Think Again!

Chapter 5: Pillaging Schemes #7-12 • 53

the phrase “you deserve it,” be aware. What starts innocently can end in devastation.

Scheme #8: TheWorld’s Methods for God’s Purposes We can be intent on achieving God’ purposes but get fooled into using the worldly principles and methods. Abraham was promised offspring through his wife Sarah. When it didn’t happen in his time frame, Abraham took it upon himself to bring the promise to fruition, by having a child through Sarah’s servant, Hagar. Satan tempted Jesus to demonstrate his glory by jumping off the temple (Matt. 4.5-7). The idea was to use a public relations ploy so people would recognize Jesus as Messiah. But for Jesus, the world’s methods were not God’s methods. In a society that idolizes business methods, the pursuit of measurable outcomes can be a distraction in ministry. Pragmatism calls out like the Sirens in Greek mythology. In the Kingdom of God, we can work hard, do everything right, and still have unsatisfactory results. Sometimes the prophets were commanded to be faithful with no chance that the people would respond to their message. Regardless of our cleverness and good intentions, there is no guarantee for quantitative fruit. In fact, a fixation with measurable success can lead believers to chase after the latest fads, which quickly run their course and leave them discouraged. In the spiritual realm, you cannot always see what is happening behind the scenes, so stay faithful to God’s direction regardless of the numbers. Scheme #9: Just Try Harder The sport of Track and Field has been a part of my life through several generations. My grandfather competed at the University of Wyoming, and my uncle John Lilly was a world-class middle-