Your Life is a Work in Progress

 God is our creator. If you have achieved some things, who gave you your talents?

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? 1 Cor 4:7 NIV

Do you have a very good knowledge of the Bible? There is always someone who understands better. Who gave you a mind to understand?

We cannot understand anything of God's truth without the grace and revelation that comes only from the Holy Spirit.

Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. Ps 127:1 NIV

Imagine you're working on a building site. The architect is a genius. His plans are available, but you want to design everything yourself. A bit silly, isn't it?

Your life is a building site. We are all a work in progress.

Paul, the great apostle, knew that he had not reached God's holy perfection.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Php 3:12 NIV

God has given you his plans. You have the Bible, the Word of God. But how can we understand God's deep wisdom in the Bible? God has given us his Spirit.

If you have given your life into Jesus' hands, He has given you His Spirit. Do you know the Holy Spirit personally? Or is the Spirit of God just a theological concept for you?

“If you love me, keep my commands.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— Jn 14:15–16 NIV

Without Jesus we are lost and without God. If you trust Jesus and want to follow him, he will forgive your sins. Firstly, Jesus says that he wants our love. If we love him, we will obey his commandments.

But what Jesus is asking is impossible. It's like telling your five-year-old son to build his own house, get married, find a job and have children.

That is why Jesus promises in the next verse that He will give us His Holy Spirit as our counsellor, who alone can enable us to live a life with God. The Holy Spirit can do this because He Himself is God.

The first disciples could only follow Jesus because Jesus was with them.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 1 Jn 1:1 NIV

Jesus wants to give us an experience of God's presence that is just as tangible as the fellowship of the first apostles with Jesus before the cross and then after his resurrection.

Have I come that far? Not yet, although I have wonderful experiences with God.

Like Paul, I can say.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Php 3:12 NIV

You can get there with God.

 Someone asked the great English preacher Charles Spurgeon: ‘Which is more important, Bible reading or prayer?’

Spurgeon replied, ‘Which is more important, breathing in or breathing out?’

If you only focus on Bible study and your Bible knowledge, you can be familiar with the Bible but not have personal fellowship with Jesus.

The Bible is our map, but the Holy Spirit is our guide.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Mt 28:19 NIV

So we are to go, but where should I go right now?

Hudson Taylor was a very fruitful missionary in China.

William Carey was a wonderful missionary in India. As a young man he was a shoemaker in England. His family was not rich and he had to work as a tradesman. He was fascinated by foreign languages and he learnt several languages, but he could not study at Oxford University like John Wesley.

He had a talent for foreign languages. Jesus taught that we must invest our talents, and that's what he did.

He became a missionary and moved to India where he learnt Indian languages and translated the Bible. Although he was never able to study at university in England, he founded a university in India.

He also wanted to preach and evangelise, but he totally failed as an evangelist. We all have different gifts.

John Wesley also had a gift for languages, but his mission field was at home in England. He was a marvellous preacher and evangelist.

Why did Hudson Taylor serve as a missionary in China, William Carey in India and John Wesley in England?

They didn't read it in the Bible. Their guide was the Holy Spirit.

Are you gifted with languages? Perhaps not.

Are you called to preach from the pulpit? Maybe not.

Noah was called to build a ship, but I am not a ship builder.

What is your thing? How can you use your talents for Jesus?

Please don't despise your talents, but never forget that your talents have no value without God's guidance.

You have Potential. Failure is not Final.

 A young woman went to see a psychiatrist. She told him she was schizophrenic and hoped he could help her. After a long conversation, the psychiatrist realised that she was not schizophrenic at all. Her family had imposed this false identity on her as a child.

I had eczema as a small child. I always had to wear gloves and my parents tied my hands to the side of my cot. Otherwise, I would scratch and tear my skin terribly.

Gradually the eczema disappeared, but then I was nervous, hyperactive and clumsy, even though I was intelligent.

Years later, I often visited a school friend. He recently told me how I accidentally spilt a jug of water not just once, but often.

My father encouraged me and I became a good chess player and learnt to appreciate classical music. I studied English literature and German, but in practical matters I kept making silly mistakes. My father was then irritated and critical.

Later I wanted to learn how to use a computer, but with little success.

Then, nearly 30 years ago, I wanted to study the Bible intensively. A friend of mine was studying at a Bible school. He told me that I absolutely needed a computer. That was in 1996.
I bought a computer and resolutely dedicated myself to mastering Windows 95. It wasn't child's play for me, but I didn't give up.

I worked as a language teacher for years. Through diligent effort, I developed my computer skills to the point where I could help my colleagues.

The idea that I was a technical idiot was deeply rooted in my childhood, but I was determined to overcome it. I've been using my computer every day for more than 20 years. I am a blogger and communicate with many people in other countries.

Were you given a false identity from an early age? Did you always hear that you were a failure, an idiot or perhaps mentally disturbed?

At school and at work, we always find cruel people who sense our insecurities and want to exploit them. Maybe that's why you experience bullying and are constantly put down.

None of this comes from God. God created you in his own image.

My mother was always put down by her mother. She went to university but failed miserably. Years later, she found help from a therapist. When she was 60, she went back to university. A few years later, she graduated. She wasn't really a failure.

God is your creator. He has a plan for every person. He doesn't create failures, idiots, mentally disturbed people.

You may be repeating the same negative thoughts about yourself over and over again. Please stop doing that!
Instead, keep repeating God's truth.

God created me and God does not create failures!

God created you for a good purpose. Ask God to show you how He sees you. You have potential.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11 NKJV

With God as your guide, your potential can become reality. Even your weaknesses can become strengths.

Failure is not final. A well known American writer said: I failed my way to success.

You can’t earn your salvation. Jesus paid the penalty for your sins on the cross.

But Jesus did not accomplish everything for you so that you could accomplish nothing.

Who is the Lord of your Life?

 Who is at the helm of your life. As Christians, we must hand over the leadership of our lives to Jesus. Jesus died to save us from our self-centredness.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Mt 7:21 NIV

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” Jn 14:21 NIV

If you love Jesus with all your heart, you will hand over the leadership of your life to Him.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal 2:20 NIV

Imagine your life is a car. Who should be at the wheel, you or Jesus? Jesus, of course. But really?

Imagine Jesus is at the wheel and you are just a passenger. Is that true?

God doesn't want passengers, or puppets or robots, but disciples.

If God controls and accomplishes everything, we don't need wisdom. A passenger doesn't need wisdom and neither does a puppet.

Who is a disciple? Someone who is always learning something new throughout their life. Jesus is our teacher who always wants to teach us. As our Creator, He has given abilities, and He gives us the freedom to exercise our abilities creatively.

Where do we find this truth in the Bible?

Before the Fall, we see God's purpose for us.

Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. Gen 2:19 NIV

Wow! That is radical. Not God, but man gave the animals their names. Adam was not a robot, but a person, the image of God. God makes free creative decisions and man also makes free creative decisions!

We do not see a spiritual robot, but someone who makes important decisions with God's guidance. God wants to have sons and daughters who learn to make good decisions with wisdom from God and also to learn from their mistakes.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. Jas 1:5 NIV

We see the same teaching in the parable of the talents.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. Mt 25:14–17 NKJV

God wants us to hand over the leadership of our lives to Him, but this new life requires initiative and creativity, active partnership with the Holy Spirit.

God is for you, not against you.

 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Rom 8:31–32 NIV

Your life is a gift. You are because God is. Your talents and abilities are from God.

God has good plans for your life, but you may not see it.

An American was a world champion shooter. He was on the verge of winning a gold medal at the Olympics. His last shot was a direct hit. He was delighted, but then shocked. He had hit the wrong target. No medal!

You may have talent, but despite hard work and remarkable achievements, you are frustrated. Many people try very hard but are unfulfilled.

Vincent van Gogh is still world-famous as an artist, but he was not respected during his lifetime. His family were devout Christians, and very strict Calvinists at that. He was supposed to become a preacher, but everything went wrong.

He was very depressed, but in his church there was no understanding of mental illness or God's miraculous healing. Thank God we have good psychiatry in our time and also Christian ministries where you can receive healing.

We are obviously in the end times. Many Christians focus on the schemes of the devil that can be seen everywhere, but in our time God has also given marvellous gifts.

We now understand much better that Jesus is not only the Saviour and Redeemer, but also the Healer who heals all diseases, just like in the Bible.

If Vincent van Gogh and his family had understood God's plans better, he might have experienced miraculous healings. His gift as a painter would have been recognised and he would have been able to manifest his Christian faith as an artist.

Thank God we have miraculous healing services today and also good psychiatric care. I know Christians who need both. God is so good.

I know Christians who, despite loving support from friends or family, were often overwhelmed by stress, illness or panic until they got the help they needed with good care and psychiatric medication.

 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Rom 8:31–32 NIV

Many of us need counselling, healing and good care to release our talents. Then we need wisdom to understand what God's purpose and plan is for our lives.

Each of us is unique and somehow different. Vincent van Gogh was not meant to be a preacher, as he was expected to be, but an artist.

Just do it!

 A life without a clear goal is like a ship without a rudder. No matter how virtuous you are, your life goes in circles, leading to no fulfilment. You will be frustrated and stuck.

David prayed in a psalm:

“LORD, let me know my end, and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. Ps 39:4 NRSV

What are the secret dreams in your heart of hearts?

Your dream could be the key that opens the door to your destiny.
But your dreams will lead to nothing without God.

On the other hand, we all need order in our lives. We all have duties that we have to fulfil. Without discipline, without routine, life becomes chaotic. Without order, your dreams permanently remain just dreams.

If you have a goal, you have to act, you have to do something.
If there is no order, can a family or a business function?

A football team needs a strict training routine. Everyone has to be on top form. Daily discipline is absolutely essential.  

But what is the goal?
Fitness? Punctuality at training sessions? Always obeying the trainer?
No.
    - Your goal is to win football matches.

And what is your goal as a team member? To be a good footballer? Partly for sure.

A champion team never consists of eleven good footballers.
You need first-class midfielders, defenders, strikers and goalkeepers.

But even that is not enough. You need fitness coaches, physiotherapists, sports psychologists and, in today's world, computer technicians.

Are you a Christian?
Do you want to be a good Christian? What does your routine look like?
Are you faithful and reliable in prayer and Bible study? Are you punctual and regular in meetings?

There's nothing wrong with that.
But what is the goal in your Christian life?

Are you a midfielder or a goalkeeper? Are you a fitness trainer or a sports psychologist?

We need to win people for Jesus, but what is your role and where is your mission field?
Are you gifted to evangelise on the street or blog on the internet?
Are you called to serve as a nurse in a mission in Africa or as a social worker in California?
Are you called to work in an office and pray for your colleagues with genuine love?

What is your thing?

• Some fast a lot and pray for hours in intercessory service.

• Others help the homeless, asylum seekers or prostitutes.

• Are you a housewife or a retired widow?

• Maybe you have a mission as a friendly neighbour and intercessor.

• Our cities need friendly neighbours.

What's your thing?
If you're not sure, you can still start doing something.

• You can ask God to give you direction.

• You can pray every morning, ‘’Dear God, what is on your heart?

• You can pray, ‘’Who should I contact today?

• Or ‘’How should I pray for my family or friends today?

• Or ‘’What is your priority for my life right now?

When you get a clear impression, don't push the thought aside.

Don't let yourself be distracted. Do something.

If you have a goal, you have to act, you have to do something. But if you act without a goal, you will remain stuck despite all your efforts.

If you don't have a goal, you probably won't achieve one.

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Jer 29:11 NRSV

Don’t be distracted.
Ask God for wisdom and then ... Do something.