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A common feature of social media apps is called “profile.” It’s a headline where you put something you want others to know about you. It’s worded in way that casts you into the most positive light.

No one would let another person define his or her profile, but this actually happens all the time. What people think and say about you defines not only their opinion of who you are, but also you how you define yourself.

“You have a weird-shaped face.”
“Get a clue! Why are you so dumb?”
“You’re such a blow it.”

The past wants to define the future

Things that have happened in our past can have powerful effect of how we see ourselves, and what we expect to happen.  The enemy capitalizes on the negative things that have happened and that have been spoken over us.

Just like the news media is genius at presenting things with maximum shock value in order to grab people’s attention, so is the enemy. He’s always suggesting bold, negative headlines to summarize your day…your week… your life.

So let me ask you a question: Why would you let the devil have the job of writing the profile of your life? Why would you let a pessimistic mindset distort the truth and steal your joy?

Faith’s new profile

You can’t always control what happens in your life, but you can choose how it defines you! So let’s write some new profiles over our lives today!

“I’m blessed!”
“I’m highly favored by God!”
“I’m going to make it!”
“I’m still learning!”
“I’m still growing!”
“All things are working for my good!”

Any event can become an experience of grace and victory when faith writes your profile!

Teddy Stallard was a student in Miss Thompson’s 5th grade class. Even though Miss Thompson was a Christian and tried to show love to all her students, with Teddy is was difficult.  He seemed disinterested in school and always answered in monosyllables.  He was unmotivated and distant, and just plain hard to like.  Whenever she marked Teddy’s papers, she got a certain pleasure out of putting X’s next to the wrong answers.  And when she put the F’s at the top of the papers, she always did it with flair.

His cumulative file

Then one afternoon she took a moment and read through Teddy’s records:

• 1st Grade: Teddy shows promise with his work and attitude, but poor home situation.
• 2nd Grade: Teddy could do better. Mother is seriously ill. He receives little help at home.
• 3rd Grade: Teddy is a good boy but too serious. He is a slow learner. Unfortunately his mother died this year.
• 4th Grade: Teddy is very slow, but well-behaved. His father shows no interest.

For Christmas that year the students in Miss Thompson’s class brought her Christmas presents. Teddy’s gift was wrapped in brown paper, and written on it were the simple words, “For Miss Thompson from Teddy.”  When she opened Teddy’s present, out fell a gaudy rhinestone bracelet, with half the stones missing, and a bottle of cheap perfume.

The other boys and girls began to giggle and smirk over Teddy’s gifts, but Miss Thompson silenced them by putting on the bracelet and putting some of the perfume on her wrist.  Holding her wrist up for the other children to smell, she said, “Doesn’t it smell lovely?” The children, taking their cue from their teacher, began to agree with “oo’s” and “ah’s.”

At the end of the day

When school was over and the other children had left, Teddy came over to her desk and said softly,

Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother, and her bracelet looks real pretty on you, too. I’m glad you liked my presents.

When Teddy left, Miss Thompson hung her head and asked God to forgive her. From that moment Miss Thompson became a different person. She was now a person committed to loving her children and doing things for them that would live on after they left her class. She helped all the children, but especially Teddy Stallard.

By the end of that school year, Teddy showed dramatic improvement.  He had caught up with most of the students and was even ahead of some.

She didn’t hear from Teddy for a long time.  Then one day she received a note,

Dear Miss Thompson,
I wanted you to be the first to know.  I will be graduating from high school this week, and I’m second in my class.
Love, Teddy Stallard

Four years later, another note came:

Dear Miss Thompson,
This just told me I will be graduating first in my class.  I wanted you to be the first to know. The university has not been easy, but I liked it.
Love, Teddy Stallard

And four years later:

Dear Miss Thompson,
As of today, I am Theodore Stallard, M.D.  How about that?  I wanted you to be the first to know.  I am getting married next month, the 27th to be exact.  I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive.  You are the only family I have now; Dad died last year.
Love, Teddy Stallard

The wedding

Miss Thompson went to that wedding and sat where Teddy’s mother would have sat.  He wanted her to sit there; she had done something for him that he would never forget. And a boy named Teddy did something for a 5th grade teacher named Miss Thompson that she would never forget.

It was a rough moment

I stood holding my 2-year-old son and my 1-year-old daughter. They were crying. My mom was standing in front of me with a smile on her face, shaking her head. Just then, one of them barfed all over me. My mom laughed and said,

Payback’s a mutha, Joel

She wasn’t being mean; she was referring to the fact that I was now experiencing the reality of parenting. When I was younger I thought I knew more about parenting, along with everything else in life, than my parents did. I didn’t.

When you’re inexperienced, there’s a tendency to think you know more than you do. You think you can handle the associated duties and responsibilities, and even do a better job than those who have preceded you. You won’t, at least not at first.

The learning curve

Anything meaningful has time, understanding, discovery, and learning associated with it. Zeal to do something must be combined with the cost of gaining the knowledge of how to do it. This applies to things as simple as having a pet, to things as precious as parenting, but also to the calling and purposes God has for your life.

God told Elijah to choose Elisha as the prophet who would follow him. When Elijah saw Elisha he put his mantle on him. The mantle was a symbol of the prophet’s calling and authority. However, we know that Elijah did not leave his mantle on the fledgling prophet because we read later that as Elijah was still wearing his mantle as he was being taken up to heaven.

What ensued between Elisha’s first encounter with Elijah and his last, was experience. He watched and learned as Elijah dealt with the likes of Jezebel and Ahab, and other situations. He gained understanding. He gained wisdom. He found out who God was, and who he wasn’t.

Experiencing attack and victory

Being at the beginning of God’s calling and purposes for your life is exciting, but it can be overwhelming. You can sense God is setting you a part to do something, while wondering how it could ever happen. Then somewhere in the process of moving forward, there enters anxiety that’s compounded by an accusatory voice saying,

Payback’s a mutha!

Only this voice is not from a mother in jest, it’s from the Enemy of your soul, trying to get you to stop, give up, and quit. He reminds you of why you’re not qualified, and of all the things you’ve done that disqualify you. But there is another voice encouraging you to keep going. It’s the voice of God telling you that you have what it takes, and you’re going to do phenomenal things.

While there are always areas we can gain more experience in, the amazing thing about God is that He has set us up for success and victory. He prepares us for what’s ahead. He corrects in us what’s wrong. And then He keeps us moving forward for the greatest payback of all time: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Maybe it’s happened to you

I was talking with a young person a few weeks ago. They introduced an older couple to me. I then made the classic foot-in-the-mouth mistake of asking, “Are these your grandparents?” To which the person responded, “No (you idiot!), these are my parents.” Haven’t seen them since.

As awkward as this was, it made me wonder if this ever happened to Isaac in the Old Testament. Think about it, Isaac is with his buddies playing soccer when old Abe walks up (100 years older than Isaac). One of his buddies asks, “Hey Isaac, is this your great grandpa?” “No (you shmuck!), this is my dad!”

It’s hard to imagine how Abraham must have felt to find out from God that he was to have a son so late in life. And not just any son, but a son who would begin the lineage of a great nation from whom Jesus Christ would eventually come. God promised that Abraham and Sarah would have children, even though they both were well beyond childbearing years.

Responding to the promise

We know that Sarah laughed when she heard the news (Gen. 18:12). But Abraham had a very different response…

Abraham did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, because he was fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. (Romans 4:20-21)

Abraham had the perfect opportunity to doubt God. At 99 years of age and having been waiting for the promise of a son, it would’ve been natural for him to get discouraged and say, “God has forgotten me! He failed to keep His promise! He has strung me along for all these years and I’m done trusting Him!”

That’s probably how you or I would have acted, but not Abraham. Romans 4:21 says that Abraham was…

…fully convinced that what God had promised He was also able to perform.

The words “fully convinced” in the Greek were actually used to describe a ship coming into harbor under full sail. This would be a ship with no engines to control or slow it, but coming in confident and fast. Not fearing rocks, or weather, or other obstacles. It’s a picture of a vessel bravely going where it was intended to go.

Bold adventures of faith

Abraham was so convinced of God’s ability to keep His promises that to him it was as sure as an absolute fact. Even though things in the natural were contrary to what was being hoped for, Abraham was strengthened in faith to believe for the impossible.

I just talked to a man yesterday who has been going through 15 years of storms and high seas. Some were no fault of his, while others were brought on by his own bad choices. As a young man he had several prophecies spoken over him about the Lord having great plans for his life. However, as the years went on he tried to run. But after 15 years of struggles, God has restored this man’s faith, and given him a “fully convinced” faith in what was promised. This man fully believes that the Lord is going to do all that He’s promised in spite of the delays. This is his favorite verse…

I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

No matter where you’re at in life, and no matter what you may or may not be fully convinced of, God’s promises are sure! Be fully convinced of what God has promised and watch it play out in your live. Even if your response at times may have been like Sarah—laughing at the promises of God, it’s never to late to respond like Abraham—standing undeterred on the promises of God, and coming into the harbor under full sail!

“Deer!!!”

My friend yelled as he suddenly hit the brakes on the truck. “Where?” I asked, looking out the window. “There!” he pointed, then added, “Whoa! They’re big!  And there’s a buck! Amazing!!!”

I was looking, but saw nothing. “Where do you see them?” I asked, getting a little frustrated. “They’re right over there” he said with an impatient sigh (making me feel like a wildlife novice). Finally he got a little more specific as to the location, then I saw the deer. Sure enough there were four does and one big buck standing there looking at us.

Can’t See What’s Seen?

Ever experienced the frustration of not seeing something that somebody else does? Or, the equal frustration of you being able to see something that others can’t?  Either side of the equation is annoying.  The Apostle Paul experienced this.

The Holy Spirit was showing Paul unbelievable things.  He was shown how amazing God’s grace and justification were. He saw how God was had included the Gentiles in His great plans and purposes.  But when he told people about what he was seeing, they didn’t get it.  So he would say things like…

I pray that your eyes are focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers. (Ephesians 1:18, The Message)

It’s like God was yelling through Paul, “Whoa! Can’t you see this???!!!”  But unlike my friend, God doesn’t impatiently point in the general direction wondering why we’re such novices. By His Spirit inside of us, He pulls our heads in the right direction so our spiritual eyes can focus on what’s important. He then says, “Look right over there. How amazing is that???!!!”

Saw Thousands of Miles, but Can’t See Five Miles

About 350 years ago a shipload of pilgrims landed on the northeast coast of America. The first year they established a town site. The next year they elected a town government. The third year the town government planned to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness. In the fourth year the people tried to impeach their town government because they thought it was a waste of public funds to build a road five miles westward, thereby expanding the city. They exclaimed…

Who needs to go there anyway?

Here were people who had the vision to see three thousand miles across an ocean, and overcome great hardships to get there. But in just a few years they were not able to see even five miles out of town. They had lost their pioneering vision.

Where there is no vision or prophetic insight, the people lose focus and purpose. (Proverbs 29:18, JHP)

With no spiritual insight of what we can do and/or become in Christ, even the smallest obstacle poses a serious threat to our growth and success. But with eyes of faith that are focused with prophetic insight and vision, and see beyond circumstances, no ocean of difficulty is too great!

One afternoon, my dad and I were talking about the doctrine of grace. He said something I’ll never forget,

People are born legalists

He went on to explain that it’s human nature to compare ourselves with others. We look for things that disqualify others, choking them off from God’s grace…and ours!

What chokes the flow of giving generously?

The answer is grudges. Not huge ones, but little ones that subtly hinder our generosity. Grudges where we view others as less deserving. Or grudges towards those who have more than we think they need or deserve. Either way, we like to compare ourselves with others, and then withhold our generosity from them.

In his sermon, “The Terms of Prayer,” Jonathan Edwards gave three reasons why we withhold blessings from others: envy, contempt, and resentment.

Envy

Envy is withholding blessings from others in order to preserve my own standing. We like to be distinguished. We like to be superior to others. We want to stand out. We we want to be happier than others, so we begrudge others, lest they match or exceed us. Or we twist our envy in the other direction because we perceive others have more happiness than us. So what need is there for us to share? Either way, envy chokes off generosity.

Contempt

Contempt is more personal. It’s a withholding of blessings from others because we see them as unworthy. We see things wrong in their lives makes them underserving. This subtle contempt of looking down on others chokes off generosity.

Resentment

Resentment causes us to withhold blessings from others because they have wronged us. Once we have been wronged, we may not look for opportunities to return wrongs, but we often stop looking for opportunities to bless. Thus resentment is effective at choking off generosity.

God is not envious of us. He has no contempt towards us. And He holds no resentment towards us. Though we are totally unworthy and disqualified, God’s generosity to us is never choked off. And that’s the message of the gospel, to show us the generous riches of God’s infinite and boundless grace.

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

God withholds nothing from us, shouldn’t we be as generous?

Generosity is more than tithing, and more than just giving money. Tithing isn’t necessarily a sign of grace. It can be very legalistic. A stingy person can give ten percent. Ten percent is good, but that’s not the point. The point is to be generous.

The issue is giving generously. One of the effects of the gospel going deeper into our souls is that it frees our fingers to loosen their grasp on our stuff. Generosity is one of the great evidences of being a Christian.

We may be born stingy legalists, but when the gift of God’s grace opens our souls—and with it our hands, and we become generous givers!

Way before she was born

Two and half years ago my daughter and son-in-law gave my wife and me some amazing news: “We’re gonna have a baby!!!”

It wasn’t long before we began making preparations. Rooms in both our houses were converted to fully appointed nurseries. Car seats and strollers were carefully chosen, purchased and put in our cars. We got the cutest clothes and shoes we could find. We stocked our kitchens with the healthiest foods available.

And there were lots of personal embellishments; you know, those little things that give a special touch. Things like homemade linens for the crib, specially selected outfits for the homecoming, artwork in the nursery done specially by a family member, etc. These kinds of things took our preparation from just being ready to welcoming this special new addition to our family.

Then came the day…Poppy Yael Pester was born!

What a joyful day that was! She was the most incredibly perfect, beautiful little baby ever! And since that day, two years later, Poppy has never had to worry about a thing. Every one of her needs was carefully thought through and prepared for way ahead of time.

We didn’t provide what Poppy needed out of a sense of duty. We did it because of our love. It’s the kind of love that makes sure everything is covered. Nothing missing, no corners cut, and definitely nothing low quality.

When you love someone it’s just natural to want to give them things. That’s exactly what we did for Poppy. And that’s exactly what God did for you.

Done before you were born

The Bible tells us in several places that God not only knows us while we are still in our mother’s womb (Is. 49:1; Gal. 1:15), but He knows us before we were even formed in our mother’s womb (Jer. 1:5). And before we were formed, God already loved us and chose us.

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ. (Ephesians 1:4, NLT)

That’s amazing news! But it gets even better! Way before you were born, way before the world was made, and way before anything good or bad could happen; God already provided everything you could possibly need. You don’t need to worry about a thing. Not believing this is actually dangerous.

For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” (Hebrews 4:3, NKJV)

God got angry with those who didn’t believe that He had taken care of everything for them. But for us who will trust that He has, we can experience rest. There’s nothing to worry about. There’s nothing to stress over. Every one of our needs was carefully thought through and prepared for way ahead of time!

David could sense the guys were a little nervous

The cave they ventured further into was gigantic and dark. “It’s okay,” David assured them. “I’ve been in this cave a few times. I’ve had to rescue some of my sheep from in here.” He went on to say, “And, I can guarantee you there aren’t any lions or bears in here. I’ve killed them all!”  Someone quipped, “Yeah, and now you can add a giant to the list.”  They all laughed.

The men breathed a little easier. It wasn’t long before they were all asleep. They needed to rest. But David couldn’t sleep. His mind raced with all the horrible things King Saul had done and said to him. It was so confusing. David never meant anything to hurt, offend, or anger Saul. In fact, he loved Saul and his son Jonathan. But now Saul and his whole army were hunting him like animal.

The son of Jesse was branded an outlaw

“Those who hate me without cause are more than the hairs of my head.”
(Psalms 69:4)

David tossed and turned.  He lay staring up at the torchlight reflections on roof of the cave. A song he had written in a cave came back to his memory…

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
(Psalm 27:1)

Then a couple more songs came to his mind.  He began to sing them,

“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you…” (Psalm 56:3)
“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth…” (Psalm 121:2)

The acoustics in the cave were amazing

David’s beautiful voice was now ringing through the cave. He was starting to feel better. The men were listening to their leader; they loved it when he sang.

Suddenly the torchlight was put out. The man on watch whispered loudly, “Quiet!” David worked his way over to the watchman’s post. The watchman pointed toward the entrance of the cave. There was someone there. Reflections off the armor gave away that it was soldier. David and his men watched as the man made his way into the cave and laid down. In a few moments they could hear him snoring.

They moved closer to the sleeping soldier. There was enough light coming from the cave’s entrance that they could make out the man’s clothing.  They could tell by the colors of his garments and the ornate embellishments on his armor that this was no ordinary soldier. Then David spotted his sword. He knew who it was, and so did all of the men who were with him.

“Slit his throat!” one of them said. David stood staring King Saul sleeping. He moved near him and pulled his knife out of the sheave. The men were thrilled as they expected to see Saul killed. But David cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

The guys were totally confused. David quietly moved to the back of the cave.  The men could hear him talking to himself.

“I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
(Psalm 23:4–5)

David knew God would help and protect him

This was not something he learned that moment, nor had it just occurred to him.  He knew how God had watched over him in countless other dangerous situations, and knew He would watch over him now.

You might not be in a literal cave, but you feel surrounded by darkness. The enemy threatens from the shadows. Fear and confusion are growing. But the same God who protected David, and everyone else who has learned to trust Him, is with you and will never leave you!

So go ahead, give God praise! Do it out loud. Let it become a song. You’ll be amazed at the acoustics in your cave!

God has been speaking to Kathie and me about sowing financial seeds. Last month we took money that normally would’ve been spent on non-essential items (surprisingly a lot), and gave it to various people as the Lord directed us. We put the cash in cards, wrote some things the Holy Spirit had directed us to write, sealed the envelopes, and gave it away.

Thinking we would hear back with great words of appreciation (only one person sent us a thank you card), we moped around in disappointment. Then God spoke to us…

“This wasn’t about them. It was about you.”

This challenging act of obedience for us led to a breakthrough in our thinking. And it’s a lesson every Believer must learn: cultivating a heart that is willing and obedient where giving is concerned, regardless of the recipient’s response.

How we give goes to the core of our character. Are we a cheerful giver, or do we give with reluctance? The Word says God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7), but why? Because giving cheerfully demonstrates that our hearts are in our giving. It shows that we aren’t just giving out of obligation, but because we love God and want to bless Him.

Giving doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Like everything in His kingdom, God works through relationships. He wants us to be a bless others, and be blessed by others. However it’s the sowing of blessings into other people that sets us up to receive the harvest of blessings back.

“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22)

This law of seedtime and harvest governs the Kingdom of God. For this reason, we must not selfishly hoard what we receive. Instead, we need to get in the flow of God’s system of doing things so we are in a position to experience the reaping of real blessing.

The simple act of giving has the power to multiply blessings

Giving freely opens us up to receive far more than what was given. We can’t judge our giving as losing something. When we give, we are actually sowing an expression of love into another person’s life. And God takes into account every act of sincerity and love. He is looking at whether we give with strings attached, or if we don’t care if we ever get anything in return.

“One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:24, 25, NIV)

Don’t think that sowing or giving to someone comes only in the form of money. Any seed we sow with a loving and giving heart will reap a harvest. It doesn’t have to be financial. The words we speak, and our actions, are also seeds.

Whatever a man sows, he will also reap

We will reap a harvest of joy if we sow joy. We will reap a harvest of peace if we sow peace. When we sow into another’s life, we are, in essence, sowing God into their lives.

Working to get our hearts right when it comes to giving is a continual process. It involves aligning our motives with the Word, and changing our thinking regarding loving others the way God commands. Love is the key to experiencing fulfillment and satisfaction, and should be the motivation behind every seed we sow.

When you allow yourself to be released to give, you will be challenged to overcome your flesh. Kathie and I were certainly challenged when God spoke to us to sow our money. However, if you obey His instructions, the return will be more than anything you could imagine…including thank you cards.

There are always things to do

It seems never ending all the little projects there are around the house to fix, install, or upgrade. It’s nice to have that sense of fulfillment when you’re done with something, not to mention accolades from someone who noticed. But the best reward is getting the project right.

One project that I find particularly tricky is hanging curtain rods. They have to be the right height, positioned correctly, and level. The combination of those things is critical, and it all hinges on the proper mounting of the curtain rod hangers. The hangers have to be strong, and they have to be in the right place. Not strong enough and the curtains come down. Not in the right place and the curtains can’t do their job.

Jesus was asked a trick question

The religious Jews didn’t like Jesus. He threatened them. So they sent one of their best minds, a lawyer, who asked Jesus a tough question…

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36–40, NLT)

Besides the micdrop on the smug lawyer, Jesus reveals an incredibly important principle: everything in God’s kingdom hangs between and on love. On one side there’s our love for God. And on the other side there’s our love for people.

If you love God, but not people, or vice versa, you love is not real. (“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar.” 1 John 4:20). But there’s even more at stake.

Back to the curtain rod

Envision a curtain rod with curtains hanging on it. The curtains are beautiful, colorful, and useful. They represent all the things that are ours through Jesus: salvation, faith, worship, ministry, etc. Yet, they are totally dependent on the on the two rod hangers, which represent the love mentioned earlier: our love for God, and our love for others. If the curtain is used without both sides being strong, the whole thing fails.

The wonderful thing is that God is the one who places these two essential elements of love in our lives. We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), and then as a result we love others (1 John 3:14). He sets His love in our lives as anchor points for everything else, and this is something only He can do.

No wonder hanging curtains is so difficult.