judges 5:9).

"'Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, break out in song! Arise, O Barak! Take captive your captives, O son of Abinoam" (Judges 5:12). 

 "Why did you stay among the campfires to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart" (Judges 5:16).

"Curse Meroz," said the angel of the Lord. "Curse its people bitterly, because they did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty'" (Judges 5:23).

Deborah basically encouraged the people to wake up and act.  They were tolerating a bad situation and had even become accustomed to it. It was time to put a stop to it and Deborah saw that it happened.  Those who did not help or act were "cursed of the Lord." 

WAKE UP!

So maybe it's time for you to "wake up"?  What situation have you accepted as normal that you have the power to change?  Where has inactivity led to complacency?  Where do you need the Spirit of Deborah to call you to action?  Then again, it may be time for you to wake someone else up, to stimulate the people around you to action through your action.  If you have ever said, "Someone needs to do something," have you considered that the someone may be you? 

Deborah called the people to arms and then she accompanied them to see that the victory was secured.  You can do the same and, when you do, you will follow in the footsteps of a "mother" in Israel who knew that the situation was unacceptable and needed changed. Why not impact your world this week the way Deborah did hers?  As you do, I know you will have a great week!

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RECENT SERMON:  You can watch or listen to my sermon from last weekend, entitled A Tale of Two Donkeys, on my church's website.  In that message, I compare Balaam's ride on his donkey with Jesus' ride into Jerusalem on His.  Let me know what you think when you are finished.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!:  I want to wish all my American readers a Happy Thanksgiving this coming Thursday.

YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED:  Someone asked me last week whether or not I needed toys, books or money.  I told them that all three are still needed, but that money is probably number one, followed by books and then toys. 

Please don't forget the children this Christmas as I prepare for my next trip to Kenya in February.  I need money and supplies to feed and educate them in a difficult environment. I am grateful for your prayerful and prompt response to the children's needs.  To read all about what's going on, go to my blog to see my latest post or go to my Facebook page.  I need books and educational toys and I need you to help me get them. I will figure out a way to get them to Kenya.  You just figure out a way to get them to me. 

When you do your Christmas shopping and giving this year, please remember The Sophia Fund and The Deborah Foundation (named after my daughter, not after the Old Testament judge discussed above).  I know you will be blessed when you do. 

DAILY PROVERB: I am now posting a short daily devotional focusing on one verse every day on my blog site. If you would like to read it or subscribe to receive it, just go to my site and register there. I promise to have it updated every day.

FACEBOOK: My goal is to have 1,000 Facebook friends on FB by 12/31. Right now I have 762. I update my status on Facebook (you can find me by searching my email, johnstanko@att.net) every morning to include a daily verse from Proverbs and an inspirational quote. I do the same on Twitter @johnstanko as well as a daily feature entitled "What Would Jesus Ask?" Go there to sign up and follow along.

FREE PURPOSEQUEST ASSESSMENT: I updated and improved the feedback email you receive from your online assessment, so now is a great time to take or re-take the purpose assessment on my website. This is not a scientific survey, but something that is meant to stimulate your thought and direct your study concerning where you are in your PurposeQuest.

425: Deborah

I few weeks ago I had a reader writer to request that I write about the Old Testament judge Deborah at some point. Well, this seems like a good point to do that, so let me honor her request and look at this obscure character in the book of Judges.

Deborah is identified as both a prophetess and a judge, someone to whom Israel came when they wanted to settle a dispute.  She was married, but still had a position of authority, even though those were not common for women at that time. During her tenure, Israel was oppressed by an army commander named Sisera. God spoke to Deborah and she summoned a man named Barak and delivered a "word" from the Lord that he was to attack Sisera and deliver Israel. 

When he agreed but only on the condition that Deborah accompany him, Deborah promised him victory but predicted that the victory would come at the hands of a woman, thus depriving Barak the full honor due for his courage and actions. (You can read this for yourself in Judges 4.)

What can we learn from this account that would help you and me on our PurposeQuest today?  Here is what I see:

1. Deborah was a woman.  It seems that gender was not an issue for God. Should it be for you?
2. Deborah was a leader.  Israel willingly responded to her leadership.  When you are a leader, God gives you followers.  You don't have to work to find them.
3. Deborah was a woman under authority.  You seldom have to be a renegade or rebel to accomplish your purpose.  You can work within the confines of the authority in your church, company or nation.  You simply have to accept the "call" that is on your life.
4. Deborah was brave.  First, she shared her word from the Lord at a time when Israel was oppressed. She agreed to go to the battle with Barak to encourage him in the work that God gave him to do through her word. Like her fellow prophets, David and Jeremiah, she was not aloof but went with the people of God. Are you involved with those you lead and follow?
5. Deborah had faith.  Deborah shared her "word" even though it seemed that the enemies of Israel were stronger and more numerous. She was confident that, if Barak followed her command, he would have success. 
6. Deborah's faith was contagious.  Because she had faith, Barak had faith too, as reported by the writer of Hebrews: "And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets" (Hebrews 11:32). Do people catch faith from you as you speak and act?

What can you learn from Deborah's example to help you in your PurposeQuest this coming week?  Do you see any other points or lessons from this account that I am missing?  If so, please take the time to post them on my site for others to see.  Next week, we will look at Judges 5 and the song that Deborah sang after Barak and his army were victorious.  Until then, may the Spirit of Deborah be with you and yours as we seek to obey the word of the Lord as it comes to our lives and work.  Have a great week!

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YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED:  Please don't forget the children this Christmas as I prepare for my next trip to Kenya in February.  I need money and supplies to feed and educate them in a difficult environment. I am grateful for your prayerful and prompt response to the children's needs.  To read all about what's going on, go to my blog to see my latest post or go to my Facebook page.  I need books and educational toys and I need you to help me get them. I will figure out a way to get them to Kenya.  You just figure out a way to get them to me. 

When you do your Christmas shopping and giving this year, please remember The Sophia Fund and The Deborah Foundation (named after my daughter, not after the Old Testament judge discussed above).  I know you will be blessed when you do. 

DAILY PROVERB: I am now posting a short daily devotional focusing on one verse every day on my blog site. If you would like to read it or subscribe to receive it, just go to my site and register there. I promise to have it updated every day.

FACEBOOK: My goal is to have 1,000 Facebook friends on FB by 12/31. Right now I have 750. I update my status on Facebook (you can find me by searching my email, johnstanko@att.net) every morning to include a daily verse from Proverbs and an inspirational quote. I do the same on Twitter @johnstanko as well as a daily feature entitled "What Would Jesus Ask?" Go there to sign up and follow along.

FREE PURPOSEQUEST ASSESSMENT: I updated and improved the feedback email you receive from your online assessment, so now is a great time to take or re-take the purpose assessment on my website. This is not a scientific survey, but something that is meant to stimulate your thought and direct your study concerning where you are in your PurposeQuest.

424: Criticism

Do you enjoy criticism?  I don't know too many who do, but it can sometimes be an important part of your development.  If you can't handle criticism and misunderstanding, then you won't go very far in your purpose quest.  So as we wrap up our study of Gideon this week, let's look at the criticism he received and see what you can learn.

SUCCESS BRINGS CRITICISM

When Gideon had won a great battle over the Midianites, some of his allies confronted him after his victory:

Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon, "Why have you treated us like this? Why didn't you call us when you went to fight Midian?" And they criticized him sharply (Judges 8:1).

This reminds me of a time later when David was sharply criticized when his men's families were taken captive:

David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters (1 Samuel 30:6a).

After all David and Gideon had done, they had their critics, and you will have yours, too.  With that in mind, you have three options of how to handle your inevitable critics.

THREE STRATEGIES

First, you can become defensive, spending a lot of time and energy explaining why you did what you did.  What's more, you can determine never to do much of anything again because the effort is too painful if it results in criticism.  I would not recommend this first option.

Second, you can do what Gideon did:

But he answered them, "What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren't the gleanings of Ephraim's grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer? God gave Oreb and Zeeb, the Midianite leaders, into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?" At this, their resentment against him subsided (Judges 8:2-3). 

Gideon answered diplomatically and softly. He helped his critics see that their perspective was a bit skewed and that they were also an important part of what had just happened.  Gideon showed great restraint and wisdom, for he knew that leaders will be criticized and he deflected it and won his critics over with a gentle, non-defensive answer.

Third, you can do what David did:

But David found strength in the Lord his God (1 Samuel 30:6b).

David did not react or respond.  He took some time to regain his perspective and he did that by going to the Lord.  The Lord spoke to David and he returned to lead the very men who had threatened to stone him.  What's more, he led them to victory.

I once thought that fear of failure was the greatest hindrance the people of God face.  I now think that fear of criticism is the number one obstacle to obedience. Since criticism is inevitable, it is vital that you develop strategies to deal with it and still remain focused and purposeful.  That is what Gideon and David did and if they did it, with God's help, you can, too.  Have a great week! 

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THE SOPHIA FUND & DEBORAH FOUNDATION:  Books, toys and money have begun to arrive for our Christmas project for the Kenya orphans, with promises of much more to come. This is so much fun to sit back and see what will happen with all this.  I am grateful for your prayerful and prompt response to the children's needs.  To read all about what's going on, go to my blog to see my latest post or go to my Facebook page.  I need books and educational toys and I need you to help me get them. I will figure out a way to get them to Kenya.  You just figure out a way to get them to me. 

I also need help to continue feeding the orphans and widows there from The Sophia Fund.  When you do your Christmas shopping and giving this year, please remember The Sophia Fund and The Deborah Foundation.  I know you will be blessed when you do. 

423: Fleeced

If you are like most people, you want to know if your ideas and actions are sanctioned by the Lord.  Thus you may seek for a sign of confirmation before you act, and that whole process is called putting out a fleece before the Lord.  That concept was first introduced in the story of Gideon, so let's look at that now and see if there are any lessons we can learn from what Gideon did and why he did it.

FLEECED

God appeared to Gideon and appointed him the one to deliver Israel from the Midianites.  This directive was not what Gideon was expecting so he asked God on three separate occasions to give him a sign that it was indeed the Lord who was guiding his steps.  Here is one of those instances:

Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised- Look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew." That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew (Judges 6:36-40). 

So you see from that passage that a fleece before the Lord was just that for Gideon:  it was a sheep's skin that once was drenched with dew and once wasn't. Gideon chose that sign and God chose to respond. It would be nice if God would respond to every request for confirmation like He did in this instance, but He usually doesn't. Why is that?

It's because most requests are made not in faith but in unbelief and God does respond very well to those who don't trust Him in the first place.  When that happens, they get the response that Jesus gave to the Jews.  Let''s look at that now.

NO SIGN, SORT OF

Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you."He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah (Matthew 12:33-39).

Notice that Jesus didn't really say that there would be no sign.  He just said it would be a sign of God's choosing and that sign was that Jesus would be raised from the dead after three days, just like Jonah was delivered after three days in the big fish.  The problem with asking for a sign today is that a sign has already been given:  Jesus is alive!

You see, if God can raise the dead, then He can do anything!  He can help you start your business, publish your work, find you a job or fund your missions trip.  When you say, "Oh God, I need a sign to let me know whether or not this is something you want me to do," you run the danger of asking because you don't really believe you can do what you are being asked to do.

The Lord asked Gideon to lead a battle against insurmountable odds and Gideon needed that reassurance because many lives were on the line.  Most of us won't ever face that kind of challenge.  Yours is much less demanding, so the knowledge that God raises the dead assures you that God can do anything, especially helping you to do what's in your heart.

Perhaps this week you need to stop procrastinating in unbelief while putting out a fleece, which will never be answered.  Rather be looking for ways to do what is in your heart to do.  When you do that, God will send you all the confirmation you need at every point.  Have a great week!

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KENYA VIDEOS:  If you haven't already, I invite you to watch two short videos that I shot at the orphanage I visited in Kenya a few weeks ago. The children sang me a song and the founder said a brief word of thanks.  Once you watch them, read the post below and do what your heart moves you to do to help these children and others like them.

THE SOPHIA FUND & THE DEBORAH FOUNDATION:  I announced two wees ago a new initiative in time for Christmas that will allow you to help me open learning centers all over Kenya.  We will start small, but will deliberately work to help the orphans in Kenya learn how to love books and learning.  You can play an important part in making this happen.  To read all about it, go to my blog to see my latest post or go to my Facebook page.  I need books and educational toys and I need you to help me get them. I will figure out a way to get them to Kenya.  You just figure out a way to get them to me. 

This morning I got two bags of books, shoes, bubbles and games in church, and I know they are the firstfruits of much to come.  One woman told me she cried when she read about the Deborah Foundation and is organizing her friends and neighbors to have a book party.  She also asked if she could help raise money to help get all the stuff over to Kenya.  Of course I told her that she could.  What's more, I would appreciate if you would be creative and think of ways to help this project go forward.

I also need help to continue feeding the orphans and widows there from The Sophia Fund.  When you do your Christmas shopping and giving this year, please remember The Sophia Fund and The Deborah Foundation.  I know you will be blessed when you do. 

422: Lessons in Courage

Has fear ever prevented you from doing something you wanted to do?  Has fear been an excuse not to do something that you needed to do?  If you are human, then the answer to both those questions is a resounding "Yes!"  Yet you may be waiting for an absence of fear before you act and that will never happen.  You need to learn to function in the midst of fear if you are to be a person of purpose.  Let's go back to Gideon's life again this week to see how he handled his fear to become a hero of the faith.

HIDING OUT

When we first meet Gideon, he is hiding from the Midianites, trying to eke out some food for his family in the midst of their oppression:

The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior" (Judges 6:11-12).

God identified Gideon as a mighty warrior, yet Gideon saw himself as a poor farmer who was working for minimum wages.  The first lesson in how to deal with fear is:  You can't always trust the perspective you have of yourself.  The way out of that problem is to learn to trust what someone else sees in you, such as a friend, mentor or coach. 

Then Gideon uttered the standard complaint when confronted with a seemingly impossible task: 

"But Lord, " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."The Lord answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together" (Judges 6:15-16).  

The second lesson is to remember that you are not alone. You and God make up a majority no matter what. 

NIGHT TIME RAID

So then God gave Gideon his first assignment to tear down his father's altars to a false god.  Gideon obeyed, but notice how he did it:

 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime (Judges 6:27).

Gideon did what he had to do, but he did in a way that worked for him.  He went at night because he was afraid.  The important thing, however, is that he obeyed.  That is the third lesson:  He acted even though he was afraid.  He didn't wait for his fears to go away; Gideon did the best he could to obey the Lord and God helped him.

This leads me to ask you the questions: What are you afraid of?  What is hindering you from moving forward to fulfill your dreams and purpose?  What can you learn from Gideon that can help you this week to do something, even if it's at night or in a way that is less than noble?  The important thing is that you learn how to act even though you may be afraid, for fear is not a good excuse to disobey what God has put in your heart to do.  Take courage this week and see what you can do in spite of your fears. 

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KENYA VIDEOS:  I invite you to watch two short videos that I shot at the orphanage I visited in Kenya a few weeks ago. The children sang me a song and the founder said a brief word of thanks.  Once you watch them, read the post below and do what your heart moves you to do to help these children and others like them.

THE SOPHIA FUND & THE DEBORAH FOUNDATION:  I announced last week a new initiative in time for Christmas that will allow you to help me open learning centers all over Kenya.  We will start small, but will deliberately work to help the orphans in Kenya learn how to love books and learning.  You can play an important part in making this happen.  To read all about it, go to my blog to see my latest post or go to my Facebook page.  I need books and educational toys and I need you to help me get them. I will figure out a way to get them to Kenya.  You just figure out a way to get them to me. 

One sister, who is confined to a wheel chair, presented me with an abacus for the children this morning in church.  I was so blessed by her thoughtful and selfless generosity.  Thank you, Chloe, for your gift and may the Lord move on many others to follow your example!

I also need help to continue feeding the orphans and widows there from The Sophia Fund.  When you do your Christmas shopping and giving this year, please remember The Sophia Fund and The Deborah Foundation.  I know you will be blessed when you do. 

421: Face-to-Face

Have you ever wished that God would speak to you face-to-face so you could know what to do?  Doesn't that sound like it would make serving and obeying God much easier?  Well, that's not necessarily true that a direct encounter would be a good thing. To prove my point, let's take another look at Gideon, whose life we began to study last week.

CAN WE TALK?

One day Gideon was busy trying to eke out a living when the Lord appeared and spoke to him:

The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior" (Judges 6:11-12).

What was Gideon's response?  Was he in awe and didn't know what to say?  Did he worship?  Did he ask the Lord what He wanted him to do? No, he did none of those things.  Instead he basically said, "Can we talk?"  Gideon took the opportunity to complain and tell the Lord how bad things were in his life! 

Gideon had a direct word and appearance from the Lord, but he was so preoccupied with his situation that he didn't treat it like the special event that it was.  Then the Lord revealed why He had come and what He wanted Gideon to do:

The Lord turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" "But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family" (Judges 6:14-15).  

Again, Gideon turned God's directive into a time to complain, telling the Lord why he, Gideon, could not be the one to do what the Lord was saying.

IT DIDN'T MATTER

It didn't matter to Gideon that he received a direct word from the Lord.  He was so hung up on his circumstances and limitations that he could not see how God could use him.  A visit from God almost turned into a bad experience for Gideon.

I am sure you have never done what Gideon did in this instance, but if you have, can you see that even a visitation from God isn't always the answer to your spiritual inactivity?  Once you have a negative attitude, you can't even hear from the Lord!  So this week, put yourself in Gideon's place and ask the Lord if you are acting like Gideon in any area of your life. If you are, then find out what God has been saying that you just can't hear because of your heart attitude. The good news is that Gideon went on from this encounter with the Lord to do great things and you will, too.  Have a great week!

Feel free to write a comment to this entry on the site where it is posted.

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THE SOPHIA FUND & THE DEBORAH FOUNDATION.  I announced today a new initiative in time for Christmas that will allow you to help me open learning centers all over Kenya.  We will start small, but will deliberately work to help the orphans in Kenya learn how to love books and learning.  You can paly an important part in making this happen.  To read all about it, go to my blog to see my latest post or go to my Facebook page.  I need books and educational toys and I need you to help me get them. I will figure out a way to get them to Kenya.  You just figure out a way to get them to me. 

I also need help to continue feeding the orphans and widows there from The Sophia Fund.  When you do your Christmas shopping and giving this year, please remember The Sophia Fund and The Deborah Foundation.  I know you will be blessed when you do. 

420: A Double Lock

Have you ever thought or said, "If only I knew that God wanted me to do this or that," or "If only God would speak to me, then I would do it!"?  While it sounds logical and spiritual, it isn't necessarily true, as we will see in this Memo.  Who do you think I will pick from the Bible as a character to prove this point?  If you guessed Gideon, you guessed correctly.

IT CAN'T BE ME!

In Judges 6, we see that the angel of the Lord came to give Gideon his assignment of liberating the Jews from the Midianites. Yet Gideon engaged the angel in conversation, explaining why he (Gideon) could not be the one.  I'm sure you have never done this, but Gideon felt that circumstances were too awful and he was too insignificant to do what God was sending him to do.

Perhaps you have calmly explained to God and others the reasons why you are not the one to accomplish some great purpose.  You have pointed out that you are too young, too old, the wrong gender, undereducated and inexperienced.  Even though you too may have had an angel of the Lord visit you, you have dismissed the call as irrelevant, saying something similar to what Gideon said:  "But Lord." Gideon asked, "How can I save Israel?  My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family" (Judges 6:15).  So it isn't always the case that if God were to speak to you, you would know and automatically do His will and purpose.

A DOUBLE LOCK

God shared with Gideon two keys to success.  Those keys worked for Gideon and they will work for you.  The first key is found in Judges 6:14: "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" Gideon felt like he needed more strength if he was to go; the Lord told him to go in the strength that he had and it would be enough.

You can insert many words in that verse and they would all be keys to purposeful success.  "Go in the time you have; go in the wisdom you have; go in the knowledge you have; go with the gifts you have; go in the faith you have; go with the money you have."  You won't get any more of anything until you create the need for it, so it's best to start right where you are today and obey God with what you have now.

The second key is in verse 16: "The Lord answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."  When God speaks to you to do something, you become partners with God.  You and God always comprise an insurmountable majority, no matter how improbable your success may seem to you at the start.

So there you have it.  It may not be enough for God to speak to you, for your bias against yourself and your abilities may try to overrule God.  If you are to go and do anything, you must go in the strength you have today, but you can go in the confidence that God goes with you.  If you can remember to use those keys this week, I know you will have a turnaround week.

    Feel free to write a comment to this entry on the site where it is posted.

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RETURN HOME:  As I write this, I am packing in Kenya to head for home.  It was a great visit but I am ready to get back to work at home.  I visited the ministries who are receiving The Sophia Fund money and I was pleased with what I saw.  I will have a report for you soon.

I am also planning to start what I am calling The Deborah Foundation, which will begin to establish children's libraries and learning centers around Kenya.  I will announce a special Christmas promotion when I will ask you to buy an educational toy or book for the children (ages 8 and under) and send it me.  I will then transport them over and set up three such centers next year.  Watch this space for more information in the weeks to come of how you can buy a toy for the Kids in Kenya.  

And don't forget to give your $5 or more to The Sophia Fund.  When you see the pictures and read my report, I know you will see what a good investment it is and how much good it is doing.

419: Taxi Thoughts

This Memo is different than any I have sent previously. I am actually writing this while in the back of a taxi driving through London on my way to Heathrow Airport (it’s a two-hour trip).  I depart tomorrow morning at 6:30 AM, which means I have to get up at 3:30 to get to the airport in time for check in.  So rather than have someone drive me in the morning, I am staying at a hotel by the airport tonight (Sunday).

My driver is from Nigeria and he is a believer.  He just told me his story of how he came to the Lord and it saved his marriage.  Now he has started a ministry to help others with their marriages.  I know Christians aren’t perfect, but I have met many dear, committed, devoted, creative and giving Christians all over the world.  God is faithful to raise up a people to honor His name in every nation. I like being a world (not worldly) Christian.

I am sitting here reflecting on how I got here – to London, teaching purpose, doing what I love in a country I have been visiting since 1993.  I spoke this morning in a church in the New Cross area of London – Micah Community Church – and gave my message on Abraham, “What You See is What You Get.”  It is the story of God telling Abraham to sacrifice his only son on Mt. Moriah.  There is so much in that passage, but then again, I guess I could say that about any passage.  Then after church the people assembled to hear my session on my fifth gold mine principle, which was another message on faith.  I love that message and had a chance to deliver the other four gold mine principles the day before.  All in all, I spoke 14 times since I arrived here Friday before last.  It was and is all very, very good.

So now I am heading to Kenya, another country I love.  I have a full week planned before I return home to work at a job I love in my local church.  What did I ever do to deserve all this?  Why has God given me the opportunities for such meaningful work with people I love in lands I always dreamed of visiting?  It is God’s grace I know, but I have tried to cooperate with that grace and give God something to work with, as meager as it may be.  I hope I have made a good partner.

Next week, I will resume the usual Monday Memo format and we will take a look at Gideon and the purpose lessons his life has for us.  Then we will look at Deborah after that and maybe Noah.  That should take us up close to the holidays and then after the first of year, it will be time to have another celebrate a failure emphasis.  By the end of the year, I will also finish the gospel of John in my weekly Bible studies.  After that, I will only have six short epistles until I have completed a verse-by-verse commentary for every book in the New Testament.  Thank You, Lord. 

So have a great week and forgive my ramblings this week. I don’t have much time, even now as I am in the lobby of my hotel and my battery is running low. 

418: Faith From Start To Finish

Greetings from the land of the Queen and scones and clotted cream.  I am in England and will be for another week.  I had a busy day yesterday and will be busy for the next week. You can read more about my schedule below, but right now I want to finish up our study of Esther.  You can read the previous three Memos on Esther here or you can wait to catch up when I review at the end of this Memo. Either way, let's take one last look at Esther and the purpose lessons we can learn from her life.

FAITH FROM START TO FINISH

Clarifying your purpose isn’t a matter of doing your homework or figuring out what you do best or most often.  You do have to work at finding your purpose, but it isn’t something you can identify logically.  The last point I want to make this week is that you need faith both to clarify and fulfill your purpose. You don't find your purpose in faith and then carry it out on your own. Your PurposeQuest requires faith from start to finish.

When Esther received the exhortation from Mordecai that she had come to the throne for such a time as this, she replied:

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:15-16). 

Esther knew at this point that she could not do what she had to do in her own strength; she needed supernatural help and strength to fulfill her purpose.  You need to come to the same realization.  People ask me how I write and travel as much as I do.  I respond that I do it in faith.  I determined eight years ago that I would trust God, who showed me my purpose, also to fulfill my purpose.  And like Esther, I said if I fail, I fail.  If I failed, however, I was going to fail magnificently and in faith! 

I get many letters from readers who are uptight and frustrated with their individual PurposeQuest.  I write back and tell them to relax.  God will reveal your purpose when you are ready.  Put your trust in Him and in His ability to speak—not in your ability to hear.  God wants you to fulfill your purpose even more than you do, so, armed with that understanding, trust that He will not only show it to you, but open doors like He did for Esther that will enable you to fulfill it.  People often tell me that it can’t be that simple, but I maintain that it is.

LET’S REVIEW.

So what purpose lessons have we learned from Esther and Mordecai these last three weeks?

1. Your past doesn’t prevent you from fulfilling your purpose, unless you allow it to do so. 
2. You may be taking for granted or looking past a purpose that is obvious to everyone but you.
3. God wants to build on your strengths and not your weaknesses.
4. God hasn’t forgotten you.
5. You don’t have to go looking for purpose; purpose comes looking for you.
6. Purpose puts you in the right place at the right time.
7. It requires faith both to find and fulfill your purpose.

So there you have it - our purpose profile on Esther. This week, I want you to mediate on the seven points I have listed above.  Pray over them and ask God to show you what you’re missing.  Don’t just pray, but pray in faith with pen and paper in hand, believing that the Lord will show you some new perspective that you need to be a person of purpose.  And as usual, if I can help you in any way, please let me know.  Have a great week!

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1. UK AND KENYA SCHEDULE.  You can look at my schedule for the UK (September 20-28) and Kenya (September 28-October 4) on my website under the News section.  Everything I am doing is open to the public, so come one and come all to hear the purpose doctor while you have the chance! (The Tuesday event listed on my site for the UK has been postponed.)

Also, I have a special evening presentation in Nairobi on Wednesday, September 30.  For more information, you can download the flier: Download IIE Kenya Seminar

2. THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE:  I am so delighted that I am taking about $3200 to Kenya with me to feed our orphans and widows. What a blessing!  Thank you so much for your generous support.  I will announce a special Christmas promotion toward establishing children's libraries and reading rooms, which unbelievably are nonexistent in Kenya.

You can read my latest report on The Sophia Fund here (written about four weeks ago).  You can also read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother).

Now that the Revelation Project is complete, please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more. You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.

3. DAILY PROVERB: I am now posting a short daily devotional focusing on one verse every day on my blog site. If you would like to read it or subscribe to receive it, just go to my site and register there. I promise to have it updated every day.

4. FACEBOOK: My goal is to have 1,000 Facebook friends on FB by 12/31. Right now I have 630. I update my status on Facebook (you can find me by searching my email, johnstanko@att.net) every morning to include a daily verse from Proverbs and an inspirational quote. I do the same on Twitter @johnstanko. Go there to sign up and follow along.

417: Purpose Comes Knocking

Two weeks ago, we started a purpose profile on Esther and her cousin Mordecai.  If you missed reading the last two weeks, you may want to catch up on those here before you continue on this week.  Then once you have read this, check out my information below concerning my upcoming tour to the UK and Kenya.  But for now, let’s move on to Esther!

PURPOSE COMES LOOKING FOR YOU.

The first point I want to make this week is that Esther and Mordecai didn’t have to look for their purpose; their purpose came looking for them. 

Then the king's personal attendants proposed, "Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful girls into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it (Esther 2:2-4).

They discovered Esther and chose her to be among those women, and they eventually selected her to be the new queen.  Two weeks ago we saw how Mordecai foiled a plot to assassinate the king and was then sought out and rewarded for his work.  Both didn’t go looking for purpose; their purpose came looking for them.

 As you examine your purpose this week, ask yourself:  What always finds me that needs done?  What group or kind of people always seem to seek me out for counsel, encouragement or help?  If you can answer those questions, you will have important clues to help you clarify your purpose.  One thing that regularly happens to me, for instance, no matter where I am in the world, is that people ask me for directions—an expression of my purpose to create order out of chaos.  I never have to go looking for chaos; chaos always comes looking for me.

THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

After Esther was chosen to be the new queen, a crisis arose among her fellow Jews.  The king had an aide named Haman, who hated the Jews with a passion.  He was able to convince the king (who was unaware that Esther was a Jew) to issue an edict that all the Jews were to be exterminated throughout the kingdom.  What was Esther to do?  Her cousin Mordecai gave her good advice, as usual: 

When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:12-14 emphasis added). 

The point here is that purpose puts you in the right place at the right time.  When you function in your purpose, there is a sense that God is helping you accomplish what you are doing, without effort or you having to make something happen.  When someone needs directions, I just happen to come along and for whatever reason they choose me out of the crowd to ask where to go.  I couldn’t plan that if I wanted to.  It is a small way in which I know that God uses me to help others and it flows naturally.   It is part of my purpose to create order out of chaos.

So ask yourself:  When am I in “the flow?”  When do I most seem to be in the right place at the right time?  What need or needs do I always seem to be in a position to meet?  Answers to those questions will most certainly help you clarify your purpose and will also help you have a good week with many more to follow!  Take care.

    Feel free to comment on this entry on the site where it is posted. 

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1. UK AND KENYA SCHEDULE.  I have finalized my schedule for the UK (September 20-28) and Kenya (September 28-October 4).  If you would like to see where I am, you can check it out on my website under the News section.  Everything I am doing is open to the public, so come one and come all to hear the purpose doctor while you have the chance!

Also, I have a special evening presentation in Nairobi on Wednesday, September 30.  For more information, you can download the flier: Download IIE Kenya Seminar

2. THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE:  I am so delighted that I am taking about $3200 to Kenya with me to feed our orphans and widows. What a blessing!  Thank you so much for your generous support.  There is still time to give before I depart this Thursday. I am also taking 200 pens and pencils for the children and will be working toward establishing some children's libraries and reading rooms, which are nonexistent in Kenya.

You can read my latest report on The Sophia Fund here (written about four weeks ago).  You can also read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother).

Now that the Revelation Project is complete, please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more. You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.

3. DAILY PROVERB: I am now posting a short daily devotional focusing on one verse every day on my blog site. If you would like to read it or subscribe to receive it, just go to my site and register there. I promise to have it updated every day.

4. FACEBOOK: My goal is to have 1,000 Facebook friends on FB by 12/31. Right now I have 630. I update my status on Facebook (you can find me by searching my email, johnstanko@att.net) every morning to include a daily verse from Proverbs and an inspirational quote. I do the same on Twitter @johnstanko. Go there to sign up and follow along.