Our, One, & Only

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.  - 1 John 5:11-13

This is to be our testimony.  God has given us eternal life through His Son whom we believe has come, died in place of our sins, and been resurrected.  There is no other life except in God's Son.  Our source of life is in His Son.  Our redemption is in His Son.  Our only hope, dependence, and deliverance for each day is in His Son.  And we write, speak, teach, and testify so others may believe and find their life in His Son.

This is the only testimony.  There is no other testimony that matters.  We may have had lots of experience and can talk about many great lessons for others to learn of on our behalf, but the only testimony we have that can change someone's life to the essence of their being is our testimony of our experience with Jesus, the Son of God.  This testimony is the only one that can lead someone to a new life, a renewed life, or a secured eternal life.  All of our other testimonies should relate to this only testimony.

This is the one testimony.  This one and only testimony of ours is intently focused on Jesus, God's Son.  He is the One that our testimony should revolve around.  Our story should be a reflection of Him and demonstrate how He lives through us, how He has delivered us, how knowing Him has changed us, and how much He loves us.  There is only one through which we can be saved.  Ephesians 1:7 and Colossians 1:14 confirm that "In [Jesus] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."  Only in one Man's actions do we find salvation.   Romans 5:19 says, "For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous."  Jesus is the One, the focus, of our testimony.

The Cost of Discipleship

Matthew 11:30

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

 

I saw this article today on Facebook http://familydiscipleshippath.com/2013/11/22/sports-vs-church/ and marveled at how this paralleled our own experience when Ryan was growing up.  In fact, after prayer and discussion with Reja, we forced Ryan to turn down repeated invitations to play travel baseball in middle school.  Consequently, he failed to make the middle school baseball team and had no chance at HS baseball.  I had hoped that Ryan would be a standout football athlete, but he simply didn't love the game enough to make the commitment it takes to play in HS and quit after his sophomore year.  As a result, other than leadership events, Ryan really had little extracurricular connection at FWBHS.  After spending his Senior year at NWFSC, he's not really looking forward to attending graduation.  I can sympathize.  I graduated from CHS a year or two ago (or maybe more, but I can't remember...) and since I only attended a year, I felt no real connection to the school and really didn't care about graduation.  I've not been back for reunions or other events except those in which my kids were involved.  Kerianne had a very different experience and had numerous friends at FWBHS. 

My decision about travel ball many years ago has proven costly to Ryan.  Perhaps he wouldn't have succeeded or loved baseball, or perhaps he would have gone to "the other HS," played BB and football and had a very different HS experience.  Due to my decision, we'll never know. 

What Ryan DID do when he opted to quit football was take full advantage of a gracious and wise youth director who offered to teach him guitar.  In three short months, Ryan began playing in the youth band with Jimmy Whited and at 6 months, took over the leadership role.  He's grown to be an effective praise and worship leader, something that he can take with him throughout his full life - unlike HS sports. 

So, as I watch him participate in graduation activities, I look back and can clearly see God work to once again show his promise in Ro 8:28 to always be true.  God took a decision dedicated to Him and made into something far more beneficial that I could have done for Ryan.  As Ryan dedicated himself to God's service, God has provided a sense of connection and fulfillment that Ryan simply didn't get out of events at HS.  Praise God that He knows best.  I'm thankful that for once, my decisions seem to have been divinely guided and worked out for the best.  Clearly God's yoke looked unbearable at the outset, but through His grace, proved to truly be light!  I look forward to how God will use the skill, talent, and obvious Spiritual Gift God has bestowed upon Ryan as he grows. 

Finally, this wouldn't have had the same outcome if Jimmy hadn't been the selfless and wise person he is.  Jimmy recognized (at least a little) dedication from Ryan and immediately put him to work to use his new skills.  Jimmy loves to play guitar and lead worship, but because he knew that Ryan needed to be actively using his skills, he stepped out of the limelight and literally pushed Ryan into it.  I don't think Ryan would have stuck to guitar without this leadership opportunity.  I'm not sure many people recognize Jimmy's long track record of this kind of leadership, but there are people in ministry today because Jimmy consistently recognizes God calling young people and He puts them right to work developing the spiritual gifts as they grow.  I'm thankful for Jimmy and his selfless leadership. 

Die .. And Be Filled.

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me. - John 12:24-26

Dr. Bill Bright made the comment, "It is impossible to control ourselves and be controlled by the Holy Spirit at the same time.  ...  Christ cannot be in control if you are on the throne of your life. So you must abdicate - surrender the throne of your life to Christ. This involves faith."

And boy does it ever require faith!  But it also requires diligence to be continually looking for where I am trying to grab "my" life back.  It requires perseverance with myself at all the failures I'll experience in trying to "give" my life to Christ.  Most of all, however, it requires faith.  I have to know, even if I don't understand it, even if I can't see it, even if everything is telling me it's wrong, I have to know that what God says is truth and best for me.  And nothing else will ever be.

Paul says in Ephesians 5:18b to be filled with the Spirit.  We are to allow God's Spirit to consume us and to overflow within us.  Whenever we sense that the Spirit is diminished or withdrawing we should not stop to find the reasons why at once.  As Jesus described in the parables in Matthew 13 of the field and the pearl of great price, we should stop with nothing short of all we have to make sure this Spirit within us is full.  If this is our concentration then we'll hate this life of "only us", or a life without God,  in this world.

How do we make sure His Spirit is full within us?  We pray, we examine ourselves introspectively, we look at our outward actions and expressions of emotions, we read God's Word.  Do I line up with where God is?  We remember that God doesn't change or move.  So then, where are we?  Discover where you are.  Then pray for God's will in your life that you be filled with the Spirit.

Weird Dude by the River

I don't know why I think too much, but I almost always have.  My coaches always said this to me.  "Just play."  Of course, I always thought they just didn't know how to coach me since I could think and wasn't a piece of meat on the field.  ...  I found myself thinking too much again yesterday while in the midst of graduates who had accomplished so much in their high schools.  I felt like I was at the baseball field with Reed as a 6 year old again wondering why my kid was so different than the others.  Why isn't mine on a path to excel as well as others seem to be doing?  What was I doing wrong? 

I have always regretted putting Reed in baseball when he was young.  I think it was traumatizing to him.  I really think he was only interested because he trusted us and we were putting him out there.  Then if he didn't get on base he was so very upset, as if he had failed the world.  I have always thought that by doing what the other parents were doing since I didn't know any better I failed Reed there.  Unfortunately that is just one of the areas and won't be the last one.

I am reminded of John the Baptist this morning as I continue to contemplate how not to let him down by "doing what the other parents" are doing.  John was a weird dude.  The Bible says in Matthew 3:4 that "John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey."  And he sat out in the desert preaching and baptizing people into repentance.  All I can consider is he preached with the Holy Spirit because who would come out into the wilderness to see a weird dude who preaches conviction of sin and offers baptism if you want to repent? 

Jesus questioned people in Matthew 11:7-9 asking, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken by the wind?   But what did you go out to see?  A man clothed in soft garments?  Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.  But what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet."  People went to see John because of who he preached.  And because of this he had a high standing before God.  Jesus said in 11:11, "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."   Think for a minute about the greatest people who have ever lived since the Creation of man.  Of all that have been born of women there is no one greater than he, the weird dude by the river.  Why?  Because he preached the kingdom of God.  (As a side note, Jesus was more than he, but He was born of God.  This is not relevant to this conversation but is always important to call out.)

How is the relevant to me today?  Well, it's just a reminder that God uses people who, by the world standards, don't measure up or always fit in.  I have to say that Reed is very normal and average in all ways relative.  But, he hasn't found that part of him that is exceptional.  A proper perspective on my part to reflect upon what would God have Reed do should be by only concern and how I can help Reed find that way.  Am I conveying how important it is to me that he learn how to be mindful of God when he wakes up, goes in his way, and returns each day?  Am I showing how he should read and pray every day?  This is the only real thing that matters.  I'm afraid that I haven't done a good job with this either, but I can play the down I have now and maybe get a few yards.

People of Revelation

Joel 2: 28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Proverbs 29: ¹⁸  Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
Judges 21:25  In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.

Graduation - a time for celebration!  A time to cast off on your own, free of the restraints of your parents and free to live a life on your own; to make your own decisions regarding right from wrong, to prioritize your own time, free from daily chores and parental rules and control.  It's important, however, when casting off those constraints, to remember the foundation upon which you are built.  You're either built upon the firm foundation of a relationship with Christ in which he has promised to fill you with His spirit which will provide guidance and revelation or you're build on the shifting sands of self-control in which there is no Lordship of Christ and you're doomed to do as you see fit.  As an old guy, I've seen so many youth with great potential strike out on their own only to flounder in a world of lies and deceit in which Satan has convinced everyone that happiness can be manufactured in spur-of-the-moment living.  Yet, I've seen others who get out on their own and blossom into responsible adults who hunger to do what is right, not in their own eyes, but in the eyes of the Lord.  Through prayer, study, and wise council, God, who has promised to not be difficult to be found for those who seek Him, has guided them and they are beginning to emerge into leadership positions in their homes, church, and community.  Some have married, had children and are focused on raising families with God as their first priority.  Although I see God in creation daily, I don't need the rocks to cry out, as I am beginning to see God in a pattern of physical and spiritual maturation raising up Godly young people to be responsible, stable, and well adjusted young adults who have yielded to Gods leadership and are thriving under his direction. 
Who controls your steps?  As you strike out on your own, do you look forward to being free from parental control and ready to do as you see fit or are you a little intimidated and recognize the need for divine guidance?  This is the time to begin building upon the foundation of your youth.  You have a choice to submit to divine leadership and continue to build upon the foundation built on the rock of Christ, or to do as you see fit and build on the shifting sands of daily whims and personal indulgence. 
Matthew 7:  “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
Don't fall into the trap that you can make this stuff up as you go along.  Satan wants you to believe that you can make a plan, work the plan, and be successful.  Do you want to be fulfilled?  Content?  Filled with joy, peace, and the ready to face the trials which will be coming?  Be a person with the courage to enter through the narrow gate.  Be a person of divine revelation, led by God, not your own plans.  Proverbs 19:21  Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails

It's Raining Again

This morning I listened to Supertramp's "It's Raining Again".  Mainly because that's the way I felt.  Then I listened to "Hang on Little Tomato" by Pink Martini.  Two completely different styles of music, but both about keeping your spirits up.  Lyrics to "It's Raining Again" say,

C'mon you little fighter

And get back up again

Oh get back up again

Fill your heart again ...

Lyrics to "Hang on Little Tomato" are all good and very poetic, and there is no specific chorus, say,

The sun has left and forgotten me

It's dark, I cannot see
Why does this rain pour down
I'm gonna drown
In a sea of deep confusion

Somebody told me, I don't know who
Whenever you are sad and blue
And you're feeling all alone and left behind
Just take a look inside you and you'll find

You gotta hold on, hold on through the night
Hang on, things will be all right
Even when it's dark
And not a bit of sparkling
Sing-song sunshine from above
Spreading rays of sunny love

Just hang on, hang on to the vine
Stay on, soon you'll be divine
If you start to cry, look up to the sky
Something's coming up ahead
To turn your tears to dew instead

And so I hold on to his advice
When change is hard and not so nice
If you listen to your heart the whole night through
Your sunny someday will come one day soon to you

Two completely different songs.  Either way, both speak to the world raining down upon us and hanging on through the night to get back up again with a full heart because if we hang on, tomorrow will be a better day.  As great as that advice is, I wonder if the world truly understands how impossible that is to do without the Spirit of God dwelling inside.

David wrote in Psalm 3:2-3, "So many say that God will never help me.  But Lord, You are my shield, my glory, and my only hope.  You alone can lift my head, now bowed in shame."  And in verse 8a he says, "Salvation belongs to the Lord." 

God alone lifts our head.  I may can lift it for a while with a renewed hope, but eventually my sustainment will run out.  No matter how strong I am, at some point I will not be enough.  No matter how strong my friends or family are, at some point they will not be enough.  No matter how strong positive sayings and quotes are, at some point they will not be enough.  No matter how beautiful and inspirational nature is, at some point it will not be enough.  "God alone"  is all that will ever be enough to fill my heart and lift my head.

This salvation from the hand and heart of God belongs only to Him.  In nothing else can man find their rescue, their fulfillment, their completion.  Nowhere else can man look to be saved.  Salvation only is found in the Lord.  It is His property; His action; His character; His essence.  As Natalie Grant sings in "In Christ Alone", In Christ alone my hope is found.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like ...

"The kingdom of heaven is like ..." Jesus says 11 times in Matthew.  And every time He uses a parable to describe it.  I get the impression that He is trying intently to describe something that He knows is hard for us to understand and so He applies story after story to show the many sides or facets of this topic.  Seven of these parables are in Matthew 13. 

I find this whole chapter humorous from a teacher-student viewpoint.  Jesus starts the conversation by speaking to the multitudes in parables, specifically the one regarding the Sower.  The disciples then ask Him why He speaks to them in parables and Jesus answers because it is not given to them (the multitudes, not the disciples who He says can understand) to understand the kingdom of heaven.  He then follows this by telling the disciples seven straight parables.  Obviously, the disciples needed some remedial training as much as I do. Whoa unto me whenever I think I understand something!

But Jesus had a clear intention regarding clarifying what "the kingdom of heaven is like."  In verse 16, Jesus presents to us how blessed we are if we are able to see what God is doing and hear His message and instruction on our hearts.  This seemingly simple thing, this communication we take for granted, is the greatest blessing our lives will ever have.  This verse is the key to the following seven parables that follow it.

The ability to know God, to feel His presence of Spirit, to hear wisdom in words or depth of heart, to see God in His Creation or in the expression of love to another, to experience a dwelling inside that overflows and encompasses all of who you are, completing every aspect of what you know yourself to be and filling every hole in your being.  This is what you will value above everything else in this world  (v 44).  This is for what you will "sell out" (v 45-46).  And if we will let His word take root, it will grow to be the greatest structure in our lives, so much, that all the other parts of our life will depend upon it (v 31-32).  Then we will bear fruit ourselves (v 23).

Blessed are we who have not had His Word "snatched away" from our heart by Satan (v 19).  For we will be separated from the wicked (v 41-42, 49-50) and taken to the Father to be with Him when all is passed away (v 43). 

Treasure your communication with your heavenly Father more than your own life.  Love all the time you have with Him knowing this is where life truly resides.  Keep your eyes and ears open, looking and listening to where He is leading and to what He is conversing.  That life, focused on that conversation valuing it more than anything seen, heard, or experienced physically, is what the kingdom of heaven is like.

Don' Worry, be happy!

Matt 6:  ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?

In the insightful theology of Bob Marley: Don't worry, be happy!  Sounds easy enough, but the engineer in me always asks: how?  Some turn to chemical assistance.  Others turn to the advice or simply gossip of others.  The Gospel message is not about finding answers within ourselves or even in this world, but to look to God.  Matthew chapter 6 reminds us that we are to depend on God for everything, what we eat, drink, etc.  Yet the pattern I see in my own life and in the life of the church is to be self-sufficient until that turns out to be insufficient.  Once in a crisis, we pray that 9-1-1 prayer that starts "Oh God!"  The root cause as I see it is summed up in an excellent blog by a Haitian Missionary who points to the fact that we treat the gospel message as simply a "get-out-of-hell-free card."  In other words, we buy into Jesus as Savior, but we don't want to let Jesus be Lord.  We're quick to let Jesus be Lord over those things we have no control over such as life and health, but our careers, relationships, appetites, hobbies, etc are all off-limits as we believe we can be the masters of our own happiness.  Then we spend hours upon hours wondering why we're not content, we lack joy, and we can't seem to find fulfillment in life.  I believe this is the Holy Spirit screaming at us that we're missing out on the benefits of a spirit-filled, God-centered, Jesus is Lord of all life.  When we fail to allow God to be fully in charge, then we're forced to worry about how things will turn out.  We worry about how others will perceive us.  We worry about how our careers will progress, what will happen tomorrow in my job, what will happen in my relationships, how will my kids turn out, and on and on.  This is not the life that Jesus has called us to live.  We are to live in the confidence that God goes before us (Ps 119:105), has a plan for us that is filled with hope (Jer 29:11), that all these things will be added (Matt 6:33).  We need to live in confidence that God holds our future and in the end, God wins!  I believe it is confidence in the one who can truly not just save us, but truly give our life purpose, meaning, direction, and joy that displaces fear and worry. 
Does your life give testimony to a God who is Lord of all and in whom you rely daily or have you bought into the lie that God rewards those who help themselves?  Are you planning, scheming, worrying, developing a plan and asking God to endorse it or are you praying that God would guide you and living in confidence that He didn't bring you this far to abandon you now? 
What are you worried about?  Perhaps God is pointing out an area in your life that isn't yielded to His lordship, something that you stubbornly hold onto as "yours."  Do you trust him or do you think you've got this?  Jesus said you can only serve one master.  Is Jesus Lord, or are you in charge?

Get Out of Jail Free

This is a blog post and is an excerpt from the working book manuscript by Matthew Ayers titled Holiness in Fresh Perspective: Covenant, Cross and Kingdom.  I thought the concept of our standard teaching, at least from most Baptist pulpits, is significant as Matt is obviously trying to lead to a point that there is a lot more to knowing Jesus than just getting our "fire insurance".

This, for far too many Christians, sums-up Jesus, the cross, and the resurrection.  Believe in Jesus and you’ll be issued a “Get Out of Hell Free” card. Really? Is it really that one-dimensional?  Does this sum up the sixty-six books of scripture, the promises to Abraham, Israel, David, the Disciples and the church today?  Is this what it’s all about?

To borrow the phrase that Paul repeats again and again in Romans in response to the conclusions not to be drawn from his teaching, “By no means!” (Rom 3:4, 6, 31, 6:2, 15, 7:7, 13, 9:14, 11:1, and 11).

How have we ended up in a place where our theology grants license to promote the gospel as synonymous with a Get Out of Jail Free card?  I’m sure the answers are many, but the bottom-line, I believe, is that we have tragically lost sight of the salvation narrative.  Sandra Richter said it well with this, “most Christians have not been taught that the story of the Old Testament is their story…The church does not know who she is, because she does not know who she was” (Richter, Epic of Eden, 17).  Paul does not make this mistake.  If we read Paul without the Old Testament in perspective, we will misinterpret all over the place.

One of the central pillars for reconstructing the proper framework for interpreting Paul and his doctrine of holiness is the salvation narrative, the big picture, God’s single plan.  But what do we mean by “salvation narrative”?  In a phrase, the salvation narrative is the story of God’s single plan to re-establish his reign through his chosen human agents in the creation; to renew the world and its righteous governance.  To borrow N. T. Wright’s language, what we’re talking about is “God’s World Renewal Project”.  This is the story of scripture. God’s plan to restore and renew the creation from its condemnation and corruption that came as the consequence of human disobedience and moral autonomy.  This story of God’s mission is what we will regularly refer to as God’s World Renewal Project.  It is only when we have this larger framework in mind that the concepts of covenant, cross, kingdom, and holiness come clearly into focus.

This concept of God’s World Renewal Project is fundamental for putting together the big picture.  In fact, it is the big picture.  Understanding Paul, holiness, whatever it may be, means reading Paul against the backdrop of this salvation narrative.  If we discard the salvation narrative, we end with a one-dimensional, out-of-balance theology.  We end up, sadly and wrongly, thinking about salvation as being solely about me and Jesus and our language ends up sounding a lot like this: “Jesus died to forgive my sins so that I can go to heaven”.  While this statement is true, it is incomplete and heavily out of balance with the thrust of the gospel according to scripture.  The gospel, the full gospel, Paul’s and Jesus’ Gospel, is much deeper, richer, and more profound than this.  It is about so much more than where we spend the after-life.  The full gospel is a rich, and complex thing that cannot and should not be flattened out by removing or neglecting the long story of God’s enduring and faithful plan to redeem the creation.

So what is there to this Jesus beyond His work of life, death, and resurrection that we should get to know?  Why would the Bible talk so much about walking with our Lord when all we need to do is believe in His Son and we're covered, right?  How well do I know Jesus?  How close do I want to be to Him really?  Am I consumed with how I can walk with Him "closer still"?  Why not?

The Matt says, "It is about so much more than where we spend the after-life" and I agree.  It is about our life now.  When Jesus says so many times "Heaven is like ...", I believe He is describing how we can be now when united closely with our Lord.  Knowing Jesus is about how we live this minute, this hour, this day.  If heaven is being with God forever and I can have God's Spirit with me now, then I should be able to walk in heaven today.  And I should not be slack in seeking, looking, or searching for that close walk with Jesus at all times.

Why worry?

Worry is faith in fear, not faith in Jesus Christ. Worry is fear, and fear is the rejection of faith! The Bible says, "God has not given us a spirit of fear" (2 Tim 1:7)! - John Hagee Ministries

Once in a while I come across things on the internet that grab me and make me think.  I'm not sure I agree with the first sentence herein, but its worth some thought.  I've always believed worry to be a lack of faith, not faith in fear.  Furthermore, worry isn't always a bad thing.  When it consumes you, blocks you from obedience, and affects your ability to function, obviously it is out of hand.  On the other hand, failure to realize and approach problems in life can represent apathy which can be worse than a little worry. 

For Us

IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN EVER BE AGAINST US? - Romans 8:31

How do we ever forget this concept?  I so very often look at how things happen and wonder with my ever-so-tiny and very limited view of the complex interworkings of the people and events around me, not to mention all people and the universe itself, and wonder why things happen the way they do.  Tony Dungy asks "How many times have we prayed for a certain outcome, imagined that a problem has only one solution, and lost heart when that outcome or solution didn't occur?"

Yet this verse says and forevermore says, If God is for me, who can ever be against me?  Do I think that when something doesn't go the way I think it should that God has forsaken me?  By my count, God says 17 times in the Old Testament that He will not forsake us.  Not only will He not leave us to ourselves, but He is for us.  He is on our side.  Everything that happens will work out for our betterment so that we can proclaim How Great Thou Art. 

Dungy answers his question saying "I am reminded that in every outcome - whether it was the one I had been praying and hoping for or not - God has a good plan in place, something whereby He will be glorified."  I am reminded of the song Blessings.   That song says so much and certainly conveys the right thoughts and attitudes regarding our understanding versus His working for us.  We have to know this, not just hope for it, but know that God is on our side and does not work against us.  Any thought we have to the contrary is un-Christian and could be hypocrisy.  

Once we establish our thinking to the cause that God is for us, then we must be confident that there isn't anything in Creation that can stand against Him.  And since He is for us, then who can stand against Him within us?  What in Creation will prevent God's will for our spiritual growth, His sanctifying grace working within us?  There is nothing to stop this apart from us choosing not to accept His work in us. 

Today and forevermore God is with you and for you and will never leave you.  Know this and live!

May 27

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  (Col 3:17 NIV)

Back to work.  After nearly two weeks, I'm headed back to work.  I've learned as I age that in order to consistently work at optimum capacity and competency, I've got to take some time off work every now and then to recharge, rejuvenate, and reinvigorate.  Unfortunately, my type A personality doesn't lend itself to rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation.  There is always something to do, something to fix, and something to enjoy.  So, I go back to work, tired.  The challenges I faces when I left, remain.  Some of these involve people and those are always the most challenging of issues.  Annual performance appraisal season doesn't always proceed as people would like.  I would be easier for me to simply say "hey, you're doing great, keep at it" when performance is clearly lacking.  Instead, I've got to deal with people with a great sense of fairness and integrity. 
Integrity is something that is always challenged.  Yesterday, for instance, as we went fishing under competing rules in state vs federal waters, I found it personally challenging to fish with integrity.  We rarely "limit out" (in fact I can't recall a hunt or a fishing trip where I had to quit as I had reached a limit) and its easy to justify a little hedging as "we're not the problem" or "hey, we're just a few hundred yards away - no one will know."  I knew and it's important for me to model integrity for my son as well as the other young men on the boat.  So, I threw a couple of fish back that as it turns out, we could have kept (once we had an accurate distance to shore).  In the end, I think it more important to err on the side of integrity than to keep a nice fish.   
Today as I deal with people as well as challenges involving a myriad of projects that aren't as simple as they seem on the surface, I feel a little like Solomon must have felt when confronted with governing a vast kingdom at a young age - I'm simply not wise enough to deal with these issues correctly.  Yet, I know who is and pray that God would inspire me to deal with these issues correctly, fairly, and with a dose of His grace. 
Lord may everyone I come in contact with today be blessed by Your presence.  May my actions be Holy and acceptable to you, and may You be glorified in all that I do and say.