Daily writing prompt

What does “having it all” mean to you? Is it attainable?

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I want to have all the insight and revelation that I can. That’s why I am an avid reader and why I love to listen to people tell me about their life and their thoughts.

There’s an account in the Bible where Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement in Antioch and went their separate ways. Their disagreement wasn’t about doctrine. It was about a person’s behavior–how John Mark had abandoned them on their first Spirit-led journey. Barnabas wanted to give John Mark a second chance, but Paul didn’t. The Christ-followers in Antioch gave Paul and his new ministry companion, Silas, their blessing. However, Barnabas and John Mark apparently left without it.

Early church history presents John Mark as the author of the Gospel of Mark. In 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul tells Timothy: “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me for ministry (NKJV).” Many Bible scholars believe that Paul is asking for John Mark.

In the body of Christ, we can be useful to one another even when we disagree. I have learned so much from Christians I disagree with. I’ve been an avid reader of church history and of Christian writers living and dead, even when I don’t fully agree with them. I’ve found them all to be “useful to me for ministry.” The Holy Spirit has deeply touched my heart through the writings of “the church fathers,” ancient orthodox monks in the “Philokalia,” church historians, the Franciscans, the Moravians, the Catholic mystics, the Protestant Reformers, the Anabaptists, the Pietists, the Puritans, the Quakers, the Methodists, the Wesleyan Holiness writers, the Pentecostals, the charismatics/evangelicals, and too many more to name.

Christians need to frequently hear Spirit-led insights from many diverse Christ-followers. They can do that through the writings I just mentioned. They can also do that by listening to more than one person on Sunday mornings. When they gather for worship, they can open up the meeting and let anyone present speak as prompted by the Holy Spirit. I seek out those kinds of gatherings because hearing ordinary Christ-followers share from their heart as led by the Spirit has been one of the most useful things ever in growing my relationship with the risen Jesus. (As the early Pentecostals used to say: “The fire of God is more caught than taught.”) Continually expose yourself to it!

I always test what I hear and/or read to the Bible. If it contradicts the Word I set it aside. If it aligns with the Bible, I embrace it and try to live it out in my daily life.

As you daily watch
Your time unwind
Don’t neglect to find
Plenty of time
To always bind
Your heart to Jesus.

Life without
A Jesus focus
Is hocus pocus.
Make Christ your locus
Of control.
So Jesus can be
What your life’s about.

The thinker who thinks there is no such thing as free will is thinking that his own thinking isn’t truly thinking but only programming that passively passes through his brain. Use your free will to follow and obey the risen Jesus. There’s so much anointed wisdom in the body of Christ. Don’t overlook it!