Frank's Bible Blog

Genesis 48-- Imagining Your Children's Future

There have been many times when I have "day dreamed" about what the future might hold for my children when they become adults. I've thought about their future careers and the spouses and children they will one day have. I imagine what the future might be based on what I see in them today. But we need to be careful about the assumptions we make about people's futures, especially our children's. In Genesis 48, Joseph brings his two sons to visit their grandfather Jacob just prior to Jacob's death. Jacob not only blesses his grandsons, but prophetically describes their future (vv19-20). The problem, as Joseph saw it, was that Jacob placed his right hand on the younger child and pronounced a greater blessing on him. "Surely he is mistaken," Joseph thought, "the oldest son will be the greatest." But Jacob knew exactly what he was doing--and history shows that he was right. Like Joseph, sometimes we think we have it figured out. We think as parents we know what will become of our children when they are adults. We don't. God gives different gifts and abilities to each. Some go farther and accomplish more than others. While we can't assume what will happen in the future, we can lay a solid foundation in the present. That is what Jacob did as he recounted God's promises and told of His faithfulness (vv3-4, 15-16). Jacob had walked with God a long, long time. Now it was time to pass that heritage on to his grandchildren and their generation. Their ultimate future would not be in Egypt, but it would be as part of Jacob's "tribes" who eventually came to enjoy God's promised land (vv5-7). Jacob was a prophet--we're not! While we can dream about what the future might hold for our children and grandchildren, there are solid, practical things we can do right now to prepare them for it. Those certainly include laying a strong spiritual foundation. Nothing wrong with dreaming about the future, but let's also act in the present.
_____________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at http://www.maxpoint.org/maxpoint/message_board.

Genesis 46--The Knock that Changed Everything

You've seen the commercials. A small group gathers at the front door of an unsuspecting person's home. They are carrying balloons and a large cardboard check. They knock on the door, and when the home owner opens it, they all yell "Congratulations! You just won $10 million from the Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes." One moment the home owner is watching TV re-runs and the next moment she is a multi-millionaire. I imagine this is how Jacob felt at the end of Genesis 45 and into chapter 46. He is sitting there in his home watching camel races (just kidding!) when he hears a knock at the door. It is his sons, and behind them are carts brought by Egyptian servants. His sons burst in and excitedly tell Jacob that his long lost son Joseph is alive. And not only is he alive, but he is the second most powerful person in Egypt. And, if that wasn't news enough, Joseph had made provisions for Jacob and his whole family to live on the best land in Egypt where they would be well cared. Jacob could not believe what he heard. This was better than winning a sweepstakes! As he began the journey to Egypt, God reassured Jacob that He was in all of this. "I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down into Egypt...I will go down with you to Egypt" (vv 4-5). I love that phrase "I will go down with you." Jacob was starting a new journey, headed to a new place. It was exciting but I'm sure Jacob also had his apprehensions. For years, God had been working "behind the scenes" preparing things for Jacob and the development of his family into a great nation. Now it was time to realize all that God had done for Jacob. Jacob made his way into some prime land in Egypt and soon was reunited with Joseph (vv29-30). What a day that must have been! Jacob lived 17 years in Egypt before his death. These quite possibly were some of the best years of his life. You may not get a knock on your door that positively changes everything for you, but know that God has your best interest at His heart. Know, too, that wherever He leads you and whatever new adventure He takes you on, God will "go down with you" and see you all the way through. God has something great in store for you!
_____________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at http://www.maxpoint.org/maxpoint/message_board.

Genesis 41-- Your Big Moment

Have you ever been in one of those "big moment" situations? You know, where you have the potential for the opportunity of a lifetime if you don't blow your chance? Maybe it is interviewing for your dream job or auditioning for a theatrical or even television role. I had one of those big moment situations when I was a teenager. I grew up in southern California and had won several local talent shows doing ventriloquism. I managed to get an audition for a children's TV show. My big moment came in a small office in Hollywood as I performed for the show's executive producer and director. I think the director liked me but not the producer. I never got called back. So much for my big TV moment! Well, Joseph in Genesis 41 didn't have a big moment in front of TV producers, he had something even bigger. He had an audience with the Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Joseph, as you may recall, was in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Pharaoh had a dream that greatly troubled him and no one could interpret it for him. His butler, who had spent time in prison with Joseph, remembered his cell mate and told Pharaoh about his ability to interpret dreams. After a quick shave and a change of clothes, Joseph now stood before the most powerful person in the world at that time. This was his big moment! He could plead his case and beg Pharaoh to release him from prison. This was possibly a once in a lifetime chance for a pardon. But that is not what Joseph did. Instead of focusing on himself, he focused on Pharaoh's situation and on the Lord. When asked to interpret, Joseph immediately replied, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace" (v16). You see, Joseph's life did not revolve around himself. His first reaction was not to save his own skin but to glorify God with the abilities God had given him. He put God and others first, and God greatly blessed him. He not only was released from prison but was made the number two leader in all the kingdom. More than that, he became the savior of countless numbers of people as a famine griped the world--a famine for which Joseph had prepared. "So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands" (v57). By placing his focus on God's glory and not his temporary gain, Joseph not only got what he wanted (freedom) but more than he could ever have imagined. You see, God's definition of "big moments" and how they are to be handled may be very different than ours. Let's seek to glorify God, use our gifts and abilities to help others, and then we can leave the "big moment" outcomes to the Lord.
_____________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at http://www.maxpoint.org/maxpoint/message_board.

Genesis 30-- True Business Success

The audience listened intently as the chairman of a billion dollar business told the audience about his personal struggles and emptiness as he was building his great enterprise. Success at work did not translate to success at home, nor did it leave him with a sense of true fulfillment. Externally it looked like he had it all, but that was just a facade. "My life was spiraling out of control and I did not like the person I was becoming," he said. That all changed, however, when he discovered salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. His company's mission statement now reads, in part, "To glorify God as we supply our customers world-wide..." This man discovered that when God is first in his life everything else falls into place. In Genesis 30 it is evident that God's hand was on Jacob's business affairs. Jacob worked smart (vv37-43) finding innovative ways to prosper his livestock business. You can look at this story as two sides of the same coin. On one side was the desire to honor God and the acknowledgment of Him in all that Jacob did (v30). On the other side was a solid, smart work ethic. That is a great combination. God's doesn't put His hand of blessing on laziness or poor decision making, nor is it on those who are self-sufficient or self-focused. There was balance. Evangelist Billy Graham, when training workers for his great evangelistic crusades, would say that they needed to pray like everything depended upon God but they needed to work like everything depended upon them. Jacob was experiencing true success--not just material success but the success of a life lived for God. Now that didn't mean that everything went smoothly for Jacob. There was a lot of drama at home with his wives Leah and Rachel (sisters) vying for his attention and having children (vv1-24). (By the way--the Bible never condones polygamy, it just reports what happened as this was an acceptable custom at the time. Actually, in every instance of polygamy in the Bible, we see heart-ache, grief, and trouble). In the midst of everything, Jacob did his best to stay balanced. That is a good lesson for all of us!
_____________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at http://www.maxpoint.org/maxpoint/message_board.

Genesis 29-- When Years Seem Like Mere Days

It reads like a great romance novel. "So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her" (Genesis 29:20). That is romantic--but it also gives us a great principle for living. Hardships go much easier when their is a goal--a prize--for which to strive. A goal gives hope. This chapter describes Jacob's search for a wife (vv1-10), his love at first sight when he sees Rachel (v11), and their eventual marriage (v28). But it wasn't all storybook. To have Rachel, her father required Jacob to labor for him for seven years which, as we saw in verse 20, Jacob did with ease. Then the father does the bait and switch, substituting his older (an apparently much less attractive) daughter for Rachel on their wedding day (vv23-26). Imagine Jacob's shock the next morning when he finds out that the woman he worked seven years to marry wasn't the one he actually married! He could have Rachel, the father said, but Jacob would have to work another seven years. Jacob did his "time" putting in 14 years to get the love of his life. That is a long time and certainly was not part of his original plan. Now think about this: when things take a wrong turn in life and we end up facing something we didn't expect, it is easy to get swallowed up in self-pity. It is easy to want to quit. Things didn't go the way we planned so let's throw in the towel. But if we will set our eyes on something beyond the immediate, then we will have hope. What goals do you have in your life? What special thing do you have to look forward to? Everyone needs something. It doesn't have to be extravagant, just something that will encourage you and motivate you to press on. Marriages need this as well. We need something special that we are looking forward to doing together. Maybe it is an annual vacation, a weekend getaway, or just a relaxing day walking in the park, but we need something that we periodically plan for that will help us to look beyond the immediate.
_____________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at http://www.maxpoint.org/maxpoint/message_board.

Genesis 26-- When Good Work Ethic Causes Trouble

Have you ever had a job where your co-workers were jealous because you did so much better than them? Maybe you always went the extra mile but they did the least amount necessary. One person I know started a new job where he did service calls for a company. Under the union contract, employees were supposed to complete five calls per shift. This guy found that he could usually complete more than that in a typical day. It didn't take long, however, before he started getting heat from his co-workers. If he could do more in a day, then they would be expected to do more--and they didn't like that. It seems that there always are people around us trying to pull us down because our getting ahead makes them look bad. Such was the case for Isaac in Genesis 26. There was a famine in the area, so Isaac relocated his family to Gerar, the same place where his father had spent time. He worked hard and God richly blessed his efforts (vv12-13). Soon he became so prosperous that everyone around him was jealous. They tried to make life difficult for him (v15) and eventually kicked him out of the area. Isaac sought peace with those around him, even giving up wells that rightfully were his in order to avoid strained relations (vv18-22). He had plenty and was able to dig more wells. There are some things worth fighting for, but to Isaac, this wasn't one of them. He did his "thing" and didn't get deterred by those who were jealous of him. Now, before we leave this chapter, there are two negatives that we need to notice. First is that Isaac lied about Rebekah being his wife when they arrived in Gerar. Rather than being honest and trusting God to take care of him, he tried to devise a plan to protect himself. As we saw in the last chapter, he was looking out for his own interests and not that of others. Nor was he thinking about long-term ramifications. The second negative is that son Esau marries not one but two pagan women, causing Isaac and Rebekah great grief (vv34-35). Esau is another example of being self-focused, and he is the product of a dysfunctional family (see chapter 25). So here is the take away from this chapter: do what is right in both your business and family affairs, and leave the outcome to God. Some people give great attention to their work but let their family suffer. Others are lazy and have a poor work ethic. Don't let either be true of you.

_____________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at http://www.maxpoint.org/maxpoint/message_board.

Genesis 23-- When the Going Gets Tough...

It has been said that tough times reveal the true character of a person. When things go bad and the pressure intensifies, then we see the real person. Such is the case in Genesis 23 with the death of Abraham's beloved wife, Sarah. She was 127 when she died (v1). How would Abraham handle this? What would his testimony be in this very difficult time? We immediately notice that Abraham was just like any of us--he mourned and cried for his dear wife. Just what any of us should and would do. It is Interesting, however, that the bulk of this chapter focuses on the business transaction of Abraham securing a burial place for Sarah. We would expect Abraham to mourn his wife, but how would he conduct his affairs immediately after her death? This is where we see several things about Abraham's character. First, he was well respected wherever he went (v6). He had established his character and that did not change when things got tough. Second, he was respectful and considerate of others even though he was grieving (vv7-9, 12). Finally, he did not try to take advantage of others who were sympathetic to him; instead, he made sure his business dealings were fair and above-board (vv12-18). In other words, he didn't try to cut corners or compromise himself just because he was going through a difficult time. Abraham's godly lifestyle was consistent. In fact, the reason he was able to handle himself so well in the hard times was because he learned how to handle himself well in the good times. If you wait until times are tough to establish a good reputation it won't happen. Character is something we work on every day of our lives.
_____________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at http://www.maxpoint.org/maxpoint/message_board.

Genesis 21-- Better than the Midas Touch

We've heard the fable of King Midas and how everything he touched turned to gold. A lot of people wish they had that ability--especially in this day. But what if you could have something better than the Midas touch? What if there was something better than the ability to turn things into gold? Well, there is. In Genesis 21, King Abimelech of Gerar makes a profound statement to Abraham. He said "God is with you in everything that you do" (v22). Wow! God with Abraham in everything he did? That is far better than the Midas touch! It was evident to everyone around Abraham that God's hand was on him. But that same statement can--and should--be said of us. When we walk in faith and obedience to God, with a passion to please Him, we have something that others don't. We have God's favor on our lives because our lives glorify Him. In this chapter, we see God fulfilling His promise to give a son to Abraham through his wife Sarah. We see God protecting Ishmael, Abraham's son by his handmaid, as he and his mother tried to survive the desert after being banished by Sarah. We also see God's blessing on Ishmael because of Abraham (v13). Abraham was concerned about what might happen to Ishmael, but God assured Abraham that He would work it all out. Abraham rested on that promise, just like he had on so many other things he had heard from the Lord. You see, when God's hand is on us, we realize His promises, others are blessed because of us, and His presence permeates all that we do. This didn't happen to Abraham by accident, nor does it happen to us accidentally. Can it be said of you that God is with you in all that you do? If not, maybe it is because you haven't included God in everything that you do--from the very beginning. Too often we plan and then ask God to bless our plans. Too often we ask God to bail us out of a mess when we should have asked God for direction in the first place. We want to tack God onto what we are doing rather than seeking Him from the very beginning. "Seek first the kingdom of God," Jesus said. If we will do that, then we can experience the hand of God on our lives just like Abraham did. Having God with us is better than any fabled super-human ability!

_____________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at http://www.maxpoint.org/maxpoint/message_board.

Genesis 17-- The Countdown to Lift Off

We've all seen the countdowns to a Space Shuttle blast off. For the astronauts on board, however, their countdown started long before the clock that we see. It started years before as they anxiously awaited time for their mission. They began counting down the various missions ahead of theirs as they trained and prepared for their moment. Their countdown is in months not just seconds. I have heard astronauts talk about that waiting time--how everything they do is looking ahead to that time when they will enter space, and how they want to make sure they are prepared for that moment. In Genesis 17 God starts the countdown clock on the fulfillment of His long-standing promise to Abraham. Twelve months and Abraham and Sarah would give birth to the son with whom God would establish His covenant (v19, 21). It had been 13 years since Abraham's "false start" with the birth of Ishmael (chapter 16) but now God reiterates His promise that Isaac would be born. Abraham initially laughed at this (v17) but when God started the countdown (v21) Abraham got serious. God told Abraham that male circumcision would be the sign of His covenant (v10-11), and Abraham complied (vv 23-26). As difficult as that must have been, Abraham followed-through on what God told him to do in preparation for the fulfillment of His promise. You see, waiting doesn't always mean inactivity. In fact, waiting often involves lots of activity--preparations for the anticipated moment. Just like the astronauts prepare as they wait for their mission, there often are things that God would have us to do as we wait on the fulfillment of His promises to us. Part of believing that God is going to accomplish something is preparing ourselves for it. What is it that you are waiting on God for today? What is it that you believe with all your heart that God is going to do in and through your life? Follow the example of the astronauts and start preparing now for lift off!
_____________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at http://www.maxpoint.org/maxpoint/message_board.

Genesis 13-- Keeping a 20 Foot Long Nose in Perspective

Mount Rushmore is amazing! I vividly remember my first visit. We drove around a curve in the road and there it was--larger than life! For our international readers who may not be aware of it, Mount Rushmore is where the heads of four U.S. presidents are "engraved" (blasted is a better word) into the side of a mountain. Each head is massive--60 feet tall. Their noses are 20 feet long. It took 14 years and the removal of 800 million pounds of stone to complete the project. I imagine it would have been easy when working on, say Lincoln's beard, to get so caught up with the small details that workers would lose sight of the bigger picture. But they didn't. They had to make sure that each smaller detail was proportionate to the whole. It is important, not only in constructing monuments but also in life, that we keep things in perspective. Sometimes that means making small sacrifices in order to accomplish something bigger. Abraham in Genesis 13 is a good example of this. When the livestock and possessions of both Abraham and his nephew Lot grew to the point that they couldn't stay in the same area (vv6-7), Abraham dealt head-on with the situation. He offered a solution rather than allow strife between members of his family and between their employees. He allowed Lot to choose any of the land that he wanted and Abraham would move his enterprise the opposite direction. It is interesting that although Lot chose what looked like the best land, his move almost cost him his life. He moved toward the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (v10). Abraham took the less-desired land but in the end, got it all. "Look from the place where you are," God said to Abraham, "for all the land that you see I give to you and your descendants forever" (vv14-15). Abraham made a temporary sacrifice for the sake of others but God rewarded him many times over. I have seen this over and over again in my life. When I kept perspective of God's bigger picture and willingly made sacrifices to achieve His will, God blessed far beyond anything I could have imagined. I wonder how many people there are who will never experience all the incredible things that God has for them in this life because they lose perspective or fail to make the necessary sacrifices. Let's do what's right, even if it is inconvenient, and leave the outcome to God.
_____________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at http://www.maxpoint.org/maxpoint/message_board.

Genesis 5-- What's On Your Tombstone?

If you could choose how long you live, how many years would you pick? Would you be satisfied with the average? Or maybe you want to hit the century mark? But what if you could live to age 300 or even 600? I don't know that I would want to live quite that long--life can get pretty difficult at times. We see in Genesis 5, and the genealogy of Adam's family, that hitting your 800th or 900th birthday was commonplace. Try putting candles on those cakes! One person in this list, however, didn't make it that long. He went "early," not because he died but because "God took him" (v24). Enoch lived a mere 365 years, and in that "short" time, he distinguished himself from everyone else in the world. You see, Enoch walked with God. While others were pursuing their own ambitions, Enoch was spending his days pleasing God. Enoch was taken to heaven without seeing death. May it be said of each of us, no matter how many years we have on this earth, that we walked with God. I don't know of any better inscription for a grave marker or tombstone than he or she "walked with God."
_____________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

Genesis 1-- A Good Question

"Tell me again, Dad, why am I doing this," my daughter questioned as I dropped her off at our high school early one Saturday morning. "Why am I spending half of a Saturday to take an optional test?" The seventh grader had a good question. She was taking a college entrance exam test along with high school seniors but she was more than five years away from college. "This will help you in the future, " I tried to explain. This opportunity was provided to my daughter as part of a national program that identifies and encourages gifted students. It was a reminder to me of the times we ask God, "And why am I doing this?" He responds, "This will help you in the future." In Genesis 1 we see three truths that should help our perspective on life and the future. First we see that everything God does is good. Seven times in this chapter God comments "it is good" on His work. You cannot improve on God's plan, design, or work. This should speak volumes to us as we live our lives. How many times do we try to do our own thing? How many times do we substitute God's plan for an inferior plan of our own? Second, we see that we have an intimate connection to God. We were created in His image (vv26-27). From the very beginning, God did with man what He did not do with any of the animals. He created us in His likeness to have a lasting relationship with Him. Anytime someone is out of relationship with God then everything is out of place. Our very being, our very DNA if you would, is to relate to God and to reflect who He is in this world. This is why our relationship with God affects every other area of our lives. We cannot compartmentalize our lives--everything is inter-related. Finally, we were created with a purpose--to manage this world (v28). When we side-step God's plan, have an estranged relationship with Him, or fail to pursue our God-given purpose, then we miss out on God's blessings and only hurt ourselves in the long-run. "This will help you in the future," God says to us today as we consider these three truths from the creation story.
_____________________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

Ecclesiastes 10-- Done in by the Little Things

The world watched with amazement as swimmer Michael Phelps took home a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympics. Before Phelps was even out of the pool, his agent's cell phone began to ring non-stop with endorsement offers for the 23-year old super star. Those endorsements evolved into what some estimate as $100 million or so in Phelps' pocket. But all of that may disappear thanks to a moment of "folly" at a college house party when Phelps was photographed apparently using marijuana. The words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 10 ring loud: "Dead flies putrefy the perfumer's ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odor; so does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor" (v1). One moment of "folly" can undue years of respect--not just for the super stars but for each one of us. So how do we avoid getting tripped up in life? Here are five areas in this chapter that may seem "small" but can come back to haunt us if we are not careful. 1) How we respond to authority and power, both ours and others (vv4-7). 2) How we respond to risks in life (vv8-11). 3) How we talk to others (vv 12-14). 4) How we view work and what we hold as our personal work ethic (vv15-19). Finally, whether or not we are engaged in gossip or negative discussion of others (v20). While these may not seem like big issues, any one of these areas can entangle us. Let's be vigilant to protect our character, reputation, and most of all our Christian testimony. One careless moment can erase years of hard work.
_____________________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

Ecclesiastes 9-- Getting the Most Out of Life

John was a tall, distinguished looking man who joined us for one of our staff chapels. Looking at John you didn't notice anything different or out of the ordinary. John, however, was dying. We all are dying--but John had been given a time frame for it. He shared his remarkable journey with the staff and how the news of his impending death had changed how he lived. What if you knew the month that you would enter into eternity? What if that time was much sooner than the time you have in the back of your mind? What would you do different? Most of us will not be given a significant advance warning of our death. So, according to Ecclesiastes 9, we need to maximize every day that we have. How do we do that? First, place your work in God's hand (v1). This includes not only your vocational work but the service "work" that you do for your family, church, etc. Allow God to take control of it all. Second, recognize that life happens to everyone--there are ups and downs for both the evil and the righteous alike (v2). Don't be discouraged when it seems that those who reject Christ are doing better than you. Third, have hope. Even if you have wasted a large portion of your life, there is hope for the future. As long as there is life there is the opportunity to give God control of our lives and allow Him to make them matter (vv3-6). Don't live in the past but instead allow God to make the most of the moment. Fourth, live holy with works that are acceptable to God (v7-8). Fifth, enjoy your marriage (v9)! Yes, marriage is one of the wonderful gifts that God gives us to maximize our lives. Unfortunately, many couples allow the joy to leave and their marriage becomes a drain. Don't let this happen to you if you are married! Next, give it your all!Work with all your might at those things that God leads you to do because there is "no work...in the grave where you are going." Finally, walk in wisdom (vv13-18) and make the most of every day that you have. These seven steps will enable all of us to live truly fulfilled and meaningful lives.
_____________________
Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

Ecclesiastes 7-- Protecting Your Reputation

He saved potentially hundreds of lives, but for a period of time Richard Jewell was wrongly labeled a domestic terrorist by news media. Jewell was a security guard on duty for a late-night concert in Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park during the 1996 Summer Olympics. Jewell discovered a suspicious knapsack at the park and alerted authorities before beginning to clear the area of people. The knapsack contained a bomb which exploded killing one and injuring 111 others. The casualty count surely would have been significantly higher if Jewell had not acted. Four days later, however, speculation began to surface that Jewell must have been the one to have planted the bomb. His reputation was trashed. Later he was exonerated, as the real bomber, Eric Robert Rudolph, was captured and plead guilty. Ecclesiastes 7:1 reminds us that "a good name is better than precious ointment." Richard Jewell discovered this first-hand. While most of us will never find ourselves in a situation like Jewell's, all of us to have to protect our reputations. We do that by protecting our character, and this chapter gives us four ways that we can do that. First, by having regular times of "soul searching" (vv2-7). We can't just laugh our way through life and only listen to the positive. It is good to have times of seriousness and reflection. It is also good to hear the occasional rebuke rather than everyone always singing your praises (v5). We protect our character by taking regular, serious, and hard looks at ourselves as we seek to identify areas needed for improvement. Second, we protect our character by living in the present with an eye to the future (vv8-10, 13-14). Too many people are living in the past which only damages their ability to effectively live in the present. Third, we need to walk in wisdom (vv11-12, 19-29) as we ask God to enable us to make good decisions. Finally, we need to be balanced in our living (vv15-18). There is a saying that goes "he is so heavenly minded that he is of no earthly value," meaning that we have to balance the spiritual with practical living. We are called to keep our focus on heaven while we live out our lives. Proper balances in life are critical to maintaining our character and finishing well our life race. Let's protect our good name by guarding our character as we search our souls, live in the present, walk in wisdom, and maintain balance in our lives.

_____________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

Ecclesiastes 4-- Championship Living

You see it every so often in professional sports--the hotshot rookie who thinks he is God's gift to the sport and who thinks he knows it all. It usually doesn't take long, however, for these athletes to get a rude awakening and a heavy dose of reality. They quickly discover that they are one among many on the team and that their coaches actually do know more than they do. If they don't make this discovery, they usually don't last long. The legendary basketball coach of the UCLA Bruins, John Wooden, said "Individuals win trophies but teams win championships." There are two fundamental necessities to winning both in sports and in life--teamwork and being teachable. Ecclesiastes 4 drives these points home. There are those who labor alone and only for their personal gain (v8) but this brings exceptional emptiness. When we connect with others, however, there is synergy, encouragement, support and strength. We are stronger as an individual when we connect with a team (vv9-12). Someone who is teachable, even though he or she may not have the experience of some who are older, is in a much better position (vv13-14). We must never get to the point in our lives where we "will be admonished no more" (v13). All of us have more to learn. None of us have arrived yet. So if you want a rich and fulfilled life become a team player who never stops learning and who consistently allows others to speak into your life. That's the formula that wins championships.

______________

NOTE: WE HAD TROUBLE WITH OUR BLOG DISTRIBUTION SERVICE LAST WEEK, SO MANY PEOPLE DID NOT GET LAST WEEK'S BLOGS. WE HAVE RESCHEDULED THEM STARTING TODAY. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

_____________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

Ecclesiastes 2-- Work, Work, Work

For almost the entire seven years that I lived near "Bob" he worked two jobs. His wife also often worked two jobs. His life was consumed with work. No time to maintain his house, and little time for his then teenage children. Finally "Bob" had reached the point where he could retire from one of his jobs. In a reflective moment, "Bob" told me "I worked and worked, but now I realize how little I have for all that work, especially when I think about all I missed out on." When he finally reached what he was working towards--retirement (or at least partial retirement)--it wasn't what he thought it would be. Like "Bob," no one could ever accuse Solomon of being lazy. The litany of projects that he was involved in, as outlined in Ecclesiastes 2, would make even Donald Trump stop and take notice. On top of that, Solomon was "successful" at everything he did. Yet when he realized that one day he would leave it all behind--all to someone who didn't work for it (v18)--he became very discouraged. His conclusion was that work without a bigger, eternal purpose, is meaningless. But if we live our lives focused on pleasing God, then work and the benefits of it become joyous (vv24-26). It isn't work just for the sake of work, but it is work in the context of purpose--and that makes all the difference!

_____________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

Ecclesiastes 1-- When Having It All Just Isn't Enough

Thanks to the advent of reality television, we now get insights into all kinds of people's lives, including famous ones. Now, I'm not a big reality TV fan by any means, but I do catch some segments of different shows every once in a while. I remember one that followed the day in and day out life of a certain celebrity. As I watched the clips from a couple different episodes, I remember thinking "boy, she sure seems empty. She has money and people at her beckoned call to do whatever she wants, but she looks lost and alone."  A couple years later she turned up dead in a hotel room, the result of a bad combination of prescription drugs. Apparently she was going to multiple doctors to get more and more kinds medicine to help with her emotional pain. But you don't have to be rich and famous to feel like your life is trapped in a never ending rut. It can, and does, happen to anyone. This is the message of Ecclesiastes chapter one, and really the entire book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon, who definitely "had it all," exclaimed "Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem" (v16). Even that, however, was not enough as he went on to say "For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow" (v18). This is what happens when our pursuits are shallow. When we pursue money, or knowledge or even wisdom just for the sake of getting it, we are left empty. There is more to life than these because we were created for a higher purpose. We were created to bring glory to God. If we can focus on that reality, it will help us avoid that trapped feeling and keep our lives out of a mind-numbing rut.

_____________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

Nehemiah 12-- Managing the Ebb and Flow

It has rightly been said that the only things constant in life is change. How true that is! Life is not static, even though sometimes we wish it were. There is an ebb and flow to life. There are ups and there are downs. We ascend to the highest mountains but eventually come down into the dark valleys. Nehemiah 12 teaches us that leadership is all about managing the ebb and flow. Sometimes the most dangerous time for a person, ministry or organization is when things have been going good for a long time. It is easy to become complacent and take your eyes of God when everything seems to be going your way. There are three great lessons in this chapter about managing the ebb and flow. First, celebrate the victories (vv27-43). Yes, celebrate! When you and your team do well, give praise to God and spend time rejoicing over what you have seen accomplished. That is exactly what Nehemiah did when they completed the rebuilding of the walls. Make a big deal about it--just make sure the glory and focus stays on God. The second lesson is that we must maintain our responsibilities (v44). It is easy when we are in the midst of a celebration to slack off on the things that brought us to that point. Nehemiah didn't. Even while celebrating, he was making sure that the right things were getting done. Finally, establish a godly legacy. This happens when we consistently live for God regardless of what is happening around us. Twice in this chapter there are references to Israel's King David, someone who lived hundreds of years prior to Nehemiah. In both mentions he is called "David the man of God" (vv24, 36). Imagine if hundreds of years after you were dead people still spoke of you and referred to you as the man or woman of God! What a great legacy. Let's learn from this wonderful chapter to celebrate the successes in life, faithfully fulfill our responsibilities, and live consistently for God so that we can establish a godly legacy.

_____________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

Nehemiah 2-- The Secret to Your Success

How do you achieve success? Much has been written about success and there are many schools of thought on what it takes to be successful. I recently read the book Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell which takes a different twist on why successful people are successful. It is an interesting book with a lot of good food for thought. But there is a time-tested formula for success that comes right out of the pages of Scripture, and it is found in Nehemiah 2. Here is the formula: Prayer+Plan+Opportunity+Strategy+Initiative+Perseverance=Success. Yes, it is somewhat complicated, but all six steps I believe are necessary to achieve the kind of success God would have for us.

Nehemiah, as we saw yesterday, began praying about the terrible situation in Jerusalem, the home of his forefathers. As he prayed, he also planned what it would take to fix the situation. This is evident by the fact that he was ready to give a detailed answer when the king asked what Nehemiah wanted to do about Jerusalem (vv5-8). As we pray and plan, we have to wait for the right time or opportunity. That is what Nehemiah did, waiting four months until the moment was right to approach the king. Opportunity is one thing when you are anticipating it, but it can be quite another thing when you are in the midst of it, and that is where strategy comes in (vv9-16). Nehemiah assessed the situation, which included the obstacles that he would have to overcome, and developed a more detailed strategy. Next, he put action to his prayers and planning by taking initiative to rally a team and begin work. Although it is not described in this chapter, the final step of perseverance is clear as you read through Nehemiah's narrative. Success doesn't come easy and there are many times when we will be tempted to quit, but we must persevere. Prayer+Plan+Opportunity+Strategy+Initiative+Perseverance--that was Nehemiah's secret to success and it can be yours as well.

_____________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.