I have begun to formally read “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey and he notes the 2^nd habit as “Begin with the end in mind”. Now this morning I read the following verse and am a bit conflicted, at first. Then I read and study a bit more and realize that they are not conflicting, but complimenting indeed.

“⁸Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” – Ecclesiastes 7:8 (ESV)

You see, looking toward the end even before we begin is important in that we are able to create a clear vision of the results we are seeking. If we are only looking at the beginning, and focusing on that, we will likely find ourselves only starting something and not sticking with it.

And the compliment comes when we reach the end and get to experience the satisfaction of reaching the end and accomplishing that which we set out to accomplish. Celebrating the end lasts for a much longer time that the anticipation of the beginning.

I have a co-worker that does needlepoint. When he begins the new item, it looks like just a row of knots. But as he continues, you start to see the scarf or hat begin to emerge. Once complete, that item is useful for quite a while and even those around him are able to enjoy the end of the journey he took in creation. That item would never have come about had he not began, however the end is much more satisfying than the beginning ever could have been.

When we are looking at things, where is your focus, the beginning or end? Think about the satisfaction you get from the beginning and end of something, which gives you more satisfaction? Are you able to realize that you cannot have an ending without a beginning?

We have to start somewhere. When I think about the beginning of something, I think about commitment. Too often I believe that we start something expecting things to happen immediately and when it does not, we are disappointed and give up. When we commit to something, we work to see it through no matter the time it takes nor the actions we have to take to make it happen.

“⁷The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” – Proverbs 1:7 (ESV)

“Fear of the Lord” is our reverence and commitment to Him. Having reverence and commitment to the Lord is the place to start in our knowledge quest.

I jump back to the beginning of my commitment to learning that began in the spring of 2017. I started my commitment to the Lord in October of 2016 when I was challenged to share my study with others. For about 6 months I was focused on getting closer to the Lord and that drove some habit changes that created more time for me in the mornings. With that time I started to read a book that had been given to me. Three days later I had finished the book and picked up another, and four days later I was looking for another. I found myself seeking more and more to learn, and it all started with my commitment to the Lord.

I wonder what is next for me, but I know that whatever it is, it all starts with my commitment to the Lord and my continued pursuit of wisdom and instruction that He will provide.

What are you seeking as comes to knowledge? Are you willing to commit to the Lord and allow Him to provide what is next? Will you seek the beginning before you start?

There is a “start” to everything and everyone. Even the heavens and earth began.

“¹In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” – Genesis 1:1 (ESV)

Seems like a simple concept that everything has a beginning, but it is true. The heavens and earth had a beginning. Games have a beginning. Books have a beginning. Meals have a beginning. Life has a beginning. My writing has a beginning. Everything and everyone has a beginning.

Now is my time to begin a new. I have to look at things from the start. I have a chance to begin new things and begin to look for new opportunities.

I began a few years ago when a friend challenged me to “take” time for Bible Study, and over three years later, I am not only studying, but “blogging” (for some of you that may be a shock, I know that I am). Around the same time, I started reading to grow my knowledge and continue learning, and I am now reading about 50 books a year.

I choose to begin again, with what, not sure at this point, but beginning I will. We all have to start somewhere and right here, right now is as good a time as any.

What have you began in the past? Can you look back and see where something in your life began? Will you be able to start something new and focus on the beginning?

“⁴With respect to this they are surprised when you do no join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; ⁵but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” – 1 Peter 4:4-5 (ESV)

We have a choice to take part or to avoid. Our choice determines our commitment to the Grace of God.

“¹Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ²so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.” – 1 Peter 4:1-2 (ESV)

When we have committed to Christ, we discard of sin as a way of life. We will still sin, as we are sinners. But, we will no longer consciously sin and repent of those sins we know of and those we do not.

We have the choice to be different from those around us. We have a choice to be devoted to Christ. We have a choice to be accountable for our sin.

When we go through this world, are you aware of your being different? Are you choosing to be devoted to Christ? Are you choosing to be accountable for your sin?

“¹⁷Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” – Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)

Who will give an account, all as noted in verse 17 above. Even the leaders we submit to.

When we are going through this life, it is natural if you seek a position of leadership. I believe that at some point all of us want some sort of control and be the “go to person” in what we are doing.

I also believe that we lose sight of the accountability we have once we have the authority we seek. We tend to want the “power” and someone else is responsible for that “power”.

With “power” comes responsibility, and that responsibility is greater than I believe most of us are prepared. The writer of Hebrews states clearly in verse 17 that we are to submit to leaders, however, those leaders have a responsibility to “watch over your souls”. They should do so “with joy” so as to benefit those under them.

I have had many people over me in business and I say with confidence that only a small number of them have truly been leaders that watched over my soul. Those leaders were the ones that would bat for you around every turn. They would hold you accountable for your actions and press to assist your growth and learning to the point of holding themselves accountable as they would be giving an account. These are the leaders we should seek to be if indeed we seek to be leaders.

We are all to give an account, to God for our actions as well as the actions of those in our charge.

What is it that you seek? Are you one that would like to be in a position of leadership, either formally or informally? Are you prepared to be accountable for those in your charge, whether just you, or others as well?

We have not been displaying ourselves in the image of Christ and for that, he is coming again.

“⁵Put to death therefor what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶On account of these the wrath of God is coming. ⁷In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.” – Colossians 3:5-7 (ESV)

We were once a part of all those things before we accepted Christ and it is a struggle each day to stay out of them. The only way out of them completely is with the coming of Jesus again. When He comes again we will be completely rescued from the temptations of this world like “sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness”.

It is us that fall into these items. When we are doing our own things and not leaning of God for the help He provides. When we are going it alone, we find ourselves seeking acceptance in the most insincere places. We would do better to sit down with God’s Word and seek guidance there. Look to the one place where things are pure for our direction.

We are sinners and on account of us, Jesus is coming again.

Where do you place the responsibility of your actions? Are you looking to self for your indiscretions? Are you aware and own the idea that this is all on account of you?

“¹²So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” – Romans 14:12 (ESV)

We are each responsible for ourselves and we are not in the business of judgment.

“²One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. ³Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let no the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.” – Romans 14:2-3 (ESV)

Why is it that everyone is “better” than everyone else in this world? Why are we always putting others down for what they believe?

When we are all in accordance with one concept, God, it really makes little difference what else we believe in. None of us is better in the eyes of God. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and all heirs to our inheritance in heaven.

Ours is not to judge, but to accept and love. We are to “give an account” of ourselves to God.

When you look at others, what do you see? Do you find yourself in the business of judgment as opposed to acceptance and love? Are you avoiding the passing of judgment?

When we are going through this life, we are to be taking actions that glorify God, but to what extent?

“²⁴But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” – Acts 20:24 (ESV)

Paul did not count his “life of any value” if he did not work to complete the actions given to him by God. Doing God’s work was more important than living on this earth to him.

“²²And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.” – Acts 20:22-23 (ESV)

We are always in a position to do the right thing, even when we know the consequences are great. It is our choice to do on account of God as opposed to on account of me. Paul did not shy away from doing right by God and following His direction at every turn, even at the expense of “imprisonment and afflictions”.

We have a choice to make when it comes to living in this life, either for God, or against Him. We are to take action on account of God and not on account we look good or can save face by doing so.

When you are faced with a choice, what are we looking at to determine the right actions? What is the motivation for the choices we make? What actions are we taking on account of God?

When we are what we are, we should be stretching ourselves to receive.

“³And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him for he was about to pass that way.” – Luke 19:3-4 (ESV)

I know that a good number of us have heard the story of Zacchaeus. We likely focus on the thoughts of him being small in stature and received salvation for his repentance. Although I am looking at another part this morning.

You see, Zacchaeus was small in stature, but he did not let that deter him from getting a look at Jesus. He was determined and because of it, he did what he had to do, climb a tree.

Now I want to look a little closer at this. Zacchaeus was rich, tax collector and had the ability to pretty well get what he wanted. He could have “bought” a seat close to the road, but in this case he did not use his fame or fortune, he used his mind and body, and climbed a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus. He certainly did what it took.

Sometimes, we are in positions where we have to be determined to achieve. Like Zacchaeus, we may have to use our mind and body to get there. When the desire is extensive enough, we will do more to get there.

I know that there will be those that begin to think of justification for their actions. “I robbed the bank to get the money I “needed” to get what I want.” “I shot that person, because they had the shoes I truly desired.” Well to that I say, NO. That is not the spirit of what I am referring to any means. We are still accountable for the actions we take and are responsible to take actions that are of “wholesome” account.

Committing to the way of Christ is the right way. Seeking and desiring Him anyway possible is the right way to seek. Sometimes we may have to really work for it to achieve that which we desire.

When you are seeking, how are you going about it? What is getting in your way that you will have to overcome? Will you do what it takes on account of that which is in your way?

I find it interesting that in our society we consider information the be all and end all in (“I got it from the internet, therefor it must be true”). The next thing you know, we are spreading the information as if we are the experts on the subject.

“¹Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, ²just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, ³it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴that you may have certainty concerning the thing you have been taught.” – Luke 1:1-4 (ESV)

Luke was a physician, and as such, was educated and understood the need to be accurate and thorough. He states his case for the information’s accuracy and thoroughness here in opening of his letter to Theophilus. Look closely at Luke’s words, “eyewitnesses and ministers of the word”, “having followed all things closely for some time past”, and “orderly account”.

Being accurate is not just reporting what you see, but also digging to find more context to what you see. The only way to find the context is to investigate, witness, and speak to others that have seen or took part in what it was you saw or were brought aware. There is also the element of time, where you have compiled information over a period of time as opposed to reading today and reporting an hour later. And finally there must be some order to what and how you present the information, just spouting it off in a crowd is not allowing others to digest and investigate thoroughly your claims.

We are to always be accurate and thorough in our accounts. Whether in the world with those items we experience every day, or be it within our walk with Christ and study of His Word. I embarked on this writing journey to learn more about my Kingdom Purpose and after over three years, I am still seeking. I am still working on the accuracy through my constant thorough study.

When you are presented information, what is your process for understanding? Are you thorough in your search for accuracy, or are you just spouting what you heard? What care do you have for the accuracy and thoroughness of your account?