Very few people need more advice. Since the creation of the internet, there has been no shortage of suggestions on how to live. A Google search will reveal hundreds of ideas, opinions and “life hacks” to help you in every way. Some are grounded in solid biblical teaching, and others are based on experience. There is a massive amount of information available, and a lot of it is good stuff.

You do not need more advice. What you probably need is action. Doing what you know you need to do is difficult.

1. Actions flow from a specific plan. You do not drift your way into a better life. No one accidentally gets up early and starts exercising. I have never met anyone who just happened to start reading their bible one day and grew in their faith. The people I know who have a deep spiritual life have a set time they get up, a place they read and a way they pray. They have a specific plan of action that produces results. You can apply this to your physical body, your spiritual life, your marriage or just about any area that needs improvement.

2. Actions take the strength of will. Unfortunately, no one can give this to you. Many times, this is born out of desperation. When life hits rock bottom, it is easy to see that we need to change. The motivation level is high when everything is falling apart. The good news is that you do not have to wait that long to start to change. The bad news is that it will require you to find a self-motivation to do what is necessary.

3. Actions require patience. One trip to the gym has no results other than making you tired and sore. One day of reading your Bible will usually not result in life change. One trip to a counselor or one visit with the pastor will not heal your marriage. Health and holiness are only achieved by doing the same thing day after day and week after week.

4. Actions might require a coach. My boys and I were watching a special about Kevin Durant. He is one of the best players in basketball and yet he has a personal coach. In the offseason, he pays a man to push him to be a better player. The point was clear, no matter what level of expertise you think you have achieved there is always room for improvement, but you may need someone else to help you. This is true in every arena of life. You might need a mentor or a friend to help you see your weaknesses. You might need a pastor or teacher to help you grow. If you are serious about improving as a person, you will need help.

Some blogs I write are to challenge people in their thinking. Some are written to encourage people on their Christian walk. Today, my words are a call to action. Your life may be stuck in one place, and it is time to stop complaining or contemplating. Today is the time to get busy.

Do you ever think about what goes on inside your pastor’s head? Probably not, but just in case it ever crosses your mind, let me share what I am continually thinking.

1. I wonder why you are not at Church. When someone misses a Sunday, my mind starts reeling. Are you doing okay? I hope nothing is wrong with you physically. I pray your marriage and children are alright? Maybe you are they mad about something. Will you quit the Church soon? Did I say or do something to offend you? I wonder how long it will be before you return, or if you ever will.

2. I wonder how I can help you grow spiritually. What program can I provide that will really help you to improve? Is there anything I should put on my blog? Perhaps there is a sermon series that will move and motivate you. I know many of you know so little of God, how can I help you understand more. Those who know so much, how can I get you to use your knowledge for the sake of the kingdom of God.

3. I wonder what you are not telling me (or anyone). What sins are you hiding? What is hidden inside of your soul that is tearing you apart? What is really going on inside your home? Is your marriage falling apart, and is there anything I can do to stop it? Are you flirting with addiction and no one knows? What can I do to help you bring your hurt into the light?

4. I wonder how to reach our youth with the gospel. Our young people are moving further from God. Their schedules are getting packed, and anything spiritual is moving quickly down the list of priorities. We used to be able to pack youth group and youth events, and now no one seems to care. Our young people are slipping away from faith. Is there anything I can do to stop it?

5. I wonder if anything I do is making a difference. I am trying to move the kingdom of God forward on earth and yet I seem not to make it very far. It feels like I am trying to empty the ocean with a coffee mug. I work diligently but seem to make no difference. Lord, I pray I make a difference in the life of just one person this week.

I went into ministry so that I could make a difference in this world for God. Every day I push myself to be a better person, parent, and pastor. I want my life to make an impact on the people around me. I want them to know God better today. I wonder about it. Honestly, I worry about it.

If I am making a difference in your life, I am happy about that fact, but I am not content. In the movie Hacksaw Ridge (based on a true story) Desmond Doss is helping people off the battlefield and into safety. Every time he saves one person he turns and says, “Just one more. Lord, let me help just one more.” That is my life, minus the blood and guts.

After the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, he goes to his disciples to show that he is truly alive. They are doubtful that such an event could take place. Usually, we point to Thomas as the one who doubted the resurrection, and yet all the disciples had a similar experience. John 20:20 says that the first ten who saw Jesus looked at his hands and his side. They visually confirmed that this was Jesus through his scars.

A week later when Jesus appears again, this time with Thomas present, Jesus encourages him to put his hands on those same scars. Thomas touches those marks left on the body of Jesus, and proclaims, “my Lord and my God.”

Why is the Easter Jesus scarred? Why doesn’t his resurrected body come complete with smooth skin and the removal of old blemishes?

I realize the most basic explanation is that Jesus keeps his scars as a form of identification. The disciples would only believe it was Jesus if he has the scars to prove it.

Then I read the book of Revelation. Recorded in chapter four and five is this great worship scene in heaven. A scroll needs to be opened, and no one can do it until a lamb comes out and its appearance is like one “who had been slain” (Rev. 5:6). It is a picture of Jesus and his eternal power established through the cross and resurrection. Even in this eternal moment, Jesus still appears to have visible scars.

I often wonder if there were not some beautiful meaning hiding in those scars. What if Jesus wants us to know that there is a way through the pain of this life? He teaches us that the hurt we feel in this body is not going to defeat us if we trust him. Being a believer in Jesus is not about sidestepping all the pain of this life. In fact, many times it invites more struggle and hurt. Yet, through the difficulties we are overcomers. One day we will look at our scars and be reminded of all the times evil tried to knock us down. When we cried with pain, God was present with us. He showed us a way through the ugliness of this life and turned our wounds into tattoos of God’s faithfulness.

Jesus is scarred. So hang in there, the hurt you are feeling today is not the end of the story.

This seems like an odd article to write, and there is a good chance you will not agree with me. I still feel I need to write it for all the Christian parents out there to consider. Maybe it will stretch your thinking.

My children have won more awards than you can imagine. Seriously. We have boxes of their certificates and letters of achievement. We have trophies and physical awards that all of them have received through the years. You might not believe this because you have never seen me brag about them publicly. I try to never mention their achievements at Church or in a sermon. I post no pictures on social media. Rarely do my wife, or I refer to them publicly to anyone outside of the six of us. I only say them here to underline that I am not a bitter parent.

This lack of praise is not by accident; it is a conscious decision my wife and I made years ago that guides our parenting. Here are the reasons for it.

1.They have value from God. Their life has infinite value and worth for two primary reasons. They were created in the image of God, and they were redeemed by his son Jesus. Nothing adds to that and nothing takes away from it.

2. What about those who lost? For everyone who achieves there are dozens of others who lost. We have never wanted anyone to feel bad for coming in second. Their life has value and worth even if they are not successful (see #1)

3. Spiritual growth is more important than worldly achievement. Hear me carefully; you can win every award and be an incredible jerk. We care more about what our children become than what they achieve.

4. What happens when my children fail? It is easy for children to think that your love is based on their success. You are so happy when they are first, and you tell everyone about it. Second seems unacceptable and is unmentionable. We love our children even if they never win anything. We want them to know that clearly.

5. Pride. If my child is best at something, doesn’t that mean I am a better parent than other parents? If they had raised their child as I did, then maybe their kid would not be such a loser. It is funny how the success of my children can fill me with pride as if I were something special.

6. Flawed priorities. I think most awards are given to the wrong kids. It is rarely given to the nicest child or the kindest to underprivileged. We award good students rather than good people. Does the child who is raised in a single parent home struggling to help by keeping a job and their grades up deserve less recognition than the children of affluent parents who can focus only on one thing? Think it through.

7. Meaningful recognition is given without prodding. If I must tell you how wonderful my boys are before you will say anything nice, then it is probably fake praise.

8. No one cares. Just being honest. I believe the majority of people could care less that our child was the best in Jr. High at whatever. My favorite line in “The Incredibles” movie, “They keep creating new ways to celebrate mediocrity.” I couldn’t agree more.

Now, let me end with this. I am proud of my children. I tell them that every time they attempt something. Win or lose? Who cares? First or fourteen? Does it matter? I love and care about them no matter the outcome of their life. When they win, I tell then I am happy for them, and God has given us a lot of reasons to be happy. But those stories are our secrets to keep.

Here are some of the best articles I have read over the past several weeks. Enjoy.

18 Churchy Things the Class of 2018 Won’t Get

‘GQ’ Was Right About One Thing: Most Christians Don’t Act Like the Bible Matters

Spring Sports and Sunday Church: FIVE SUGGESTIONS FOR PARENTS

Gallup asked Americans why they go to church.

4 Little-Known Facts About the Bible That Suggest It Can Be Trusted

Business blogger Seth Godin has had some good stuff lately. They not only apply to business but to the Church and living like a believer.

How to give a five-minute presentation

After you raise your hand…

The words that work

Missing from your job description

The Christian faith has two completely different movements.

1.The Christian faith looks backward. We look back into the past to read about the work of God, particularly in his son Jesus. There is this fundamental element of trust in the Bible and the teachings about God. A believer looks back and says, “I believe that this happened and that the records are true.” This leads us to read our Bibles, studying the stories, dissecting the teachings and developing a theology based on what we understand.

2. The Christian faith looks forward. We trust that God will show up in our actions that we do for him. Faith allows us to pray to an unseen God and then to trust him to act. Faith believes that my work done for him will produce an eternal result. Faith keeps me moving forward in trust not knowing how everything will work out.

These two directions are inseparable in the life of a believer. We must have faith that God acted in the world through Jesus Christ. Also, we need to take the knowledge of what God did and apply it to every day of our life.

There are a number of people out there who have the first one of these faiths. They believe the Bible, they trust Jesus and are grounded in the idea of God.

People in the second group are harder to find. This requires deliberate action that can defy explanation. We step out into the unknown and wait for God to work. The response may be immediate, or it may take a lifetime. We might not even see a result, but we trust that we are doing the right thing.

One of the questions that faith repeatedly asks is, “Would my life be any different if I had no faith in Jesus?” Asked another way, “How is my belief in the past shaping my present?”

If you are not continually remolding your life today given what God has done in the past, then you are fooling yourself into believing you have faith, when all you have is a little historical knowledge.

Over the years I have encountered numerous people who left a Church, including mine because they “were not getting fed.” For whatever reason, they felt like the Church was not providing them with all of the necessary ingredients to help them grow in their faith.

One thing I have never encountered is someone who left a Church because they “were not able to feed others enough.” No one I know has ever found themselves in a position where there was not enough work for them to do.

To me, this illustrates our selfish view of Church. We see our connection to a body of believers as purely utilitarian for us. We are there to get all we can get out of this group of people and nothing more. Today, I would like to flip this over and ask you for a few minutes to see Church as a group of people who need you to give as much as you receive. Take the time to ask yourself these questions.

1. Am I helping other people grow in their faith?

5. How are this place and these people better because I am here?

Would your view of Church be any different if you asked yourself these questions regularly? The people who form a Church need your contribution to be better Christians. We are in search of people who ask more questions about what they can give than what we receive.

Believers in Jesus are shaped by his life more than our culture. Jesus came into the world not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45)

Recently our Church started a monthly gathering of our senior adults for lunch, fellowship, a devotional thought and a chance to get to know each other. We have held two, and they have both been a blessing. This month I asked them one question for discussion. That question was “What one piece of advice would you give our graduating high school seniors (and possibly why)?”

Each one could stand up and share their thoughts, and a few were willing to write them down. Here are the responses (with minor editing)

-“Follow Jesus – if you slip away from him for any amount of time, he will welcome you back. I know.”
-“Slow down. Life goes by fast. Take time to live.”
-“Take pictures, make videos and record your life. Make and keep your memories.”
-“Don’t walk a mile without Jesus.”
-“Look for a spouse with a good heart and is a Christian. Your job, house and bank account is nothing if you do not live with a good person.”
-“Chose your mate wisely.”
-“Always be yourself. Don’t conform to be one of the crowd.”
-“Trust in the Lord with all your might, and he will lift you up.”
-“Pray always and exercise your faith.”
-“Always follow the direction of the Lord. Let him be your guide in all things.”
-“Follow your dreams.”
-“Listen to those older than you – they have already been where you are!”
-“Be true to yourself.”
-“Ask yourself, ‘Would my grandmother approve of this decision?’”
-“Don’t forget God.”

There is the life wisdom of some of our senior adults. They are a great group of people, and our Church is blessed by their wisdom.

I love fishing.

I don’t know exactly why I love fishing. Maybe it was imprinted on me as a child. My dad loved to fish, and we made many memories with a pole in our hands. Perhaps it is the joy of the unknown. When you set the hook, you never know what is at the other end of the line. It could simply be that I love the taste of freshly cooked fish and want more to eat. There are dozens of little factors that make me love fishing.

Since I love it so much, there are very few limits on my fishing. I had gotten up well before dawn and stayed up all night. I have driven hundreds of miles and paid money to have a chance to catch something unique or big. I have purchased hundreds of dollars in the tackle and spent thousands on boats. I have missed meals, sleep, tv, and even dates for a chance to go fishing. The two nights of my Jr. and Sr. prom were spent fishing with a friend. Days, week and years of my life have been spent pursuing this one passion. Do you get the picture? I love fishing.

On the other hand, I like basketball.

I enjoy it most when my children play the game, but I like it as a sport. I watch it on TV when it is convenient. I do not plan my day or any activities around basketball. During March Madness each year I stay up late to watch some games, but I have never gotten up early to watch. I haven’t spent any money on basketball. I have seen two professional games and a few college ones, but those were usually tickets someone else bought. I have no real favorite pro team, but dad made me be an Indiana University basketball fan. I cannot recall ever missing a meal or a date for a game. I like basketball. I enjoy it and watch it whenever my schedule allows.

There are days when we need to ask ourselves honestly, “Do I love or like Jesus?”

Matthew 22:36-38 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (37) Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (38) This is the first and greatest commandment.” (New International Version)

A young Jewish girl named Esther has become queen. It is almost unbelievable that she should ascend to such a high position. It was a great honor to her and should be to her people. There is only one problem; a nasty man is trying to get her people killed. Queen Esther sits on the throne in a royal position with influence and power that she can use to save her people. A family member named Mordecai contacts her, and he says a line that captures the moment.

Esther 4:14 “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

Mordecai explains that maybe God has her in this position so that she can save her people. Perhaps God has placed her in a unique place to make an impact for the good of his people.

This line of scripture goes through my head repeatedly when people tell me the stories of their lives. Recently a man explained how he and his wife were given the opportunity to offer counseling to another couple at a “just the right time.” Another person shared a story about how he, and some other people were able to help some homeless people they encountered. The list could go on and on. Right people placed in the right position so that they could offer the right action. Coincidence? Destiny? Fate? Luck? Could it have been a divine appointment?

The name of God does not appear anywhere in the book of Esther, and yet his fingerprints are all over its pages. He works and moves through the everyday situations of ordinary people to do incredible things. His people are saved. Lives are blessed. God is glorified.

Who knows but that you have come to your position today, for such a time as this?

Is it possible that God will bring people in and out of your life this day on whom you can have a positive impact in the name of Jesus? What would happen today if you looked around for divine appointments and then acted on this moments? Maybe the kingdom of God would be expanded through your life as people are blessed in the name of Jesus.

Maybe this day is the time for you to have an impact on this world if you will let God use you.