By Dale Shumaker
I am a problem/solution, situation/strategy kind
of guy.
In most everything, I tend to look at what is the
problem here, and then what can we do to
fix it. Or what is the situation here, and what
strategy would work best for resolving,
overcoming it.
In my life I have been intrigued by the
Navy Seals, high performance athletes,
and how they function. They all are
constantly evaluating, re-evaluating
themselves. Find what is the problem here,
or what strategy will overcome this
situation. Most people who live to do
well in what they do think like this.
For me, I enjoy working with problems,
situations and coming up with better
solutions, unique strategies. Some see value
in this, some don't... the life get-by-ers don't
see value in this, they live a mindset of
just enough to make the grade, get the
job, pass the test... and I say... why not live
to be the best at what you do and live
for, constantly work at being better than
you were yesterday, and advance your
skills for tomorrow.
Now to the church, Christians, and those
who say they believe in Jesus as their Lord
and Savor. Some live just to get in the gate,
but fewer take the narrow way... to live for
the big rewards in Heaven our Lord promises.
Take church for example. Some go there just
to get by. Others want more and get involved
in an informal study/prayer group, still others
instead of organizations and groups, find two
or three people they go to for their
Scripture studies, and prayer.
A problem.
Few are living to the level that should
be the norm as Believers in Christ.
(See Acts 9... Peter heals a paralyzed man
who walks instantly, and Tabitha who comes
back to life instantly.)
Since I am a problem/solution type guy,
I set out to find a solution for this.
There's a problem here. There's a lack
of initiative for many to live the best they
can be in their walk and calling in the
Lord. Do we take on the desire to live
for the Lord and be as one of His Navy
Seals, Olympic champions in the Spirit?
It seems fewer are growing to greater
heights Spiritually,
and there is little real growth of
Dedicated, Totally-committed
Christianity in lives and in their groups.
Church attenders don't grow much
beyond their Sunday experience, informal
groups stay narrow in their growth in
the Lord, and the 2's or 3's lack a platform
to grow as God would want them.
Studies seem to indicate about 20% attend
formal church gatherings weekly, but they show only
6 or 7% of these are really committed to
what they do.
This is a little scary. Our Spirit-committed
believers are a very small number. The others
looking for growth in Spirit, and Power in
the Spirit may seek out informal or not
identifiable Spiritual relationships with others.
Now I realize there is a lot of conjecture here.
Although, in my Spirit I feel in America there
is a less than a majority who really believe in
Christ and live with their whole hearts for
Him. They want the prize but lack the personal
discipline to win the prize as Paul says.
"Do you not know that in a race all the
runners run, but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Everyone who competes in the games
goes into strict training. They do it to
get a crown that will not last, but we do it
to get a crown that will last forever.
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly..."
(1 Corinthians 9:24-26, NIV)
So, putting all this together. I want to help the
church-going, informal groups, and others
into wanting to grow in Spirit. I came up
with a solution, a strategy that will work
for all three.
It is in
All three groups can benefit from it.
And live in the super, dynamic, most magnificent
life in Spirit they can live.
Beyond that, since I am getting older, I
wanted to make this my contribution
to mankind before going home with
the Lord. It's online, free. Plus if you
are really committed, I will help you.
I will be your personal assistant in going
through this, and partner with you to
make sure it happens.
(In my life I got high marks for being
a pretty good tutor, teaching, facilitator
and showing others how to make things
work in their life.)
One thing in my spirit has always been...
if I am going to do it, do it well and with
all my might. The "just-get-by-people"
don't get into the "do it the best you can
and be the best you can" way of thinking.
But those who get into this
want to give their life as a super-whirl for the Lord,
Of all we can excel at, why not excel at
living in the Spirit as the Lord made us for.
It's very exciting, creating a rush through us,
a surge of His Spirit palpitating through our
souls, as we live this way.
......
