by John Fischer

Mister Rogers was right after all: There is only one you. But this information is much more important than to just be boosting your self-esteem. It is to help you better serve others by being more confident about your God-given role in life.

No one else fits your shape. No one else has your blend of gifts, talents, and natural abilities – making you very important in the whole scheme of things. “God made our bodies with many parts,” wrote Paul, “and he has put each part just where he wants it.” (1 Corinthians 12:18) And as it is with the human body, so it is with the Body of Christ – the corporate collection of all who believe.

But this uniqueness goes beyond giftedness; it reaches as well into the depth of each of our experiences in life. No one else has your life. No one else has your pain, your hardship, your joys and sorrows. Everything in life shapes us and we are shaped by everything for a reason – so that we can touch others in a unique way based upon who we are and what we’ve been through. God doesn’t waste anything in our lives.

Every piece of our lives and experiences can be used of Christ to touch someone else. We were made for each other; we live for each other; we even die for each other. We die with hope so that others who live might see the reality of Christ in even the darkest of hours. God uses everything.

Are you just getting by, or are you living for a reason? Think about your unique gifts and ask yourself how those gifts are benefiting others. What specific way is God using you to touch others in the Body of Christ? Do you seem to have an extra measure of wisdom, or mercy, or discernment, or knowledge, or administration, or desire to serve? These will help determine how you can look for opportunities to help others.

And then think about the things you have gone through so far in your life – especially the difficult or challenging things where God has met you with his presence and power. That information is not just for you, it’s for you to empathize with and encourage others who have encountered similar struggles.

God isn’t messing around here. There are no accidents with our lives. Whatever we have received and experienced has shaped who we are, and because of that, we are qualified servants. There is truly no one else like you … for a reason 

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that
person.  When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually
to meet a need you have expressed.  They have come to assist you
through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to
aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.  They may seem like
a Godsend and they are.  They are there for the reason you need
them to be.  Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an
inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring
the relationship to an end.  Sometimes they die.  Sometimes they
walk away.  Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire
fulfilled, their work is done.  The prayer you sent up has been
answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has
come to share, grow or learn.  They bring you an experience of
peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have
never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real.  But only for a season!

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must
build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.  Your job
is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have
learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a
season or a lifetime.

Question:  "What does the Bible say about Christian tithing?”

Answer:  Tithing is an issue that many Christians struggle with. In many churches tithing is over-emphasized. At the same time, many Christians refuse to submit to the Biblical exhortation in regards to making offerings to the Lord. Tithing / giving is intended to be a joy, a blessing. Sadly, that is rarely the case in the church today.

Tithing is an Old Testament concept. The tithe was a requirement of the law in which all Israelites were give 10% of everything they earned and grew to the Tabernacle / Temple (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:26; Deuteronomy 14:24; 2 Chronicles 31:5). Some understand the Old Testament tithe as a method of taxation to provide for the needs of the priests and Levites of the sacrificial system. The New Testament nowhere commands, or even recommends that Christians submit to a legalistic tithe system. Paul states that believers should set aside a portion of their income in order to support the church (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

The New Testament nowhere assigns a certain percentage of income to set aside, but only says it is to be “in keeping with his income” (1 Corinthians 16:2). The Christian church has essentially taken the 10% figure from the Old Testament tithe and applied it as a “recommended minimum” for Christians in their giving. However, Christians should not feel obligated to always tithe. They should give as they are able, “in keeping with his income.” Sometimes that means giving more than a tithe, sometime that may mean giving less than a tithe. It all depends on the ability of the Christian and the needs of the church. Each and every Christian should diligently pray and seek God’s wisdom as to whether to participate in tithing and/or for how much he or she should give (James 1:5). “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Answer:  Tithing is given as an example in the Scriptures as how individuals should respond to God's blessings. Many individuals question as to whether the tithe is still applicable for believers today since we are not "under the law." Despite that distinction, many believers consider it their privilege to give proportionately to the work of the Lord, usually using the tithe as a pattern. Although churches are not given percentages in the New Testament, the principle of proportionate giving is given (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 8). The New Testament also records that the believers in the church were collecting to give to other ministries.

Although there may not be a specific verse stating that a church should tithe to other ministries, it seems that churches and other ministries should be generous in supporting other ministries as the Lord prospers them. For some churches, it helps them to keep outwardly focused by setting a certain amount in their budget toward "outside ministries." Therefore, it would not be unusual for a church or ministry to give a tithe (10%) or another percentage to what they consider missions. At the same time, this is not to be a legalistic requirement. Rather, it is to be a joyous celebration in response to the Lord's provision.

A reporter for one of the network news programs called to ask me about the resurgence of interest in spirituality around the country. We had an amiable chat for a while – until I mentioned that it was my hope that all those who were experimenting with various belief systems would eventually meet Jesus.

Instantly the conversation turned cold. “Are you telling me that two-thirds of the world is going to Hell because they’ve never heard of Christ?” he angrily demanded. The tone of his voice made it clear: He was accusing me of being narrow-minded, bigoted, and snobbish.

He didn’t linger long enough for me to defend myself, but ultimately his argument isn’t with me. It’s with Jesus. Because in the single most outrageous claim he ever uttered, Jesus announced, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Out of all the incredible statements by Jesus, this astounding assertion has the greatest tendency to outrage people. Many consider it arrogant, intolerant, and politically incorrect. Even Jesus’ claim to being divine doesn’t upset people the way this declaration does.

‘All religions are basically the same’

One reason Jesus’ exclusivity claim is so controversial is because it contradicts the popularly held viewpoint that all religions are basically the same. In other words, people believe there are a variety of paths they can take in their spiritual journey, and they all eventually lead to the same God. 

However, Jesus’ outlandish claim to being the only way to God puts Christianity in a class by itself. All other religions are based on people doing something, through their struggling and striving, to somehow earn the good favor of God. By contrast, Christianity is based on what Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross. The Bible teaches that we’re all spiritual rebels and that nobody can do anything to merit Heaven, but that Jesus died as our substitute on the cross and is offering forgiveness and eternal life as a gift of his grace.

This element of grace is unique to Christianity. As one scholar pointed out, the contrast becomes stark when you compare a parable taught by Jesus with a similar story found in Buddhist literature. Both stories involve sons who became rebellious and left home but later recognized the error of their way and decided to return. In the Buddhist story, the errant son is required to work off the penalty for his past misdeeds by spending years in servitude. But the Christian parable concludes with the prodigal son receiving a warm welcome from his father and being showered with undeserved forgiveness.

The message of grace and the message of working off past wrongs are fundamentally incompatible. It wouldn’t make sense that both could come from the same God. After all, God isn’t schizophrenic! It seems logical that God would provide one path for us to follow in finding him and that he would reveal that path in an extraordinary and unprecedented manner – which he did by sending Jesus Christ to enter human history.

As incredible as it sounds, Jesus is saying that all other routes are ultimately dead ends, but his is the way to God.

‘You have your truth, I have mine’

Jesus’ claim of exclusivity also skewers the myth that even though Christianity may be different, it’s no more true than any other system of religion. This is the “you have your truth, I have mine” idea.

R.C. Sproul points out that this belief has a certain amount of appeal because, on the surface, it reflects the tolerant and pluralistic attitudes of our country. Under our Constitution, all religious opinions are equally protected; people are free to believe whatever they want. But some people jump to the erroneous conclusion that just because different religious viewpoints are equally protected, they therefore must be equally true. That’s just not the case.

So how do we know Jesus was telling the truth when he claimed to be the only path to God? Anybody could make that assertion. In fact, lots of people have! But Jesus was different. He not only contended he was the way, the truth, and the life, but he had credentials that no other religious leader has ever had – and that gives him unique credibility.

Look at some of the evidence that backs up Jesus’ bold declarations:

His miracles, which are documented by the reliable historical records that make up the New Testament. He performed many miracles in broad daylight and in front of skeptics. Jesus said, “Don’t believe me unless I do miracles of God,” because he knew that they would be strong affirmation of his identity.

His character also provides confirmation of his claim. So often when we really get close to other people, we see their flaws all the more clearly. Yet the exact opposite happened with those who knew Jesus. The closer they got to him, the more they marveled at his integrity and purity. For instance, nobody was closer to Jesus during his three-year ministry than John and Peter. John said, “In him is no sin.” Peter wrote, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

The predictions about the coming Messiah in the Old Testament numbered about four dozen, and when you piece them together, they create a kind of fingerprint. Of all the people who have lived down through the ages, only Jesus Christ matches the fingerprint. The odds against anyone doing this are astronomical. University mathematician Peter Stoner, in his book Science Speaks, conservatively estimated that the likelihood of any one person throughout history fulfilling 48 of the prophecies would be one chance in a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion!

The resurrection of Jesus, which he not only foretold but which, as a credible event of history, conclusively established that Christ was who he claimed to be.

When you add all of this up, it’s clear that Christianity isn’t merely a philosophy; it’s reality. It’s not just a way of life; it’s a faith that’s uniquely grounded in history.

Trust the person with credibility

Although Jesus’ followers are sometimes accused of being narrow-minded for believing that Jesus alone can lead us to God, it’s certainly not narrow-minded to weigh the evidence and follow the advice of the person who knows what he is talking about.

Late one afternoon when I was 14 years old, I was home by myself, painting with oil colors on a large canvas in the basement. While acrylics dry fairly quickly, oil paints seem to take forever. Impatient, I plugged in a couple of heat lamps to hurry matters along.

Not smart.

A short time later a pile of rags soaked with turpentine went up in flames. Soon the entire corner of the wood-paneled basement was ablaze. I ran to the telephone to call the fire department. When I returned, I saw that the fire was out of control. I tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire with water from the laundry room. The enclosed basement was rapidly filling with a thick, black, sooty smoke. The lights shorted out. Choking on the smoke and acrid fumes, I was quickly becoming disoriented. I couldn’t see the stairs anymore. A horrible realization hit me: I couldn’t save myself. 

Just then a police officer arrived and opened the door to the basement. He stepped onto the top stair and began shining around a big flashlight. “Police officer!” he called out. “Anyone down there?”

I didn’t have to analyze the situation intellectually to know that the police officer was my only hope of escape. He was a trained professional and fully capable of leading me to safety. What’s more, he held a big flashlight to illuminate the way for me. I had to put my faith in that officer – a faith based on facts. I followed the light, and he put his arm around me and led me to safety.

Many years later I was faced with a spiritually equivalent situation. After nearly two years of investigating the claims of Jesus, I knew he had unique credentials and credibility. And based on what he said, I realized for the first time that I couldn’t save myself. I was guilty of sinning against a holy God. It was an open-and-shut case. And the penalty was eternal separation from him.

I was hopelessly disoriented and lost, but Jesus was calling to me and reaching out to rescue me. He was fully capable of leading me to safety. He knew the way to eternal life. In fact, he was the way. And he didn’t need a flashlight, because as he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

I took a step of faith – not a blind or irrational step but one that was secure and firm because it was based on the history-proven trustworthiness of Jesus Christ. On Nov. 8, 1981, I allowed him to lead me out of the darkness, away from the inferno, and into a place of safety.

Statistics show that 84 percent of Americans already believe in the credentials of Jesus Christ. They’re convinced that he’s God or the Son of God. Maybe you’re part of that majority. If you’ve never acted on that belief, it’s my hope that you’ll let him rescue you from your otherwise hopeless situation by praying to receive Christ as your forgiver and leader.

If you do, I predict that you’ll discover what I did:

• Jesus is the way – the path to a lifetime of adventure, fulfillment, challenge, and purpose, even when we sacrifice or suffer for his sake.

• Jesus is the truth – and he provides us with wisdom that works for our everyday life and the turbulent times as well.

• And Jesus is the life. He – and he alone – can give us confidence in our future for all of eternity. 

It’s clear – when you look at the reading habits of Americans – that most of us are interested in change. Of the 15 recent best sellers, 10 of them were self-help books. We read books and go to seminars and try diets and listen to tapes, but somehow, all those new ideas just don't seem to last. We change for a while, but the change usually isn’t permanent. The main reason for this is that we work on outward behavior instead of inner motives. Any lasting change must begin on the inside, and that's a work of God.

God has a four-step process for changing us. We find it in Genesis chapter 32 when Jacob, a somewhat shifty fellow (his name means “cheater” or “schemer”) experienced a turning point that transformed him into a new person. From that point on, he was no longer Jacob, the “cheater,” but Israel. The message found in this chapter is encouraging. It tells us that we don't have to stay in the rut where we are: God is willing to help us to change.

How do we let him help us? Let's look at the events that transpired in Genesis 32:24-30: "Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the Man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the Man. Then the Man said, `Let me go, for it is daybreak.' But Jacob replied, `I will not let you go unless you bless me.' The Man asked him, `What is your name?' 'Jacob,' he answered. Then the Man said, `Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.' Jacob said, `Please tell me your name.' But he replied, `Why do you ask my name?' Then he blessed him there. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, `It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."' (The word "Peniel" is a Hebrew word for "the face of God.")

Jacob’s wrestling match demonstrates the four steps God uses to change us into the people we want to become. 

The first step is the crisis phase. When God wants to change us, he starts by getting our attention. Sometimes he puts us in frustrating situations that are totally beyond our control. We usually never change until we get fed up with our current situation. When we get miserable enough, discontent enough, and uncomfortable enough, we finally get motivated enough to let God do something in our lives. 

A mother eagle will stir up the nest of her young. She'll make them uncomfortable and miserable, then kick them out and force them to learn to fly – for their own good. God does that too. He knows what’s best, and if discomfort will do the trick, then he’ll allow discomfort. He needs to do this because we don't change until our fear of change is exceeded by the pain we're experiencing.

The second step in being changed by God is the commitment phase. Jacob told the angel: “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (v. 26) He was persistent enough to stay with the situation until he worked it out. Though frustrated, he said, "I am 100 percent committed to staying with the situation until God turns it around for good."

After God gets our attention with a problem, he doesn't solve it immediately. He waits a little longer to see if we really mean business. Most people miss God's best for their lives because they give up too soon. Instead of hanging in there and saying, "God, I'm not going to let go of this until you bless me, until you turn it around," they just give up and miss God's best.

We're so conditioned to having instant everything, including instant success, that if we don't have an instant answer to our one prayer, instant success, or an instant turnaround, we say, "Forget it, God." We need to remember that we didn't get into our present mess overnight. Those attitudes, actions, habits, fears, and weaknesses took years to develop, and sometimes God has to remove them layer by layer. Usually it takes awhile for God to change you. But don't give up. Hang in there. Be committed to getting God's best for your life.

The third step in being changed by God is the confession phase. The angel said to Jacob, "What is your name?"

And he answered, "Jacob." What was the purpose of the angel's question? It was to get Jacob to acknowledge his character by stating his name – by acknowledging that he was a "schemer." Jacob remembered the heartache he had caused by his scheming against his brother Esau, so when the angel asked, "What are you really like? What's your character?" Jacob admitted, "I'm a cheater. I'm a schemer." He admitted his weaknesses because he was honest.  

We will never change until we honestly face and admit our faults, sins, weaknesses, and mistakes. God will not go to work on our problem until we first admit that we've got a problem. We need to say, "Lord, I'm in a mess. I've got a problem and I admit I made it." Then God can go to work.

The fourth step in being changed by God is the cooperation phase. God began changing Jacob as soon as he admitted who he was and began to cooperate with God's plan. Jacob called the place "Peniel," meaning "the face of God" (v. 30). Jacob came face to face with God. Every one of us must eventually come face to face with God, and when we do that, God can change us. God said to Jacob, "Now we can get down to business. I want you to relax. Just cooperate and trust me, and I will make the changes that you want made. I will bless you." God didn't say, "Jacob, try real hard and use all your willpower to become perfect." That doesn't work. Willpower simply does not make permanent changes in our lives. That's attacking the outward circumstance. It's the internal motivation that makes the permanent changes, and that's what God works on.

When Jacob began to cooperate, God started working. The first thing God did was to give him a new name and a new identity. God said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel." (v. 28) After we have had a personal encounter with God we can no longer be the same. God knew Jacob’s potential. He changed Jacob from a cheater and schemer to an Israel, a "Prince of God." God saw all of Jacob's weaknesses, but he also saw beneath the surface: "That's not the real you, Jacob. You're actually an Israel. You're a prince." 

What's the one thing you would most like to change about your life? Maybe it's a habit. Maybe it's a weakness. Maybe it's a character difficulty. Maybe it's something that's gotten you into more trouble than you could have imagined, and now the situation is beyond your control. Maybe you're in a no-win situation that bothers and bugs you and keeps you from developing the potential that God wants you to develop.

The good news is this: Beneath all those things you know about yourself that you don't like, God sees an Israel. He sees the prince or princess in your life. He sees what you can become. And he wants to change you from a Jacob to an Israel. 

Let God do his changing!