Look to the Future -- And Press On!

It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone already.  Time seems to pass more quickly as we get older.  As C.S. Lewis said, “The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.”

As we look ahead to another year, we wonder what it will hold.  I don’t know what the year holds, but I do know who holds the year.  I know that God is in control.

This year may bring promise, and it may bring pain. It may bring triumph, and it may bring tragedy. There will be happy days, and there will be sad ones.  But I enter into this year like every year: with great hope in God because I know that He is on the throne and is in control of all things, including our lives.

God has a plan – He always has a plan.  Sometimes it may not appear that way, but He does. The Bible says that God, “…does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?” (Daniel 4:35b)  But there are times when we say, “God, what are you doing?” “Are you paying attention?”

The answer is yes. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)  To me it’s a great relief to know that I am not a victim of the "fickle finger of fate'' or "dumb luck."  I don’t believe in luck and I don't believe in coincidences; I believe in God!  I believe that God is sovereign, and He alone is in control of my life.

God says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8)

We see things from a certain perspective as human beings living on this globe called Earth.  We see the immediate, where God sees the ultimate.  Our world is the here and now.  God’s plan is panoramic.  He is in control of our lives, leading and guiding us.  But I think it’s a good idea to periodically re-evaluate what we are doing.  I think it’s a good idea to ask ourselves, “Is this a wing, or is it a weight?  Is it speeding me on my way in the race of life, or is it slowing me down?”

The Bible reminds us to “…throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1b)

What may be a weight to one person may not necessarily be a weight to another.  For example, we all have different metabolisms.  We all are built differently.  Some can eat whatever they want and never gain weight.  I admire those people, by the way.  But I am definitely not one of them!

The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, “Everything is permissible"-- but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"-- but not everything is constructive.” (1 Corinthians 10:23)

There is a place for re-evaluation and reflection as we begin a new year.  I think it’s a good time to reflect on what God has done.  When the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, God instructed them to set up twelve stones from the Jordan as a monument of what God did for them.  It is good to think back on what God has done.  It is fine to revisit the past.  But just don’t live in it.

Jesus gave this warning, “Remember Lot's wife!” (Luke 17:32) Why would I want to remember Lot’s wife?  She and her husband were living in Sodom and Gomorrah, a wicked city.  God told them He was going to judge the city, and He sent angels to bring them out of Sodom and Gomorrah.  As they were leaving, the angel warned them not to look back.  Lot and his children left the city, but Lot’s wife couldn’t resist, and she looked back.  It wasn’t just a causal glance.  It was a deliberate look. She looked with longing.  She couldn’t let go.  And the Bible says that, “…she became a pillar of salt.” (Genesis 19:26b)

The first step toward going backward is looking backward.  But we break the power of the past by living for the future. Maybe you’ve been crippled by past failures, past sins.  You have your regrets. But more serious than making a mistake, is repeating it. Learn from your mistakes and fail forward. Don’t keep doing the same foolish things again and again.  Forget them and put them behind you.

Shakespeare wrote that “What’s past is prologue.” [1] A prologue is the beginning of a story. Your story is still being told.  My story is still being told. Our story is still being told.  You may be in the beginning of your story.  You may be in the middle of it.  Or, you may be nearing the end of it.  But it’s a story God is writing.  So let’s not live in the past because there is still more to do.

That is why we must press on, even when it gets hard.  There are times when the temptations are strong or the obstacles are great, and you wonder whether you can go on another day.  The answer is yes, you can.  Press on!   “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13b–14)

Paul is painting a picture of an athlete.  Think of a runner in the last lap of the race.  He is utilizing every ounce of energy, every muscle is straining.  He can see the ribbon.  Pain is wracking his body. He only has a little further to go.  He knows it’s better to have a few moments of pain than a lifetime of regret.  So he presses on.

That is what we need to do.

I don’t know how well you’ve done this past year.  Maybe you’ve stumbled in some way.  Maybe you’ve messed up.  The good news is that God gives second chances.  So, let’s make a commitment or re-commitment to Him. 

Don't let yesterday's failures derail you from the goal of your upward call.  Press on for the prize until you meet the Lord Jesus at the finish line.

I would like to mention my new book, The Man with No Legs: "My Journey with God" 

It tells the story of how, after trying to evade God for decades, despair finally woke me to my need for Him. Life has been a long and winding journey back, yet full of adventure. The Alaskan Interior, villages of India, and poverty of Haiti all saw God using me in amazing ways. Just when everything seemed on track, disaster struck! Both of my legs had to be amputated. This is the story of how God got me through, and even used it for the spread of the Gospel. Today, He is still guiding me with His Presence—and the adventure is not over! 

My book can also be purchased at Amazon and Barnes & Noble online. 

[1] William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act 2, Scene I. 

Five Spiritual Disciplines that Will Change Your Life

“On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

The other day I was talking to a dear, Christian friend, and the topic of Spiritual Disciplines came to mind.  I thought, what better time to talk about improving our walk with our Lord, than at the beginning of a new year.    

This time of year we start hearing a lot about New Year’s resolutions.  Exercise routines, diet fads and book-reading plans all claim that they will make your life exponentially better in the coming year.  After a few weeks most people have given up on their resolutions and settled back into their normal routine. 

There are a number of popular programs and books today on the spiritual disciplines, but some go too far from Scripture in an effort to outline various methods of disciplining oneself.  Some of these methods border on the mystical and the extra-biblical, sometimes exploring areas of Eastern mysticism and New Age philosophy.  Out of this movement has come such unbiblical practices such as “hearing” the voice of God and breathing/soaking/contemplative prayer.  

The best way to avoid error in the understanding of spiritual disciplines is to stick with clear, scriptural mandates given to all Christians to engage ourselves in the Word of God where God speaks to us, and in prayer, where we speak to Him.  When we have a question about a certain topic or decision in our lives, we should see what the Bible has to say about it.  God will never lead us contrary to what He has taught in His Word. (See Titus 1:1-3)

The end goal of the Christian life is to become the man or woman that God wants us to be.  We do this by allowing His vision, mission, purposes, and goals to shape our lives.  One way we can lead someone to this is through spiritual discipline.  A spiritual discipline is a training activity that helps to shape and mold character over an extended period of time that accelerates and focuses the process.  Spiritual discipline is the "strict training" that Paul was talking about when he said, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.” (1 Corinthians 9:25)

As we enter 2020, here are five spiritual disciplines that can, and will, change your life:

Prayer

“About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became bright as a flash of lightning.” (Luke 9:28–29)

According to Luke 9:29, prayer changes our outlook.  It also changes what we look like to others.  What an amazing moment in Scripture this passage portrays!  As Jesus is praying, He changes in front of his disciples.  He didn’t change clothes or wave a magic wand, but their perception of His appearance changed the moment He prayed.  In the same way, when you pray, change is inevitable.  The circumstances will probably remain the same.  But prayer changes how you respond to crisis.  It changes how people see you in crisis.  Without prayer, nothing transforms.

Fasting

Prior to His public ministry Jesus spent forty days fasting.  Of the five disciplines, I consider fasting to be the most challenging of them all.  If you grew up like me, you love food!  Food is indeed a gift from God.  He provided it for our renewal, but not our ruin.  And whenever food messes up our faith, we have a problem.  Whenever the obsession to satisfy our stomachs becomes greater than our need to satisfy our Savior, then God leaves it to us to fast.

Tony Evans describes fasting as “the deliberate abstinence from some form of physical gratification, for a period of time, in order to achieve a greater spiritual goal.” [1] I love this definition because it clarifies the purpose of the fast, to obtain a spiritual goal.  This slight distinction is what differentiates the discipline of fasting from mere abstinence.  There are a number of ways to fast and various types of fasts.  For example, it is possible to fast from pleasures such as social media, the Internet, sex, or any activity that brings gratification and satisfaction.  However, I have chosen to focus on fasting from food because it is generally the most common type of fast and the type of fast that Jesus talked about. (See Matthew 6:16-18; Acts 13:2; Luke 2:37)

Scripture Reading

When we buy electronic gadgets from the store, they often come with an owner’s manual that informs us how to get the most out of our purchase.  The manual tells us how to use it, how to protect it, and how to care for it.  These manuals are written by manufacturers because they are aware of the gadget’s original purpose.  

The Bible works the same way.  The Scriptures are like an owner’s manual for human life, and God’s Word help us learn from the lives of others on how to live as our Creator, intended.  Like the owner’s manual, the Bible teaches us how to use, protect, and care for our lives.  When we don’t read it, we are building a life without having read through the manual.  We have a great tool but lack the know-how to enjoy it to its fullest.  It’s hard to live out what we don’t know.  So we turn to Scripture as food for the soul. (See 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Worship

Worship is a Christian imperative if we desire to be like Christ.  When we worship the Lord, we engage Him with purpose and reverence.  When we worship the Lord, we concentrate our lives on the Supreme Being.  In an age ripe with idolatry and an obsessive need to place people on the altar of our hearts, where only Christ belongs, worship must be a daily part of our lives.  In prayer you can be you. In worship you can forget about you.

When Jesus resists Satan’s offer to bow down and worship him, what He shows us is the heart of a true worshiper.  Worship is more than affection, it is the acknowledgment of God’s invaluable worth and a commitment to express that worth by placing Him above all else.  Worship reveals where our loyalties lie. (See Psalm 146:6-10)

Service

Service is another activity not often seen as a spiritual discipline.  But if we are to live like Christ, then service cannot be seen as an optional exercise.  Service as a regular practice, is not only something Christians do to give back to society; it is also the heartbeat and pulse of our call to discipleship.

There is no way we can accurately represent Jesus without emulating His commitment to serve others.  Our willingness to serve is an indication that we are maturing in spiritual virtues.  It’s easy to read a book on humility; it is much more difficult to actually live with humility.  Service is a tool that God uses to teach us virtues that can’t be learned from textbooks but only in the school of experience.  (See Matthew 25:34-40)

The beginning of a new year offers a great opportunity for us to recommit ourselves to our walk with Christ.  Like physical exercise or diets, these disciplines will take effort and intentionality, but they will greatly improve your spiritual life and make a difference for the kingdom!


I would like to recommend the book "Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life" by one of my professors at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Donald S. Whitney.   He writes about the importance of spiritual discipline and how it helps us grow in godliness; becoming more like Christ.  He offers suggestions on how to cultivate spiritual disciplines which in turn will help us grow in spiritual maturity and develop our character.  His book can be found at Amazon. Just click Here.  

I would also like to mention my new book, The Man with No Legs. "My Journey with God."

It tells the story of how, after trying to evade God for decades, despair finally woke me to my need for Him. Life has been a long and winding journey back, yet full of adventure. The Alaskan Interior, villages of India and poverty of Haiti all saw God using me in amazing ways. Just when everything seemed on track, disaster struck! Both of my legs had to be amputated. This is the story of how God got me through, and even used it for the spread of the Gospel. Today, He is still guiding me with His Presence—and the adventure is not over! 

My book can also be purchased at Amazon and Barnes & Noble online. 

[1] The Urban Alternative, Copyright © 2018 Tony Evans. 

 

 

 

Happy New Year!

 May the joy and love of Christ fill 

your heart throughout this New Year!

 

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."  (Numbers 6:24-26)