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Wandering in the Wilderness by Faith – Part 2

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On our trek last week, we explored part one of our three-part series on wandering in the wilderness by faith. If you miss any of our Wisdom Notes please visit our blog to read past newsletters.

This week we will focus on living by faith, so that we invest our time with purpose. This is part two.

Living by Faith

How important is faith? In Hebrews 10:37-38 we learn that “…in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”

“My righteous ones will live by faith” is both a statement of fact about the basis of a Christian’s life and a command. It is so important that this same phrase is repeated once in the Old Testament and three times in the New (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11). In each case, the context is somewhat different, but its importance to a Christian’s salvation is not lost.

The concept is not difficult to understand. Paul further clarifies it in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we live by believing and not by seeing.” A simple definition of “faith” in Webster’s New World Dictionary is “complete trust, confidence, or reliance.” At the end of the definitions, “belief” is listed as a synonym. “Belief” means “faith, esp. Religious faith; trust or confidence.” The dictionary definitions show that the two words are virtually synonymous. However, in the Bible and in the practical application a very wide difference separates merely believing and living by faith.

The practical application of faith is more than simply acknowledging the reality of God. Living by faith involves qualities that are better expressed by the word “trust.” This kind of faith produces loyalty or faithfulness expressed in the Christian’s life by works of obedience.

Do you think for a moment that the Israelites in the wilderness disbelieved that God existed? A few may have argued that the miracles they had experienced from the arrival of Moses in Egypt until they died in the wilderness were nothing more than natural phenomena. There are always some doubters and scoffers of that sort as is mentioned in 2 Peter 3:3, “Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires.”

The vast majority of Israelites could not deny to themselves God’s mighty acts on their behalf. They had heard the voice of God at Mount Sinai, had seen the wind from God part the Red Sea, and had escaped death on Passover while the Egyptian firstborn had died. But when God required a higher level of obedience to follow His cloud across the wilderness and depend on Him to supply their every need, the record shows they did not trust Him. Their loyalty dissolved, and they rebelled! They did not have it within them to live by faith.

Living by faith is an outward manifestation of an inward belief that everyone will see. Romans 13:13 put it this way, “Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see.” And Ephesians 4:1 reads, “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.” Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 10:3 reminds, “For we live by believing and not by seeing.”

The Israelites of the Exodus definitely lived according to the flesh, fulfilling the desires of their bodies and minds. Somewhere along the way, they lost the vision of entering the promised homeland. They forgot about settling on their own property and living free under the government and laws of God. Yes, that older generation literally lived in following the pillar of fire and cloud as it moved toward the Promised Land, but their manner of life under the bright fire and cloud corresponded to living in darkness. So, they never made it to Canaan.

The Right Kind of Faith

We can tell whether we have the right kind of faith. Hebrews 11:1 provides a definition, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” This confidence and assurance are the very bedrock of the Christian faith.

Paul is saying that, for Christians, faith underlies what is seen externally in the conduct of their lives. Underneath a building is its foundation, and in most buildings, the foundation is rarely seen. If it is seen at all, usually only a small portion is visible, but it is there. If no foundation exists, the building soon becomes crooked and warped. In most cases, it will collapse and be completely unusable. We understand that underlying the conduct of a Christian’s life is not merely believing that God is, but a constant and abiding trust in Him.

How much of what you do is really motivated by an implicit trust in God’s Word? This is how we can tell whether we are living by faith. We must be honest in our evaluation, though. We find it very easy to shade the truth through self-deception. We justify disobedience by rationalizing around God’s clear commands or examples, saying that our circumstance is special because . . . (fill in the blank). Remember when we rationalize we are telling ourselves rational lies that we choose to believe as truth.

The great examples of faith that are listed in Hebrews 11 were not perfect people by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, many of them had significant flaws in their lives. But in their cases, faith undergirded how they lived even when the going really got rough.

We like to think of ourselves as rising to the occasion when a time of great crisis arises. We all hope to emulate what the examples of faith did. But as great as they were, Jesus specifies what living real faith is in John 15:13-14, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.You are my friends if you do what I command.” Our obedience to God through loving Him and others is one sign of living by faith.

Matthew 22:37-40 also sums up a life lived by faith, “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.”

Jesus made it very clear that if we are His friends, we will show it in our obedience to His commands. But before we can obey, we must trust Him. If we trust in Christ, he is more than a friend, we are a close family. Matthew 12:50 says, “Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

Many in the nation of Israel did not trust God by faith and obey Him because they still considered themselves slaves, and not family.

As we finish part two this week, we explored living by faith and having the right kind of faith. Faith is required for all aspects of life even to the smallest of actions like having faith that the chair you sit in will not collapse. We must learn to live by faith, not by sight. We have the entire revelation of God’s Word in the Bible, yet many times we struggle with faith and obedience as well.

On next week’s trek, we will explore choosing to live by faith. Encourage your friends and family to join us each week in our Wisdom Notes, and then come along for our daily podcast.

18 Traits of Strong Personal Leadership

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Let’s head out on the trail for today and look for the traits that we need to infuse into our lives in order to be strong personal leaders. What is personal leadership? It is simply leading yourself. You being the boss of you – strong in character and integrity every minute of every day.

Why do some leaders start strong and finish weak, like Ken Lay, former CEO of Enron, and Linda Carne, former CEO of the Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia? Others start weak and end up finishing strong, like Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States.

What’s the difference between the leaders that finish strong and those that don’t? Personal leadership.

A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.

Steven Covey put it this way, “Personal leadership is the process of keeping your vision and values before you and aligning your life to be congruent with them.” Here are those traits or values:

  1. You keep your commitments. You remain steady. You’re not tossed about like a ship on the sea. You’re resolved and resolute in your commitments whether it’s to another or to yourself.
  2. You control your impulses. You don’t give in to knee-jerk reactions or flirt with temptation. You decide ahead of time how you will respond when tempted to be impulsive so that when the moment comes, you respond with integrity.
  3. You are disciplined. You do what needs to be done, even when you don’t feel like it. You stop doing what’s not working and start doing what’s required.
  4. You’re predictable. You consistently do the right thing, even when it’s hard.
  5. You know yourself. Self-awareness is the first step to strong personal leadership. You know where you are strong and where you are weak. You don’t deceive yourself into thinking that you’re anything other than what you are.
  6. You make personal development is a high priority. You continue to learn, develop, and grow. You know that personal development is the key to growth and adding value wherever you are. It keeps you relevant.
  7. You’re strong – body, mind, and spirit. You examine every area of your life. You know that you’re only as strong as the weakest area of your life. So you’re intentional to keep every area strong.
  8. You sign up to do hard things. You take on challenges because they make you better, sharper, stronger, and more focused. And, you think that’s fun.
  9. You can look back in the last year and see how you’ve grown. You’re never the same person that you were even yesterday. You’re always getting better.
  10. You have no secrets…because there is nothing to hide. All that is hidden will one day be brought to light. It’s only a matter of time.
  11. You have a good attitude, even in bad times. A good attitude doesn’t mean you’re not realistic, it means you still have hope for the future. It means you know there is purpose in everything, even if you don’t see it at the moment.
  12. You look for solutions, not problems. You’re constantly working with the cards you’ve been dealt, making them the best hand possible.
  13. You take personal responsibility. You don’t spend any energy making excuses. You spend your energy on admitting your culpability and moving on. You know that the only thing you can control is yourself and by doing so, you can influence change.
  14. Your self-talk is positive yet accurate. You believe in yourself and that you can accomplish your dreams, yet you’re realistic enough to know that you need to work it, not just think it.
  15. You shine the spotlight on others. This shows a special kind of humility and self-confidence that demonstrates strength of character.
  16. You take the time to self-reflect. You take the time to sit still and reflect. You see patterns, connect dots, and discover deeper dimensions of yourself.
  17. You have patience. You know that the path to success isn’t a straight line. You have the patience to stay the course and keep doing the right thing. You know that it will pay off in the end if you don’t give up the fight.
  18. You look for wisdom and seek for understanding. You learn from others. You seek advice and ask for feedback.

Understanding and showing personal leadership is built on integrity and will lead to a rich and satisfying life that we should desire to obtain.

King David wrote in Psalms 119:1, “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.”

King Solomon tells us in Proverbs 2:7, “He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.”

Make sure you’re a strong personal leader and only then will you be in a position to be a strong leader of others. Start strong. Stay strong. Finish strong.

7 Amazing Principles of Eagles

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Let’s head out on the trail for today and consider eagles and what makes them such exceptional creatures. For all of my adult life, I have been a collector of eagle pictures and mountings. I especially love the Bald Eagle. They are so majestic. This also ties to one of my favorite Bible passages, which is Isaiah 40:28-31,

Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

The eagle is the national bird in the United States and the symbol of almost all conquerors, be it Caesar or Hitler. The reason is the inspiration of the 7 amazing principles of an eagle.

1. Eagles fly alone at a high altitude.

They are not with sparrows or other smaller birds like geese. Birds of a feather flock together. No other bird goes to the height of the eagle. Even with eagles, other than their lifetime mate, it is rare to see them in a flock of other eagles.

Eagles fly with eagles.

Eagles can focus up to 3 miles from the air. When an eagle sites prey, even a rodent from this distance, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it. No matter the obstacle, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

2. Eagles have a powerful vision.

Eagles can focus up to 3 miles from the air. When an eagle sights prey, even a rodent from this distance, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it. No matter the obstacle, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

If you have a vision and remain focused, no matter what the obstacle, you will succeed.

3. Eagles do not eat dead things.

Eagles always feed on fresh prey. They do not indulge in that which is rotten or spoiled. Vultures eat dead animals but not eagles.

Steer clear of outdated and old information. Study well and always remain fresh in your knowledge.

Don’t let rotten attitudes, mindsets, or people pollute your life.

4. The eagle is the only bird that loves the storm.

When clouds gather, eagles get excited. The eagle uses the winds of the storm to rise and is pushed up higher. Once it finds the winds of the storm, the eagle stops flapping and uses the pressure of the raging storm to soar above the clouds to glide. This gives the eagle an opportunity to rest its wings. In the meantime, all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees. We can use the storms of our lives (obstacles, trouble, etc.) to rise to greater heights.

Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.

5. The eagle tests before it trusts.

Eagles mate for life, so when a female eagle meets a male and they want to mate, she flies down to earth with the male pursuing her and she picks a twig. She flies back into the air with the male still pursuing her. Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she lets the twig fall to the ground and watches it as it falls. The male chases after the twig. The faster it falls, the faster he chases until he reaches it and has to catch it before it falls to the ground, then bring it back to the female eagle. The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a much higher altitude pursued by the male until she perceives it high enough, and then she drops the twig for the male to chase. This may go on for hours with the height increasing until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of picking the twig, which shows commitment. Then and only then, will she allow him to mate with her!

Whether in private life or in business, one should test the commitment of people intended for partnership.

6. Eagles prepare for training.

When about to lay eggs, the female and male eagle identify a place very high on a cliff or tree where no predators can reach. The male flies to earth and at first picks thorns and lays them as the foundation for the nest on the crevice of the cliff. Then he flies to earth again to collect twigs, which he lays in the intended nest. Then he picks thorns and lays them on top of the twigs. On top of that, he lays soft grass covering the thorns. Finally, the male will find strips of cloth to put on the grass. When this first layering is complete, the male eagle runs back to earth and picks more thorns, grass, and cloth and lays them on top of the thorns, then he uses soft feathers to complete the nest.

The thorns on the outside of the nest protect it from possible intruders. Both male and female eagles participate in raising the eagle family. When the baby eaglets become old enough and it is time to leave the nest, the soft layers are removed so that it will become uncomfortable for them to remain long-term.

The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions, they have good intentions for us.

7. Eagles mate for life and return to the same nest.

Once a suitable mate is chosen, eagles will generally mate for life. If one of the eagles dies, the surviving mate will choose another one that is suitable. Generally, the pair will return to the same nest each year, repairing, enlarging, and improving its design.

Once we have chosen a suitable mate and companion, we should remain faithful for life. Our families and homes should be a solid base that we can return to.

Within our Wisdom Note today, we have learned some amazing principles from eagles that we can apply and follow each day. Whenever you see an eagle in the future, remember these principles.

4 Things You Can Learn from a Child

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Let’s head out on the trail for today and learn 4 things we can learn from a child.

Due to job changes with our oldest son and his wife, we have had the privilege of investing about 7 weeks with their son Kip over the past couple of months. Adding a very curious 7-year-old to our daily routine, along with 4 of his cousins who live close coming over occasionally, we are reminded once again how much we can still learn from children.

Being an adult can be difficult. You need to be genuinely disciplined, which requires that you develop the ability to take action. You don’t need to be too hasty or frantic, but you also don’t want to waste much time. Don’t allow yourself to be overwhelmed by things or events that may never take place. You should look at life simplistically without being simple-minded. You can only control yourself and a few situations, so there is no sense fretting over the rest.

As we consider our trail today, let’s keep in mind the innocence of children and the words of Jesus in Mark 10:13-16, “One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, ‘Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.’ Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.”

This is a major consideration for adults. Be like children and remember there are four ways to be more like a child no matter how old you get…

1. Curiosity

Be curious; embrace childish curiosity. What will kids do if they want to know something bad enough? You’re right. They will bug you. Kids can ask a million questions. You think they’re through, and then they’ve got another million. They will keep plaguing you. They can drive you right to the brink.

Kids use their curiosity to learn. Have you ever noticed that while adults are stepping on ants, children are studying them? A child’s curiosity is what helps them to reach, learn, and grow.

2. Excitement

Learn to get excited like a child. There is nothing that has more magic than childish excitement – so excited that you hate to go to bed at night, that you can’t wait to get up in the morning, that you’re about to explode…How can anyone resist that kind of childish magic?

Now, once in a while, I meet someone who says, “Well, I’m a little too mature for all that childish excitement.” Isn’t that pitiful? You’ve got to weep for these kinds of people. All I’ve got to say is, “If you’re too old to get excited, you’re too old.” Don’t let yourself get that old.

3. Faith

Faith is childish. How else would you describe it? Some people say, “Let’s be adult about it.” Oh, no, no. Adults too often have a tendency to be overly skeptical. Some adults even have a tendency to be cynical.

Adults say, “I am too logical to believe there is a God, who created everything – there is too much scientific proof to the contrary.” See, that’s what an adult would say, but kids aren’t that way. They look at the world and everything around them and say, “How could there not be a God, who created all things, from the tiniest bug to the tallest mountains. From the smallest snowflake to the stars that span the sky, how could you consider these without knowing that there is a great God that created all things, including me!”

Adults have the tendency to fall into the category of Romans 1:18 where the Apostle Paul writes, “But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” Children will believe Romans 1:19-20, “They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

4. Trust

Trust is a childish virtue, but it has great merit. Have you heard the expression “sleep like a baby”? That’s it. Childish trust. We need to have that same trust in God. When we do, we have no need to fear anything in life. As Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Curiosity, excitement, faith, and trust. That is a powerful combination to bring (back) into our lives. Let me ask you the question, “Can you become like a child again?” If you implant curiosity, excitement, faith, and trust in your life, you will see the world through new eyes. If you do these regardless of your physical age, you will be forever young.

What Is Your Focus On?

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The focus of our Wisdom Notes this week is two short stories that will help us to make sure that we focus on what is important each day and not get distracted by the unimportant.

Our first story today is Life Is Like a Black Dot.

One day a professor entered his classroom and asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They all waited anxiously at their desks for the exam to begin.

The professor handed out the exams with the text facing down as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked the students to turn over the papers.

To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions – just a black dot in the center of the paper. The professor, seeing the expression on everyone’s faces, told them the following, “I want you to write about what you see there.” The students, confused, got started on the inexplicable task.

At the end of the class, the professor took all the exams and started reading each one of them out loud in front of all the students.

All of them, with no exception, defined the black dot, trying to explain its position in the center of the sheet. After all had been read, the classroom silent, the professor started to explain…

“I’m not going to grade you on this. I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone focused on the black dot, and the same thing happens in our lives. However, we insist on focusing only on the black dot – the health issues that bother us, the lack of money, the complicated relationship with a family member, the disappointment with a friend…The dark spots are very small when compared to everything we have in our lives, but they are the ones that pollute our minds. Take your eyes away from the black dots in your lives. Enjoy each one of your blessings, each moment that life gives you. Be happy and live a life filled with love!”

Ephesians 5:1-2, “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”

Philippians 4:8, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

Our next story is Changing Our Vision.

There was a very wealthy man who was bothered by severe eye pain. He consulted many physicians and was being treated by several. He did not stop consulting a galaxy of medical experts. He consumed heavy loads of drugs and underwent hundreds of injections, but the ache persisted with more vigor than before.

At last, a monk who was supposed to be an expert in treating such patients was called for by the suffering man. The monk understood his problem and said that for some time he should concentrate only on green colors and not let his eyes fall on any other colors. It was a strange prescription, but he was desperate and decided to try it.

The millionaire got together a group of painters and purchased barrels of green paint and directed that every object upon which his eye was likely to fall be painted green just as the monk had directed. When the monk came to visit him after a few days, the millionaire’s servants ran with buckets of green paint and poured it on him since he was in a red dress, lest their master see any other color and his eye ache would come back.

Hearing this, the monk laughed and said, “If only you had purchased a pair of green spectacles, worth just a few dollars, you could have saved these walls and trees and pots and all other articles and also could have saved a large share of his fortune. You cannot paint the world green.”

Let us change our vision and the world will appear accordingly. It is foolish to shape the world. Let us shape ourselves first.

Today we looked at how life is like a black dot and the importance of changing our vision. The lessons that we can learn from each other are valuable, so encourage your friends and family to join us each day on our Wisdom-Trek Podcast.