Be the Best YOU

Every now and then it's good for the Lord to bring you back to your roots. Often times if we aren't careful and watchful, we can allow our eyes to lose focus of what's really important in our lives or our ministries. I'm sure Peter could attest to this, as he got out of the boat and started walking on the sea. As long as his eyes were on Jesus, he was walking on the water. But as soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to sink.

Lately, I've been feeling like I'm sinking. No, I haven't been sinking into the despairing waves of life or the ravages of outward sin. I've been sinking into the waters of doubt and self-pity. I've been sinking into the waves of comparison. Instead of keeping my eyes focused on Christ and His plan for my life, I've found myself focusing on the plan and mission of others. I've allowed jealousy and envy to creep into my heart, making myself vunerable to the lies of the devil.

There's no doubt that God has called many of us according to His purpose and will. It's evident that God has His hand on folks, using them mightily in these last days. But it's also appearent that God has His own plan and design for each of us. Not everyone has been called to be prominant in the world's eyes or the church's for that matter. Nevertheless, the flesh always desires such status.

Jesus taught that they who desired to be first, would be last. Just like the disciples, I've found myself murmuring about who would be the greatest. Instead of having the mind of a servant, I've worried about being exalted. Foolishly, in an attempt to size myself up, I've compared myself and ministry to others. Instead of being content with the office and function that God has blessed me with, I've often desired the "attention" that others receive. After all, I've been saved just as long or longer, that should be me up there!

One of the 10 commandments is thou shalt not covet. While I haven't been "coveting" material possessions, in my heart I've been coveting status and recognition. In a sense, I've been coveting another man's ministry. Like James and John, I've desired to sit at the right or left hand of Jesus' Glory, instead of drinking the cup of His baptism.

Jesus taught how He didn't come to be served, but to be a servant. He didn't come to earth to receive a name above all other names. He came to be a sacrifice. He LIVED His entire life just so He could DIE. While they'll never be another sacrifice needed for sin, there will always remain an example to be followed. Christ said that if any man would follow after Him, he must first deny himself and then carry his cross. We were bought with a price. That's why the bible goes on to teach that we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service.

All of this means that we are to die to self. We are to die to our own wants and desires and live for God. In the garden of Gethesemene, Jesus said let not My will be done but Yours be done. We have to trust in the sovereignty of God. We have to believe that God knows the beginning from the end. We have to be confident that God has orchestrated our entire lives and only wants the best for us.

The bible says that Jesus ascended into Heaven and gave gifts to men. Some were apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and some teachers. He provided these gifts to the Body of Christ so that we all could be strengthened and edified. Later in Revelation, He taught how He had the stars in His right hand, meaning He led and directed His ministers as He saw fit.

Therefore, since we are the body of Christ, we each have a special function and purpose in God's economy. None of us should look down on another member of the body. Likewise, none of our members should look down on themselves. If I'm a foot, I shouldn't look down on myself for being a foot. If I'm a foot, I also shouldn't desire to be a hand. What sense would that make?The body already has two hands. It doesn't need another one. What it needs are two good feet that it can stand on. Even though feet are the ones that step into mud at times and get dirty, they're still needed. They may not be the most attractive part of the body but they nevertheless serve their purpose. Obviously, they're important to the Head, otherwise they wouldn't be there. Not everybody appreciates feet, but we all need them. Not everybody likes feet, but there are those who do have a foot fetish. So while I'm fretting over not being a hand, there's a spleen somewhere wishing they could be a foot.

I said all of that to say this: instead of trying to be something I'm not, something that God never called me to be, it's better for me to just be myself. Instead of trying to be like someone else's ministry, I should be content with my own. Truth be told, I won't make a good anybody else. But if I allow the Holy Spirit to shape and mold me, I can be a very good ME. There's no need to desire being something God never intended for me to be. It would be fruitless for the clay to try to mold itself. The clay has to understand its position and submit itself to the potter's authority. Therefore, just like that clay, it's better to strive to be the best ME that I can be in Christ.

So I'd like to encourage you today. Perhaps, you've been feeling inadequate or feeling like you just don't measure up. Maybe you lack some of the qualities that others have. Maybe you don't get the recognition you think you deserve. If that's the case, I'd exhort you to take your eyes off of yourself and get em focused back on Christ. Don't sink into that mind state because that's not God's plan for your life.

Maybe you wouldn't make a good this or that. Maybe you really don't have what it takes to be such and such. But regardless of all that, you do have what it takes to be YOU. God said that you were fearfully and wonderfully made. Why settle being a mediocre somebody else when you can be a great YOU? Keep your eyes focused on Christ. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you. Allow the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead to live and operate inside of you. At the end of the day, you may not be just like the next man, but you'll be the best YOU!

24

One of the biggest challenges for me is finding time to get everything done that I need to do during the course of a day. I only have 24 hours to work with so I have to be a good steward of my time. I have to have time to sleep so that's part of my day gone from jump. I wake up at around 6:30 each morning and lie in bed thinking about the Lord for 30 minutes. That usually sets the stage for the rest of my day.

I have to be at work bright and early at 8 am, Monday thru Friday. I get off at 5 or a little after each day. That's another 9 hours gone. I can usually find time during the day for christian message boards and internet searches. Occasionally, I get in the word at different times during the day. When I get off, I usually watch King of the Hill and 2 episodes of The Jamie Fox Show. By this time it's 7 pm and i've had at least an hour or so to unwind.

This is when it's time for me to really be sensitive to the Spirit of God. Because up to this point, I haven't had the opportunity to truly fellowship with the Lord. He's been on my mind and in my heart all day. I've had an opportunity to read a few passages and throw up a couple of prayers, but I haven't given Him the opportunity to have His way with me just yet. That's why it's so important to use the remainder of my evening wisely.

I thank God I don't have cable, so I'm not inclined to channel surf all night long. Many times when I go home and visit my mom on weekends, I spend a lot of my time in front of the big screen. That's how I know I'm not disciplined enough to have cable at the crib.

However, the Lord has blessed me with my own studio. I have the ability to go into The Soup Kitchen and work on music all night. But this isn't always the best use of my time. Sure I can always go and bang out another beat. But that's not always God's will. I can always justify it by claiming that I'm doing the Lord's work, but many times, the Lord hasn't given me any work like that to do. Many times when I'm working on a new volume, I have a desire to get in there and grind. I have a clear focus and direction. I know exactly what needs to be done. But other times, I find myself wasting precious time that should have been spent doing other things.

Jesus told the Church at Ephesus in Rev. 2 that He knew their work. He was aware of all their labor and toil for His name's sake. He knew how much they were hustling trying to be the best Christians they could be. Yet and still, Jesus warned them that they had left their first love, which was Him. Yeah, they were busy doing the work of the ministry. But in all that, they forgot Who they were actually working for. They allowed themselves to lose the close, intimate and personal relationship they once had with Christ.

Because of this, I try to be sensitive to the Spirit of God in my life. There's only 24 hours in a day so I have to use it wisely. I try and make it a point to spend time with Jesus before I seek doing His work. That's the same way Jesus was in His earthly ministry. He made sure He was fed by His Heavenly Father before it was time for Him to feed the multitudes. Therefore, I seek His face daily in prayer. I set aside quality time to spend in His Word. I listen to praise and worship constantly. I don't always feel like doing so, but I've come to the point to where I know it's necessary. I refuse to allow my flesh to ruin my spiritual well being and growth.

God has ordained that there be only 24 hours in each day. He could have given us more time but He didn't. Therefore, we have to make the most out of the little time we have. One day our 24s are gonna run out. We never know when, but we know it's gonna happen one day. Many of us work full time jobs outside of ministry. Many of us have families that demand our attention and time. But in light of all these things, how well do we manage the limited time we have each day? In all of our responsibilities and interests, do we set apart time for Jesus? Do we give Him amply time to have His way in our hearts and lives? Do we set apart time for His work or do we allow "His work" to consume our lives?

God has so much in store for us. He has so many great and wonderful plans for our lives. But He expects us to be faithful with what He's given us. He hasn't blessed us with a ministry so that we can neglect our Him. He hasn't blessed us with a ministry so we can neglect our family. He hasn't blessed us with a family so we can neglect Him or our ministry. We have to find a healthy balance between every aspect of our lives. But Christ has to be the center for there to be a happy median. Christ has to be the wheel inside of the wheel (Ezek 1:16).

Is Christ at the center of your 24s. Do you find time to pencil Him in each day? When you go to sleep each night, can you honestly attest that you've glorified God in your time management? Is He the Lord of your life or the Lord of a couple minutes out of your day? Are you making good use of this 24? If you knew it was your last, would you do anything differently?