“MY PERSONAL LIFE GOALS”
(Many Verses Of The Bible, In Addition To Those Referenced Below, Influenced Me to Establish These Personal Goals For My Life)
While I was serving as a minister of youth in 1985, I set some personal goals for my life for that year. As the year came to a close and I was making goals for 1986, I not only decided to keep my five main goals for 1985 as my goals for 1986, but I added five more goals. These became my personal life goals, which I have built my life around for the past 24 years.
As I look back over my life since 1985, no year has been without its difficulties, no year as I have served full-time in the ministry has been without its critics, who are ever present wherever I have served in ministry, who, like the Pharisees and Saducees were to Jesus, are always looking to fault a minister, even when God is blessing countless numbers of lives in that minister’s service for the Lord. But, the best way I have found to answer those critics and to deal with the difficulties of life is to be consistent. We have a tendency to want to lash out at those who have verbally thrown stones at us and defend ourselves. But, I have found that trying to defend or justify yourself to those who are habitual fault finders (the ones who are usually don’t think they are) only fuels the fire for more verbal rock throwing. That’s why setting a standard for your life around personal life goals based on the Word of God, and keeping at it day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, will keep you on track spiritually and over time will silence your critics. Your spiritual consistency won’t necessarily silence the critics from continuing to do what they do best—pointing out the speck in others’ eyes while blinded by the board in their own eyes (Matt. 7:3-5)—but it will cause others to disregard the criticism others make about you, because your life is positively different from what your critics try to defame you for.
Here are those original five goals, listed first, with the additional goals that have become my personal life goals with a brief summary about each goal.
I. BE A GODLY EXAMPLE BEFORE MY FAMILY – Deut. 6:5-8
I want to be a godly example before my family, above all else for Christ’s sake. To love my wife and children to the fullest, Jesus must be preeminent (Col. 1:18) in my life above all else and all others. I want to be a godly example before my wife and children for my wife’s sake and my children’s (and someday, my grandchildren’s) sake. My greatest ministry is my own family. I have said it many times when preaching, if I fail as a father and husband, I have failed as a pastor and as a man. I want to be a godly example before my family for my character’s sake. Where your godly example matters the most, in really proving what kind of character you have, is how your own family sees you and knows you. You can fool a lot of others into thinking you are a godly person, because they don’t see you 24/7. But, your family does, and that’s where the true test of one’s character is graded. I want to be a godly example before my family, too, for my church’s sake. In being a pastor and a minister, it’s got to work with us at our home if we preach it as truth from the pulpit.
II. GET INTO GOD’S WORD DAILY AND GET GOD’S WORD INTO ME – Josh. 1:8
To get God’s Word proclaimed to the world around me, I first must get God’s Word into me by spending time daily in God’s Word. That’s how the mind of Christ is developed within me. It grows the Word inside me and results in deepening the message of Christ from me. That’s how the Word is given an outlet and a means of instruction through me, which distends (to become larger, expand, and stretch out in all directions) my ministry for Christ in the world.
III. BE PRAYERFUL FOR ALL LIFE’S CONCERNS – Phil. 4:6-7; 1 Thess. 5:17
The Bible says to be anxious about nothing, but to pray about everything (Phil. 4:6). We are to pray for everyone, for what’s best for them, even our enemies (Matt. 5:44). And, we are to pray in everything, about everything, and at all times, with thanksgiving (1 Thess. 5:16-18) for how God is going to respond appropriately in answering our prayers.
IV. BE FAITHFUL TO AND PRAYERFUL FOR MY CHURCH – Col. 1:3-5,9-12
As members of a church we need to follow our leaders faithfully and pray for them. As a leader in the church, I need to labor among, lead, and love those whom the Lord has placed under my spiritual leadership (1 Thess. 5:12-13). As we all are in positions at times to follow someone else’s leadership, I need to be respectful to my leaders by acknowledging them for who they are, accepting their position of authority, and appreciating them for their sincere efforts in providing spiritual leadership for me and others. All of us in our churches should be reconciling as ministers one to another (1 Thess. 5:14-15) as we all are called to be reliable as examples who witness for Christ in all we do (1 Thess. 5:16-22).
V. SHARE MY FAITH WEEKLY – Matt. 28:19-20; Col. 4:2-6
Among the last words that Jesus spoke to His followers, after His resurrection and before He ascended to heaven, was what we refer to as The Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). Someone has said that the process of evangelism is not complete until the evangelized has become the evangelizer. After we become disciples of Christ we are to make more disciples. I have been through several soulwinning/witnessing programs but I led others to put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ before I ever received any kind of certification for successfully completing a witnessing program. The key is to lead and win people to Christ as you go. We need to prepare to share our faith by having a knowledge of Scriptures that show one how to be saved from their sins, but the best witnessing tool I know of is one’s personal testimony of how they became a Christian. As with anything we do in life, wanting to do it for God’s glory, we need to pray daily for God’s help in accomplishing His will for our life. Then, simply obey. Proceed and proclaim. God has ordained us to be His tools to present Jesus Christ to the lost world around us. So, pray that God will lead you to at least someone each week who needs to be saved, be sensitive to those around you, and share your faith weekly, looking, and making opportunities to witness for Christ in the way God has gifted you and in the place where He has uniquely placed you.
VI. BE AN ENCOURAGER – Rom. 15:1-7; 2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Thess. 4:18; Heb. 3:13
I want to be an encourager, especially to fellow Christians. One way I can do that is by my faithful attendance at the church where I am a member (Heb. 10:;25). My presence, not my absence, is how I can be an encourager to my fellow church members as we forsake not our assembling together as a church family. I want to be an encourager by attitude. Apathy abounds today even among Christians, but I want to show by a joyful spirit and thankful heart (1 Thess. 5:16,18) the difference that Jesus makes in my life, which will encourage others to do the same. I want to encourage others by my affections, being morally pure in a too degenerate world, showing humility where arrogance and looking out for “Number One” is too prevalent. I want to be an encourager by my actions, in making Christ known in the world, not in an annoying manner, but in a courteous and considerate way where people will be more apt to listen and respond. As a preacher, I want to be an encourager by my exhortations which, sometimes, if one preaches the whole counsel of the Word of God, are words of rebuke for correction, direction, and protection.
VII. BE ON TIME – Rom. 12:3; Eph. 5:15-17
How much lost time for making the best use of our time occurred due to someone being late for a meeting. Just think of important information, whether it’s getting late to a class at school or missing the first few minutes of a sermon, that has been lost because of simply not being on time. Ephesians 5:17 says that we need to redeem the time, that is, make the best use of the amount of time that we all have available to us. No one has any more hours and any less hours in a day than everyone else. It boils down to how we make use of our time. When someone is not on time, especially those who are chronically latecomers, whether they will admit it or not they feel that their time is more important than anyone else’s because they make others adjust to their not being on time (Rom. 12:3). Be on time as expected as an act of courtesy as Christians should be the first ones to set the right example. Be on time as an act of consideration for others because that is an example the Bible says that we should set. Be on time to show how committed you are where the Lord has placed you and what He has called you to do, and do it with the highest effectiveness possible because you don’t waste potential time in losing time by not being on time in accomplishing the most you can.
VIII. NO COMPLAINING OR CRITICIZING – Ps. 19:14; 1 Cor. 10:31: Matt. 12:36-37
I saw a bumper sticker on a car one day that was a take off on the bumper sticker, “Stop Global Warming” except this one said, “Stop Global Whining.” I have made it more relevant by saying “Stop Local Whining.” With talk radio, TV reality shows, competitive TV programs where judges are blatantly cruel with some of their evaluations, Facebook, comment sections to Internet articles, etc. we have become a nation of complainers and criticizers. Now anyone in an authority or leadership positions has to make judgments and, for instance, part of review evaluations for employees makes it necessary to point out faults or weaknesses of others in their work. That’s not what is meant by no complaining or criticizing. But, some people, and unfortunately too many Christians, seem to believe that they are called to complain about anything that is wrong in a situation and criticize what’s not right about everyone else, when it is really not their business or their responsibility to make such observations. I have resolved to avoid complaining or criticizing about matters just because I feel like lashing out instead of taking it to the prayer closet or talking to someone about it, in private first, who is involved in what I want to complain about or criticize. For one thing, it is noticeable. It seems that the complainer or criticizer is the one who is heard the loudest and they are noticed because most people are annoyed by them. For a Christian, it is an obstacle in one’s witness for God, it is an obstruction to the work of God, and it is in opposition to the Word of God. We are to do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), and complaining and criticizing in no way glorify God. It is negative because it distorts one’s ordinary perspective of peace and joy as a Christian, thus defeating you personally, draining you physically, and demoralizing other people.
IX. NO COMPROMISING – Ps. 16:8; 30:6; 62:5-8; 112:1,6; 119:11,105
A compromise is a departure from a basic scriptural principal. A conviction is a basic scriptural principle which we purpose to follow without compromise, which we will stand upon and never be moved or swayed from, regardless of what changes have happened in society. When we become in Christ, we make a commitment that our convictions are the Lord’s convictions. When we compromise it can destroy one’s Christian testimony. If it doesn’t destroy one’s testimony, it definitely disables one’s witness for Christ. It discourages weaker Christians and it defeats you personally. But, the worst of it is that we are disobedient to God, to whom we committed to love with all our heart, our soul, our mind, and our strength (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37) when we were saved and became His child. An old song says, “I shall not be, I shall not be moved, I shall not be, I shall not be moved, just like a tree that’s planted by the waters, I shall not be moved.” The Word of God stands forever (Ps. 119:89). Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). As the Word of God does not change and Jesus never changes, so we should never deviate in any way from the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God which from childhood (2 Tim. 3:15-17) has taught us what we know about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and how to live life in the way we were created to live it.
X. ABOVE ALL THESE THINGS—LOVE – 1 Cor. 13; Eph. 4:15; Col. 3:12-14; 1 Pet. 4:8
The Bible says that whatever I say or do, if it is not out of love, it comes across like a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. As a popular saying goes, “I can’t hear what you are saying because of what I see you doing.” The Bible also says that “love covers over all wrongs” (Prov. 10:12). That’s powerful! Among the things manifested, through the expression of love permeating everything one does, is that love always finds favor because love always forgives, and because the spirit of love never finds fault but overlooks faults, love never fails (1 Cor. 13:4-8). Love binds the virtues, such as compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, together in perfect unity so that those are the characteristics of one’s personality that come through more than anything else.
Well, those are the ten major personal life goals I have had for my life since 1986. I encourage you to set some life goals and plan your life around those goals. Some of our goals in life, especially if you work in sales or in a work team environment, are dependent upon others for you to accomplish those goals. But, did you notice that none of my personal life goals is dependent upon anyone else in order for me to accomplish them. If I fail to follow them, I have no one to blame but me! That should apply to your personal life goals, too. Otherwise, you can get into a rut like far too many Christians, unfortunately even some ministers I know, who blame anybody and everybody else but themselves for their mistakes and failures and what’s not right in their life. Such individuals just can’t accept the fact they are so unhappy and so ungrateful, that they have to blame others for it, because such blame casters are their own worst enemy. Set goals for your life that you alone can accomplish so that you can get out of the rut of never accepting responsibility for your failures. No true leader is one who can’t accept responsibility for their actions or who has to have someone else fight their battles for them. And, true leaders are ones who set personal goals, based on God’s Word, which will keep them on track about the things that matter the most in life and will keep them focused on the positive side of life instead of giving time to the never ending fault finding of modern day Pharisees and Saducees, who are splitting churches and eroding the spiritual ground accomplished through years of effort by Bible-based, Christ-centered, God-ordained, Spirit-empowered senior pastors, ministers, and church members.