Don’t just "enjoy" your youth

As the years have gone by and my number of birthdays has increased, I’m learning a few hard lessons about being middle-aged.  Do any of these sound familiar?

·       I’m not as young as I used to be
·       I don’t bounce back as quickly as I used to
·       I didn’t realize how good my younger body actually was

When I was in my teens and twenties, I often took solace in a verse from one of Paul’s letters to his protégé, Timothy.  After traveling and ministering under Paul for many years and a number of mission trips, Paul gave Timothy a specific, and certainly challenging, assignment – to stay put and lead the Christian church in the city of Ephesus.

Ephesus was a true melting pot of cultures because it was a major port city on the western edge of modern-day Turkey.  Commerce from all over the world passed through Ephesus, and the people who brought the goods also brought their cultures, beliefs, and religious practices with them.

Although Paul believed Timothy was ready for this role, after some time, Paul wrote two letters of encouragement – we refer to these as 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy.  Now Timothy was on the younger side, likely late 20s to early 30s when Paul wrote to him.  Not quite as young as when I grabbed ahold of this verse, but Timothy was still pretty young to be THE GUY leading the church in the crazy town of Ephesus.  Here’s the verse I used to build up my self-esteem in those early years (in the NIV84 translation I had at that time):

1 Tmothy 4:12
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young

I mean, doesn’t this phrase just drip with encouragement for any young person in the church?  After remembering this verse, I’d mentally puff out my chest and think, “Yeah, I can do important stuff for God, too!  Don’t look down on me and write me off because of my age!”

But what I didn’t recognize at the time…I wasn’t quoting the whole verse, because what you read above is just a snippet of what Paul was communicating.  Here’s the whole idea, with the snippet in context:

1 Timothy 4:12-16
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.  Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.  Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.  Watch your life and doctrine closely.  Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Paul’s advice isn’t just about not getting down on yourself because “everybody thinks I’m too young to do anything”.  People may have that opinion of you as a youngster, but he’s not advocating that we overcome with a self-indulgent pep-talk. 

Instead, Paul says we have work to do.  We are to set an example – and not one of just being a nice person.  Our example shows up in our speech, how we conduct our life, our faith, and our purity.  Paul doesn’t say just be “good” at one of these things and be “working on” the rest.  No, he says we should be at an example-level for all to see.

These qualities will only develop as we devote ourselves to Scripture, preaching, and teaching.  Timothy should not neglect his gift…he can’t expect to skate by on what God has naturally gifted him to do (and neither should we!).  Diligence is necessary for godly development; we have to let people see our progress.  Our perseverance will not only save us from trouble and being unproductive – our efforts will also rescue those under our care from those same things!

If I were to boil down Paul’s advice to Timothy, it would be this:
Don’t just enjoy your youth, leverage it.  Make eternal investments, don’t waste the time we have.

Oh, and one last thing – Don’t read this, shrug your shoulders, and think this passage doesn’t apply to you.  Don’t tell me that you’re “not a youth”, but you know someone who needs to hear this.  That’s a cop-out.  That’s lazy thinking.  If you ask someone who’s 100 years old, you are still young.  So, what are you going to do with the time you have?

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Long-term ROI

Ever wish you could have gone back in time and invested in a then little-known stock that was oddly called “Amazon”?  Back in 1997, Amazon was an online bookstore that was trying its hardest to prove you don’t need brick-and-mortar locations to sell books.  If you had grabbed on to that early vision and bought $500 of its $18/share stock and simply held on to that investment, here’s how you would have fared:

·       The stock has split four times, meaning your initial investment price is now $0.075/share.
·       Due to these splits, every one of your initial shares has become 240 shares.
·       On December 29, 2025, the share price closed at $232.07, which means the current value of your shares is now $1,508,535.
·       You have received an ROI (return on investment) of 301,607% !

Back in 1997, you never would have guessed that your modest investment into an online bookstore would end up with the world-wide reach and global impact that Amazon has scaled to now…but you would have still reaped the profits, even though you didn’t see them coming when you invested.

There’s a guy in the Bible who also made an investment that may have seemed a little risky, but also reasonable at the time, and yet his investment later became staggeringly profitable in ways that I’m certain he never saw coming.

When you read the leading verses to the New Testament books of Luke and Acts, you find the same person mentioned – Theophilus.  Most scholars believe he was the patron of Luke, the one who financed and supported the writing of these two books.  Writing a book of this length was quite expensive in the ancient world, because of the time and resources needed.  It was also common to dedicate the commissioned work back to the patron who supported it.  Take a look at the beginnings of both books:

Luke 1:1-4
Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed them down to us.  So it also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.

Acts 1:1-2
I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day He was taken up, after He had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.

Luke’s aim was so that Theophilus would know the certainty of the things about which [he had] been instructed.  It’s quite likely that Theophilus was a new believer and he wanted to know everything he could about Jesus’ earthly ministry.  Putting yourself in that position, it would make sense to commission a trusted, educated man like Luke to carefully investigate the stories about Jesus.  Having a historical record on hand would also provide the opportunity to commission copies of the books to be distributed out to a wider audience.

However, I’m pretty certain that Theophilus did not expect these two books to be included in the New Testament cannon.  However, God knew the full impact of the commissioned works.  Just think about the larger impact the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts has had:

·       They have been cherished, read, and studied by believers for nearly 2000 years
·       Every Christmas season features Luke 2 as the central passage describing the birth of Jesus.
·       The historical details which Luke included in both books have provided significant evidence supporting the accuracy of Scripture as a whole.

Those are just a small portion of the books’ history-making impact, created by Theophilus’ funding of a project that he likely expected to be for him and for perhaps a few others in his time.  There’s no way he would have predicted the global, historical influence of his investment.

My thoughts from this example come back to us… What are we investing in now for God that He could use to make a generational-level, even historical-level impact?  Are we intentionally funding those who create content that tells others about who Jesus is, what He did, and what He taught? 

I don’t have any idea what else Theophilus did with his money, but I am thankful that he spent some of what God entrusted him with on an investment into God’s people.  It wouldn’t have been a small sum of money, either.  I’m sure there were other things he could have bought, too.  But by choosing to invest in God’s Kingdom, Theophilus’ ROI is greater than he could have ever imagined… and his investment is still going!

So, again, I have to ask: Where in the Kingdom of God are we investing?

Trust God with your investment, and let’s see Him expand the reach greater than we can imagine!

Keep Pressing,
Ken

It’s not going fast enough

Last weekend, I put a lot of work into our lawn.  I borrowed a friend’s lawn tractor and pull-behind aerator.  I methodically drove all over our grass, pulling up plugs of dirt.  There are many benefits to doing this – improved drainage; loosening of any compacted soil; allowing water, air, and nutrients to penetrate deeper into the soil; and the stimulation of grass root development so you have a thicker, healthier lawn.  After aerating, I then spread grass seed, fertilizer, and lime.  It was several hours of effort to do all this work, even on our small-size lot.  I definitely felt a bit tired that evening, and even had a little arm soreness the next day due to pushing the spreader for laps around our grass.

On Monday, I was looking out one of our back windows at the lawn, feeling a little pride in the effort I had given over the previous days.  I then jokingly quipped to my wife, “Why don’t I see any grass yet?  I put in all that work, why hasn’t it all grown up by now?”

Although my questions were asked with my tongue firmly in my cheek, there was a little bit of familiarity to the impatient feeling that I was mocking.  How many times do we begin to put in effort on long-term projects, only to quit out of frustration that we’re not seeing results fast enough?  How many of these sound familiar?

·       I lifted weights this morning, how come my biceps aren’t bigger and stronger?
·       I ate a super healthy salad for lunch, why don’t I see my abs?
·       I’ve been putting money all year into my retirement account, how come it isn’t fully funded yet?

Ok, so maybe you’re not that impractical.  Let’s try these, instead:

·       No matter how many times I talk to my daughter, she still struggles.  I don’t know what to do next.
·       Being fully open and honest with our customers is cutting into our bottom line.  Maybe I don’t have to tell them everything.
·       I’m tired of taking care of things around the house without being recognized or appreciated.  Maybe I’ll just quit doing it until someone notices.

When we don’t see an immediate return on our efforts, it’s easy to want to throw in the towel and coast.  And, short-term, there may not be any immediate consequences.  However, we need to take the long-term view to see clearly…and I’m not talking about a decades-long viewpoint, either.  By “long-term” we need to be viewing life from an eternal perspective.

I find it interesting that Paul says this to the believers in Galatia:

Galatians 6:2
Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

He then says a few verses later:

Galatians 6:9-10
Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.

The law of Christ refers back to Jesus stating the greatest commandment – to love God and love others as yourself (Mark 12:29-31).  We fulfill Jesus’ expectation of His followers as we take care of one another. 

The incredible thing is that Jesus doesn’t just tell us to do this “Because He said so”.  Instead, we will reap a reward from God as a result of following Jesus’ example.  While some people have recoiled at this, claiming it’s improper to think that God would have to “bribe” us to do good things.  To that line of thought, I would simply ask: “Do you not reward your children for a job well done?  Do you bless them and give them greater opportunities as they show themselves capable and worthy?”  God is treating us in the same manner.

However, there is an important stipulation to this reward…it’s not immediate.  Note what Paul says – Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.  God has in mind a proper time to give us the reward, and that will only come if we don’t give up.  Persistence (continuing to give the same level of energy) and perseverance (continuing when challenges arise) are key to obtaining God’s rewards. 

Notice, too, there is no indication that perfection is needed…but we need to keep the long-term mindset in order to keep on loving God and loving others, even if we don’t see immediate results.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Flashback Favorite - How to be rich and live richly

Now that we know we’re rich…what are we to do with our wealth?

How to be rich and live richly

Originally posted on April 06, 2017

We discovered last time that we’re rich.  Richly rich.  That if we make over $32,400 per year ($15.59/hour)…we’re in the top 1% of the world.  But we also found out that no matter what our income amounts to, we shouldn’t feel guilty that we have wealth, because God richly provides us with all things to enjoy. 

God gives good gifts, and gifts are given for the enjoyment of the one receiving it.  Maybe someone got a better gift than you, and it doesn’t seem fair…however, our jealousy tends to evaporate once we expand our comparison circle to include the rest of the world.

So now that we know we’re rich, what do we do?

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught:

Matthew 6:19-21
Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.  But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

A few observations:
·        Jesus gave no indication that being wealthy in this life (or the next) is wrong.
·        What is considered valuable now is not going to be what is considered valuable in the next life.
·        How we obtain wealth in this life is not how we store up treasures for the next life.

During his ministry, Jesus met many rich folks who didn’t handle their wealth very well in light of eternity.  A few examples include the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22), also the Pharisees and their scribes (Luke 5:29-31).  The rich were also featured in Jesus’ parables as bad examples of how to live life in the present age (Luke 12:13-21, Luke 16:19-31, and Luke 18:9-14).

So, what should us rich 1%ers do?  What does God consider the right way to handle the wealth He’s given us?

Paul addressed that topic in his instructions to Timothy:

1 Timothy 6:17-19
Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. 

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the age to come, so that they may take hold of life that is real.

Being rich in the age to come means being other-focused in the present age.  Whether we make $15,000 a year or $1,500,000 a year – what we do with what God has given us will determine the foundation of our lives in the next life.

That thought just blows me away, so dwell on it for just a moment with me.  Everything in this life is building *only* the foundation for our lives in eternity.  What we build, the work we do, the experiences we will have in the next life…are going to be based upon the choices we make in the present age.

My mentor, Joe, would tell me often “This life is just boot camp for the next.”  C.S. Lewis wrote that our present lives are simply the cover and the title page…when we enter Eternity future, we will begin Chapter 1 of the Great Story that never ends, where each chapter is better than the one before.

Partnering with God now affects how we can partner with God in Eternity.  We should absolutely enjoy the gifts God has given us, but don’t enjoy them selfishly.  Do good.  Be rich in good works.  Be generous.  Be willing to share.

Lay a good foundation for the age to come.  Find and take hold of life that is real.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

How to see the good

There’s a lot of negative vying for our attention.  Election ads have been in our face for months.  Constant worries about the rapid swings in the stock market, the jobless claims reports, and individual company earnings.  Closer to home, we’ve all seen small businesses in our communities decide to close permanently – perhaps you’re one of them that had to make that painful choice.  And then there’s a pandemic to deal with.  2020 just seems to bring one hit after another.  No one has been left unaffected.  Families are struggling, churches are struggling, communities are struggling…leaders, governments, and nations – struggle, struggle, and struggle.

I’d say it feels a little overwhelming at times, but that wouldn’t be an honest statement.  Truthfully, it feels INCREDIBLY overwhelming A LOT of the time.  There’s so much negative and so much muck to wade through…where’s God while we’re in the midst of all this?

My church recently reopened for in-person services (with COVID protocols in place), and I was able to teach in the large group meeting for the elementary-age kids.  I’ve been doing it for years, and it was so good to be back with them again.  And it was in their lesson that I found the answer to our problem question of Where’s God in all this mess?

The verse their lesson focused on was one that most of us Christians would be familiar with.  Prepare yourself to not be shocked by which verse I’m about to quote.  It’s not taken from some obscure Old Testament passage.  There’s no deep-dive into the Greek words needed to figure out what Paul was saying.  God made this one easy for us…so easy, a child can apply it:

Philippians 4:8
Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is lovely, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy – dwell on these things.

Yep, that’s it.  Class dismissed.

Well, not quite.

I couldn’t just leave them with a simple thought of you know, you should just think about the good stuff even when bad stuff is happening…so after I talked about this verse, I gave them a very simple way to apply it:

I pointed out how every month, our elementary kids program focuses on a memory verse.  I explained to them that if they want to apply what Paul is saying in Philippians 4:8, then they need to learn their memory verse.  I told them how when I was their age, because of my mom, I memorized verses too.  And many of the verses I learned when I was their size are still burned into my brain.

If I need a verse that reminds me of how much God loves me, I have that (John 3:16-17).  If I need to be reminded that God’s path is best, then I know that, too (Proverbs 3:5-6).  When the Holy Spirit needs to kick me in the rear and remind me that I’m supposed to intentionally love others, He brings to mind 1 John 4:7-8.

However, memorizing Scripture isn’t just a kid’s activity.  I’ve continued it well into my adult life.  I’ve added verses like Genesis 1:1, Proverbs 22:29, and 2 Corinthians 5:10.  I’ve also learned to quote several verses together so I can grab hold of a complete God-thought on a subject – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and I’m currently working a chunk of verses found in Philippians 1:20-30.  Right now, I’ve made through verse 27 and will add 28 soon.  I’ve also memorized Titus.  Not just a verse or passage, but all of it. 

Before you put me on a pedestal of any level, hear me out.  Titus isn’t very long, just 46 verses.  At the time I was working on it, I was driving over an hour, one-way, to work each day.  My radio was lousy.  Satellite radio and streaming music wasn’t a thing back then.  So spending time during each drive memorizing Scripture broke up the monotony of driving the same roads for 3+ years.  It took many months to get the entire book down, but it was time well spent.  Over the years, God has honored that investment in more ways that I can recount in this post.

Again, I do not admit these things to build myself up or to look good in your eyes.  Instead, I want you to realize that Scripture memorization is both possible and beneficial…just like I was conveying to the elementary-age kids (for the record, I didn’t tell them about Titus, just the first 3 verses I listed above).

Having Scripture at the front of our brain and the tip of our tongue will help us keep perspective in a world that constantly feels like everything is upside-down and spinning sideways.  Having Scripture handy helps us dwell on the good things that God has all around us.  And lastly, having Scripture memorized fulfills what Paul wrote to another group of believers:

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Memorizing Scripture will renew your mind and transform your thinking…only then, with clear thoughts, can we discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Yeah, it’s easier to memorize when you’re younger, but that’s no excuse not to start now.  Better yet, help a child memorize a verse and you’ll end up learning it, too.  Maybe you’ll be the one that inspires them to have God’s Word burned into their brain for the rest of their life.

Keep Pressing,
Ken  

Flashback Favorite - When we fall

Sometimes, we need a reminder that once you’re in God’s family, He’s not going to kick you out…

When we fall
originally posted on August 10, 2017

In 2004, I moved my family to a new state, 1500 miles away from what we knew as home.  The job I was going to was one that I had done before, so I was completely confident that I could hit the ground running.  I was excited to use my skillset in a new environment and among new people.  Of course, before they turned me loose, I had a training program to complete.  What I thought was going to be no big deal ended up having a few bumps in the road.

Maybe it was the time off between jobs, maybe it was nervousness…but I found myself making little mistakes that either made it more difficult to complete the task at hand or it meant that the testing was invalid and had to be repeated.  Internally, I was getting really frustrated with myself.  Externally, I would make weak attempts at joking as I would blame the mistakes on me trying to “knock the rust off”.  But the mistakes kept happening at a pace that made me uncomfortable, and I knew people were watching.

I began to wonder if there was some “unofficial limit” as to how many mistakes I could make before they would just give up on me.  I was being brought in to not only perform testing and provide expertise, but I was also going to be leading my own team.  “How can a supposed leader make this many mistakes?” I worried.  We were new in town, without any family nearby.  What would happen to us if I continued to muck things up and my worst fear was realized?

After one particularly frustrating mistake, looked at my trainer and asked how many more of these was I allowed before they kicked me out.  She just laughed as she walked away and said, “Don’t worry, Ken.  We’re not going to throw you overboard.  We’ve invested too much money in you to do that.” 

Now to her, I’m sure it was just a minor comment.  Too me, it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted.  And then I realized…she was right.  This company had paid for our move and given us three months of short-term housing – they had invested a lot in me and expected to get a return.  They were willing to put up with a few do-overs, especially in training, as I learned the ropes and re-focused my skills.  Because of their patience, I was able to succeed in a variety of roles for the company, even ones that I couldn’t have foreseen at that initial time.

We have the same worries in our relationship with God, don’t we?  Even after we trust Jesus with our eternal destiny, we’re still going to struggle with sin.  That’s just part of life as a redeemed human being.  But we often wonder…What if I screw up too many times?  What if I really blow it in a big way, with one of those “big” sins?  Will God just toss me aside, because that’s what I would deserve.

I love that God is a realist.

We like to sugar-coat our flaws and exaggerate our strengths, but He sees us exactly as we are.  He’s not surprised when we sin.  He knows we’re not going to live out this new life with Him perfectly.  He loves us and trains us like a perfect parent – with patience, support, and guidance.

In the middle of Psalm 37, David recognizes this truth. 

Psalm 37:23-24
A man’s steps are established by the Lord,
and He takes pleasure in his way.
Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,
because the Lord holds his hand.

An accurate translation of the third line could also read, When he falls, he will not be cast aside.  God knows the path He wants us to walk with Him.  He truly delights in making the journey with us.  And when we fall, He is there to catch us.

Truthfully, He’s invested too much in us to just walk away.  Jesus, the most valuable person in the universe, paid for us to move into God’s family.  The Lord is holding our hand as we walk through this life, learning the ropes and developing our skills.  We are being prepared for life in Eternity Future.  God’s not going to give up on us here.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

You are my proof

I heard the statement recently “The only thing God is building right now on this earth is His church.”  After pondering over this idea for a while, I believe the person saying it was right.  The speaker was driving home an important point: the only things continuing on from this life to the next will be the people who have believed in Jesus for eternal life.  Everything else will be made new (Revelation 21:5).  This doesn’t mean that everything else – careers, homes, sports, buildings, hobbies, etc. – are considered “evil” or “worthless”, because these events are what God uses to develop and grow us.

So this means that the only eternally lasting work we can do is to build up Jesus’ church.  We can accomplish this work through one of two ways: 1) helping unbelievers understand and accept Jesus’ free offer of eternal life, or 2) encourage and develop those who already believe.

There are many ways to accomplish either of those pursuits; however, we also have to recognize that our time on earth is limited…which means we want to make the most of our time, especially when it comes to investing in other believers. 

At times in his letters, Paul expressed concern that he had not invested properly, that those he had shared both the gospel and his life with were not good “proofs” that his time was well spent.  Other times he commended his former pupils on their development after he had invested in them.  Here are just a few examples:

To the believers in Philippi, Paul wrote to encourage their progress in their relationship with God and how well they imitated Jesus to those around them.  He described how their growth was a benefit to them individually and to the further spreading of the gospel…but also to Paul, himself:

Philippians 2:14-16
Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life.  Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing.

When Paul was correcting the believers in the region of Galatia for becoming confused by false teachers, he didn’t question their salvation, but he was concerned about their fruitfulness:

Galatians 4:11, 5:7
I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted…You were running well.  Who prevented you from being persuaded regarding the truth?

When checking up on the believers in Thessalonica, Paul spoke proudly of their progress in faith and love.  He joyfully told them:

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?  Is it not you?  Indeed you are our glory and joy!

When I look at two of Jesus’ most famous parables, The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and The parable of the minas (Luke 19:11-27), I find that Jesus is looking for a good return on His investment of gifts and abilities in each of us.  When we Christians do give an account to Jesus, what else can we give as evidence other than the lives we have ministered to, invested in, and enriched?  After all, Paul was writing to Christians when he said:

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or bad.

Just like in The parable of the talents and The parable of the minas, the master will return and He will evaluate what we have done in His absence.  The judgment seat of Christ is only for believers; unbelievers will be judged at a different time.  As such, the judgement seat of Christ is not a place to determine our eternal destiny, instead it will be the time when Jesus determines our eternal rewards and opportunities to serve in His kingdom in the life to come.

I am proof that Joe Rheney did not run in vain.  I am not the only proof of his efforts, but I will be evidence – and I want to be good proof for a man who loved and invested so much in me.  I will also be proof for any Godly investment made by others at various times in my life – my parents, grandparents, teachers, friends.  Similarly, you are my proof that I did not waste my time blogging my Bible study.  It is my hope and prayer that you find good encouragement, a clear explanation of Scripture, and Godly challenges here.  What return on investment (ROI) is there for God if all I have learned and experienced with Him is kept solely for me?  Put simply: If I am not sharing who God has made me into and what God has taught me, then I am not fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission. 

I know, this is a lot to take in all at once.  And not many churches emphasize this topic.  If this is new to you, or if you are suddenly feeling overwhelmed, here are a few application points to consider:

·       Paul invested in different people for different seasons of life.  Similarly, there will be different seasons when we invest, on God’s behalf, in others.  It’s also likely that we will not always invest in the same way or in the same physical location.
·       If you have children living at home – they are your primary ministry.  Not to say that you can’t or shouldn’t be investing in others, but your children must take priority over all others for this season.
·       The servants in both The parable of the talents and The parable of the minas were responsible for and received rewards based upon how much ROI they had from the master’s initial investment in them.  They were not judged in comparison with each other.  As such, we should not beat ourselves up if we are not “Paul the Apostle” or “Billy Graham”.  Instead, we should focus on being faithful with whatever skills, abilities, finances, and time God has given to us.

Truthfully, this topic can be summed up in just two questions:

Who are you proof for?
and
Who will be your proof that you did not waste God’s investment in you?

Keep Pressing,
Ken

The End is where we begin

Closing out Revelation, we have these last words from Jesus:

Revelation 22:20
He who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

To which John replies:

Revelation 22:20-21
Amen!  Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone.  Amen.

Revelation 21-22 has given us an incredible look at the ultimate destiny of mankind – to dwell with and partner with the Creator of the Universe throughout Eternity!  The mind swims with the possibilities and the opportunities…now that the silent longings of our heart have been confirmed.  Sin, selfishness, and death will be permanently removed.  Relationships will be restored and never broken again.  Creation will be liberated and allowed to flourish.  Best of all – we will have a direct, unhindered relationship with the God of Everything.

When we live with the End in mind, we make choices that make absolutely no sense to the “rational human mind”.  Non-Christians won’t get it.  In fact, Christians who are living with the main goal of being happy in this life won’t understand it, either.  We choose to love even when we’ve been hurt deeply and repeatedly.  We purposely shun sexual immorality.  We choose to quit bad habits and unhealthy lifestyles we’ve been living in for years.  Our words are used to encourage, not tear down.  We find focus and purpose in this life by knowing who God is and how much He loves us.  We do these things because He did them all for us, even when we didn’t deserve it.  So we look forward to the day that Jesus makes good on His promise to come back for us.

But it’s been a little while since He made that promise, hasn’t it?  He didn’t come yesterday, might not come back today…or even in the next 10 years.  He didn’t say when, He just said that He would.  Do we trust Him?

Fortunately, we’ve got some help and direction for what to do when this question comes up:

2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-15
Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days scoffing and following their own evil desires, saying, “Where is His ‘coming’ that He promised?  Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation”…Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.  The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.  Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming.  Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat.  But based on His promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in His sight, at peace.  Also, regard the patience of our Lord as salvation…

Our Lord’s patience means that others still have time to learn about Christ’s death on the cross for the sins of humanity, that God loved them so much that He took the bullet that would have meant Eternal Death for them.  Our Lord’s patience means they have more time to consider who Jesus is and whether or not they accept His free offer of Eternal Life.  So on behalf of our future brothers and sisters, we patiently endure this broken world and look forward to Jesus’ promised coming.

But we’re not to be sitting around, waiting on our rooftops and watching the clouds.  Oh no, we’ve got plenty of work to do – to partner now with Jesus – so that we will be qualified to partner with Him in Eternity Future.  We are alive now because of Christ’s sacrifice; we now live with the aim of eternally working side by side with Him, and working like Him.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Flashback Favorite - Take this step to be like Jesus

I still do this. I’ve memorized, applied, and been able to share a lot of Scripture because this is something I practice.

I highly encourage you to do this, too.

Take this step to be like Jesus
originally posted on November 24, 2016

I’ve heard that a person’s character is defined by who they are when no one else is around.

I’m not 100% sure about that definition…instead, what we do with our time when no one else is around is how we develop our character.

When no one is looking, the choices we make will shape us.  Even the passive choice to “do nothing” has a sculpting effect.  Think of our time as spending cash.  How we spend it – either wasting or investing it – will shape who we are.

Paul knew this quite well, which is why he told Timothy:

1 Timothy 4:7-10
But have nothing to do with irreverent and silly myths.  Rather train yourself in godliness, for,

the training of the body has a limited benefit,
but godliness is beneficial in every way,
since it holds promise for the present life
and also for the life to come.

This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance.  In fact, we labor and strive for this, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, especially of those who believe.

We understand that musicians practice for hours when no one is looking so when it comes time to perform, they do it perfectly.  We get it that basketball players shoot 100s of free throws a week so they’re ready when they’re fouled late in a game and have to step up to the line.

Training happens when no one is looking – it’s intentional work.  Now, earlier in his letter to Timothy, Paul equated godliness with being like Jesus.  But I think we Christians don’t see how important it is for us to labor and strive to be like Jesus.  So, let’s take an intentional step in that direction and see what God does with our time investment.

Jesus was intimately connected to the Scriptures.  On a regular basis, Jesus would quote or reference God’s Word.  Here’s just a couple of ideas to put some of God’s Word directly into your life:

·        Use a verse as a password – every time you log in to an account, say the verse.  “John3:16” or “Psalm100:1” fulfills most password requirements to have a capital letter, lower case letter, number, and special character.  Perhaps your password at work is a reminder of being faithful or diligent, like Colossians3:23 or Proverbs22:29.  Maybe the password for your online bank account is about being wise with money, like Proverbs21:17 or 2Corinthians9:6. [Edit: My info-security friends will want me to tell you to mix it up a bit instead of just using a book of the Bible. Maybe add in a key word or first word from the verse to help you remember, like John3:16For or SkilledPrvb22:29]
·        Have a verse for when you start your car, a “key” verse you need to know.  Proverbs3:5 and Ephesians2:8 would be good choices.
·        Have a verse to repeat whenever you wash your hands.  I learned 1 John 4:7-8 in a tune when I was a kid.  The tune is burned into my memory, so I can “sing” those verses at any time.  As often as I need to wash my hands, I’m reminding myself multiple times per day that loving others is important, and God is the one who loved us first.

It’s ok to pull out your phone to look up the verse so you say it correctly.  And…you don’t have to implement all of these suggestions.  The point is to find one thing in your day that you do repeatedly, and attach a verse to it.  Actively invest your time.  God guarantees that this kind of training will be beneficial both in the present life and also for the life to come.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

One year later - Joe Rheney has relocated to Heaven

I can’t believe that it’s been a year.

What a day that was, too.  The funeral was a wonderful representation of the man himself.  People from all walks of life, who wouldn’t have known each other if not for Joe, came together to celebrate and remember.  There were stories, smiles, unity in grief, and hope-filled relief in knowing Joe had finally reached his goal, to be in the presence of his Creator, face-to-face with Jesus.

Joe would have approved of the service, but only for one reason: the clear, good-news message of Jesus Christ was shared.  Over the years, he had lamented to me several times that the best use of a funeral service was to reach people with Christ’s offer of eternal life while they thinking about the big topics of life, death, purpose, and legacy.  The importance of this message, and its life-changing impact, were on full display during the event.

The verses that helped Joe, as a freshman at the University of Georgia, see his need for Jesus came from a letter written by the Apostle John:

1 John 5:11-13
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  The one who has the Son has life.  The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

As much as January 11, 2018 was a day of rejoicing and remembrance, it was under a shadow of mourning and grief.  I still miss him, terribly.  But a reunion is coming – either in Heaven or at the Rapture, whichever comes first. The next time I see him, there will only be joy and gratefulness – all because Jesus paid the price for our sins and gave eternal life to anyone who would accept His offer.

As Joe often said: I’ll see you there, or in the air!

Joe Rheney has relocated to Heaven
originally posted on January 11, 2018

On December 29, 2017, Joe Rheney, my father in the faith and the originator of THE WORD, passed on into Heaven.  Today, January 11th, he will be buried with military honors.  His family and friends have gathered to honor the man who loved and shared Jesus with countless people.  I have the double honor of being a pallbearer and speaking at his funeral.  Below is the text of my speech:

I first me Joe in 2004.  By anyone’s standards, he had already lived a successful, fulfilling life.  He had honorably served his country.  He had been married to his sweetheart for decades.  They had raised a son who was also married, with his own honorable service and thriving career, and they had grandkids.  Retirement was near, and he was entering the time of life when most everyone looks forward to putting their feet up and taking it easy.

I was at the other end of the spectrum.  25.  Married for almost 5 years.  The father of two young boys.  Just starting to get traction in my career.  And more naïve than I realized.

Joe was teaching Sunday School at Chestnut Ridge Church in Morgantown, WV, and my wife and I regularly attended his class.  One day, as the class time was wrapping up, he stated that the burden of teaching was too much for him to do alone and asked if anyone would be interested in teaching with him.  Now I had grown up in the church, and while I enjoyed tutoring and teaching during my schooling and for my job, I knew I was unprepared to stand in front of a class and teach the Bible.  However, I felt prompted to tell him, very specifically, “I would like to help you teach, but first I need to learn to study.” 

Looking back, this was clearly the Holy Spirit making sure I said the right thing, at the right time to start our relationship.  Joe began coaching me through the process of Observing, Interpreting, and Applying Scripture.  For nearly 9 years, Joe was my father in the faith – he mentored me through many of life’s early storms – ones that I didn’t even know were on the horizon.

He didn’t have to take me under his wing.  No one would have blamed him for coasting the rest of his years.  But Joe knew the value of mentoring and training the next generation of disciples.  He was the one who taught me how to study the Bible.  He taught me how to love my wife when she was rather unlovable or when I was stubborn (or when both were happening).  He constantly stressed the importance of being a Godly example for my boys, and making sure they saw me do Godly things.  He warned me about the temptations that arise when traveling for work.  My wife deals with some of the same health issues his wife has…while he couldn’t tell me how to fix them, he helped me love her and support her as she went through it.

Joe was a great mentor because he lived all these things.  He would smile that sly grin and tell me, “I’ve already made the mistakes.  If you listen you me, you won’t have to make them too.” 

I eagerly played the part of Timothy while he played the part of Paul.  Timothy was an outsider with a good reputation, potential, but someone in need of a mentor.  The Apostle Paul took him under his wing and guided him to become his eventual replacement.  Paul told Timothy do the same.  In one of his letters, Paul said, “what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). 

It wasn’t just me, either.  I have encountered many others over the years that refer to Joe as “my mentor”.  His openness and eternity-focused example resonated with so many.  Another one of the Apostle Paul’s protégés was a young man named Titus.  And when Titus died, his successor in the ministry referred to him as “the exalted echo of Paul’s own voice”.

As I have told friends and family of Joe’s passing on to Heaven, I have struggled with conveying everything that he meant to me, everything that he taught me, and everything did for me.  You and I would have to sit down and talk for days if I were to really attempt it.  The best way I’ve been able to quickly communicate his impact on my life is to say, “If you know me, then you’ve met him.”  I would not be the man I am today if not for his voice in my life.  Joe reflected Jesus so well that it rubbed off on anyone who spent time with him.  And that’s what Christian discipleship looks like.  This is what Jesus meant when He gave His disciples The Great Commission.  We teach the next generation how to connect with God.  We partner with them, so they learn how to partner with God.  In the end, the protégé reflects his mentor, but they both have been reflecting Jesus all along.  That is how the world will see Jesus.

Keep Pressing,
Ken