Don’t Put Off A Fresh Start

In Luke 9:62 it says, “Jesus said, ‘No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God's kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.’” (MSG)

In Mark 10, a huge crowd was following Jesus as he left Jericho. A man named Bartimaeus was blind and begging by the roadside. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47 NIV).

When Bartimaeus had gotten up that morning, he had no idea that Jesus Christ was going to pass by him that day. He thought it was just another ordinary day: same place, same cry for help, same situation.

But suddenly Jesus was there. Bartimaeus had no time to prepare or think through his response. It was just an opportunity that dropped in his lap. And he chose to seize the moment. He decided not to delay or procrastinate. He was going to do it—now.

The key to any fresh start in life is: Whatever you’re going to do, do it now. Don’t say, “Next year I’m going to make a fresh start” or “Next month I’m going to make some changes” or “Tomorrow I’m going to make that a priority.” It’s now or never. Seize the moment! 

Every day, I’m given opportunities for a fresh start, but I don’t always take advantage of them. Why? Because I procrastinate.

Procrastination is a strange phenomenon. You think it will make your life easier when it actually does just the opposite. It’s a stress generator!

When you know the right thing to do, today is the time to do it. Don’t assume you can wait for tomorrow.

The Bible warns over and over about presuming upon tomorrow. I’m not guaranteed a tomorrow, and neither are you. Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day” (Luke 9:62 MSG). 

I have no guarantee that I will live tomorrow. Whatever I’m going to do, I’d better do it now. 

Is Jesus inviting you into a fresh start today? Don’t delay. Follow the example of Bartimaeus and seize the moment.

In summary, Jesus asks for total dedication, not a half hearted commitment. I must be willing to abandon everything that has given me security, without looking back. I should not allow anything to distract me from doing what I need to do. I need to stay focused. The enemy will find ways to distract me, to keep me from doing the right thing or God's work. I must consider today what are the most important things in my life. I can then ask God to help me remain focused on what's most important.

Plant Now and Be Patient

In Galatians 6:9 I read, “Let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.” (GNT)

The time to start planting is now. A lot of people (including myself) say, ”They’re going to serve more or give more when they have the time, retire, or when they get a raise—one of these days”.

But “one of these days” is none of these days. I can’t wait for things to get better or something to happen; I need to start planting now. Why? Because the sooner I plant, the longer I’m going to enjoy the harvest.

But the harvest is not always going to come on my timeline. There’s always a delay between sowing and reaping. I plant in one season, and I harvest in another. 

I have to be patient and not give up!

This is one of the principles that the Kingdom of God operates on. In Mark 4:26-28, Jesus says, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head” (NIV).

The results will come, but they will come slowly and as part of a process. And because it takes time, I have to choose to be patient: “Let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest” (Galatians 6:9 GNT).

Choose to forget about last year’s crop failure. Instead, start focusing on the long-term harvest in my life. If I’m in some type of difficulty, it didn’t get that way overnight. It took years to mess things up, and it’s going to take a while to put things back together. There is a time of delay between sowing and reaping.

The Bible says in Psalm 126:5-6, “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest” (NLT).

What loss have you been grieving over? Maybe I’ve lost my dream. Mourning is okay; moaning is not. Instead of moaning, get moving! Today is the day to plant the seed.

In summary, the time to start planting is now. A lot of people (including myself) say, ”They’re going to serve more or give more one of these days”. But “one of these days” is none of these days. I can’t wait for things to get better or something to happen; I need to start planting now. The sooner I plant, the longer I’m going to enjoy the harvest. But the harvest is not always going to come on my timeline. There’s always a delay between sowing and reaping. I plant in one season, and I harvest in another. I have to be patient and not give up! This is one of the principles that the Kingdom of God operates on. A man scatters seed, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. The results will come, but they will come slowly and as part of a process. And because it takes time, I have to choose to be patient: “Let us not become tired of doing good, the time will come when we will reap the harvest”. Choose to forget about last year’s crop failure. Instead, start focusing on the long-term harvest. If I’m in some type of difficulty, it didn’t get that way overnight. It took years to mess things up, and it’s going to take a while to put things back together. There is a time of delay between sowing and reaping. What loss have I been grieving over? Mourning is okay; moaning is not. Instead of moaning, get moving! Today is the day to plant the seed.

It is discouraging to continue to do right and receive no word of thanks or see no tangible results. But Paul challenged the Galatians and myself to keep on doing good and to trust God for the results. In due time, I will reap a harvest of blessings.  

Things Do Not Need to Be Perfect

In review of Ecclesiastes 11:4 it says, ”If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done” (Ecclesiastes 11:4 TLB).

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 - The uncertainties of life

A farmer who waits for the perfect condition will never plant. If they watch every cloud, they will never harvest. Just as I can't understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a baby growing inside it's mother's womb, so I cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. So plant my seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for I don't know if profit will come from one activity or another, or maybe both.

In these passages Solomon summarizes that life involves both risk and opportunity. Because life has no guarantees, Therefore, I must be prepared. Just because life is uncertain does not mean I should do nothing. I need a spirit of trust and adventure, facing life's risks and opportunities with God-directed enthusiasm and faith.

Waiting for perfect conditions will just turn into inactivity. This practical insight is especially applicable to my spiritual life. If I wait for the perfect time and place for studying God's Word, I will never begin. Likewise if I wait for the perfect church, I will never join. If I wait for the perfect ministry, I'll never serve. Take the steps needed now to grow spiritually. I shouldn't wait for conditions that may never exist.

When I learn how to relax in God’s liberating grace and break out of the prison of perfectionism, I will find a new level of joy and freedom for my life. Why? Because perfectionism is destructive to my life in several ways.

It defeats my initiative.

There are many projects I just haven’t been able to get started. I keep thinking, “One of these days I’m going to get around to it,” but I just can’t take that first step. One possible reason is perfectionism. I’m waiting for the perfect circumstance or timing, or I’m waiting until some condition occurs. When I set my standards so high, perfectionism will end up causing paralysis, and then I can’t get anything done. Today’s verse, Ecclesiastes 11:4 reminds me, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done” (TLB).

It damages my relationships.

Nobody likes being nagged or corrected all the time. It’s frustrating and irritating! The Bible says, “Love forgets mistakes; nagging about them parts the best of friends” (Proverbs 17:9 TLB). Perfectionism—the desire to always correct—damages relationships because it’s rooted in insecurity. Perfectionists who are harsh and demanding on other people are really harsh and demanding on themselves.

It destroys my happiness.

Ecclesiastes 7:16 says, “Don’t be too virtuous, and don’t be too wise. Why make yourself miserable?” (GW). This verse isn’t talking about genuine righteousness or real wisdom. It’s talking about perfectionism. I can transform any virtue into a vice by taking it to the extreme.

My worst nag lives under my skin, because I am my own worst critic. Since I tend to resent and even dislike people who nag my, if I’m always nagging myself, what does that say about me? It says that I don’t like myself. I think of myself as not good enough. And I think reminding myself what’s wrong with me is going to motivate me into doing the right thing. It’s not! That’s called perfectionism, and it just causes me to constantly put myself down.

There’s just one antidote to perfectionism. It’s not in a self-help book or a doctor’s office. I can only learn to relax when I fully experience the liberating grace of God.

Bottom Line:

Don't wait for everything to be perfect, get started.

What this means to me:

If I wait until the perfect conditions, I will never get anything done.

In summary, If I wait for the perfect conditions, I'll never get started. I just need to do what needs to be done. Life involves both risk and opportunity. There are no guarantees. I just need to face life's risks and opportunities with God-directed enthusiasm and faith. Waiting for the perfect or right conditions just turns into inactivity. I can only learn to relax when I fully experience the liberating grace of God.

Today the notion of having so many projects I just haven’t been able to get started, really rings an accord. I do keep thinking that one of these days I’m going to be able to get started. I think I need to stop waiting for the perfect circumstance, timing or condition to occur, and just get started. Things do not need to be perfect. This morning Father in addition to asking you for wisdom and guidance for my day, I ask that you help me to just get some long term projects going. I don’t need to wait for things to be perfect. These things I pray in your son Jesus name, Amen!

Why Won’t God Tell Me the Next Step?

In review of Ecclesiastes 5:4 it says, When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him.

Bottom Line:

God doesn’t like fools. So don’t be slow to keep your promises to God.

What this means to me:

When I make a promise to God that I will do something, I should not delay in doing it. God has no pleasure in fools. So keep all promises I make to him.

Today’s verse comes from Ecclesiastes chapter 5. In this section Soloman speaks of approaching God with care. He tells us that as we enter the house of God, we should keep our ears open and our mouth’s shut. We should not bring mindless offerings, make rash promises or be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is above and we are here. So let our words be few. Too much activity makes us restless, however too many words makes us a fool. When we do make a promise to God, we should not delay in following through on it. For God takes no pleasure in fools. So keep all promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.  Don’t let your words make you sin. And don’t try to defend yourself by saying you made a mistake. For talk is cheap. Take God seriously.

Often I like to see a plan or complete course of action laid out in front of me so that I have confidence to move forward. However, what I have found with God is that he generally does not work this way. Instead God wants me to rely on him, one step at time. So far I already know a lot of things that God wants me to do with my life. So am I doing them?  If not, why?

God is the creator of all. As such God he does not owe me any explanations nor is He obligated to give me step 2 until I’ve already done step 1. While I want to know God’s will for my career/marriage, God’s is telling me, “Let’s get to the basics”, such as reading and absorbing his Word? Am I involved in a small group? Am I tithing and giving out of my abundance? Am I talking with Him?  

In trying to determine God’s will for my life, I just need start doing what I already know to be the revealed will of God for my life. In thinking through this, I recently attended a course at my church (a refresh for me) on what my shape is. I need to find a way to use what I have re-discovered / re-confirmed to serve others, such as participating in “Alpha” or in “FPU”  as a table leader.

Today’s verse in Ecclesiastes 5:4 reminds me that, “When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools” (NLT). So I shouldn’t delay. I should just do what I already know to do.

Today I pray: “Lord, I need your guidance in my life. I ask in faith that you direct me. Help me to listen for your response, to not get so busy that I can’t hear you. Father, when I don’t understand it, help me to trust you and understand that you have a path that is for my good. God, what’s my next step? Help me to do what I already know I should do. Help me to not get frustrated. Help me to not be fearful but to trust in you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”