Innocence is (Still) a Virtue

In previous blogs we have addressed the need to come to God with the humility of a child.   One of the reasons this is so important is children bring an absolute openness and innocence not (yet) tainted by the evils of this world.  Children live their lives with pure intentions.  Every hug and kiss is genuine, with no ulterior motives or selfish attitudes attached.  When a child tells you he loves you, you know it’s for real.  God wants us to live out our faith with that same openness to believe and innocent, childlike love.

Paul, in closing his letter to the Romans, told them he heard about their obedience to God, and rejoiced over it.  Paul said, “I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil” (Romans 16:19).  He recognized that there were crooked and perverse people all around them, but if they had innocence and purity, they would appear as lights in the world.

Obviously, there is no escaping evil in this world – it is all around us – but instead of being caught up in it, we must focus on the innocent truth of God’s Word and live our lives by it.  When we do, our actions will become less self-centered and more like the innocent intentions of a child, so we can shine for God!

Learn more about adopting a pure, childlike innocence in my book Jesus Take the Wheel:  7 Keys to a Transformed Life with God.

Go to my website, www.letjesustakethewheel.com for more information, including testimonials, videos and resources for further study.

A Recipe for Greatness

Unlike many adults, children don’t desire power or ambition.  They want to listen to authority (though at times it may not seem that way to their parents)!  A child does not seek to be in a position of greatness, but desires to be led by an adult whom he or she considers great.  Only when outside authority is not present do children try to take charge.  But they just aren’t “wired” that way.  When Jesus encouraged the little children to come to Him, they came without argument.

The humility of a child is not characterized by selfish ambition but the yearning to have somebody else at the wheel, guiding them for their own good.  For us, the beginning of greatness comes when we let Jesus take the wheel of our lives and allow the Holy Spirit to indwell in us and direct our paths.

Let go of the pursuit of power and authority for your own sake.  If you are in a position of authority, treat it not as a way to gain recognition and reverence from man, but as an opportunity to serve and lead others to Christ, remembering that God is the ultimate authority.  Are you committed to listening to and following Him without any concern for our own greatness?  Let Jesus take the wheel and He will use you to bring the greatness for His Kingdom!

Learn more about how to release selfish ambition and pursue true humility in my book Jesus Take the Wheel:  7 Keys to a Transformed Life with God.

Go to my website, www.letjesustakethewheel.com for more information, including testimonials, videos and resources for further study.

A Teachable Spirit

Children are teachable by nature.  Not only that, but they are eager to have an adult figure in their lives to admire and emulate.  Jesus, by giving His life on the cross, paid the ultimate price for us to be able to have a personal relationship with God.  His free gift of salvation is there for all to receive.  Once we receive it, we start to understand the great stories of the Bible, and all of God’s principles and truths found in them.  Like little children looking up to the adults in their lives for guidance and instruction, we too must look to our Heavenly Father, and allow these stories and truths to change the way we live our lives.

 

God’s Word is meant to teach and change us, to mold and shape us into the image of Jesus.  The molding process isn’t always easy, especially if you fight it!  But remember that God is always working, using every circumstance in our lives to purify and mold us to the image of Jesus.  Let Him have the wheel of your life and He will refine you and give you peace.

 

Learn more about what it truly means to follow Jesus in my book Jesus Take the Wheel:  7 Keys to a Transformed Life with God.

 

Go to my website, www.letjesustakethewheel.com for more information, including testimonials, videos and resources for further study.

Faith Like a Child

It’s fun to get a child to smile.  It’s even better to get them to laugh!  I have always loved children, and one of my favorite ways to make them smile is by turning myself into a human carnival ride.  I grab their legs and back, turning them upside down, and then swing them up to my shoulder.  Each time I do it, they come back up with a smile a mile wide.  Of course, this activity makes my wife nervous; she is afraid the child will get hurt.  She doesn’t trust that I’m holding them tightly enough to keep them from falling.  But the kids and I love it!

Children instinctively trust and believe that adults know what’s best for them.  This built-in, simple faith helps them feel nurtured and protected and they accept this concept without question.  They have no concept of danger in the world, either – their minds are still innocent and pure.  What happens when a child gets a scrape or cut?  They run to their mother or father to “kiss and make it better.”  Once that happens, the child’s tears miraculously stop and he or she feels better.  Does a kiss really have the power to heal?  Or does the child innocently trust that if his parent says kissing it will make it better, then it does?

As adults, it’s a lot more difficult to trust in the same way because we think WE know what’s best for us.  We think we are capable of taking care of ourselves with no help from God.  When we fully begin to trust God is often when everything else we have turned to has failed and we experience for ourselves how He works in the difficult seasons of our lives.

God desires you to trust Him with the simplicity and humility of a child.  Do you rest in knowing that you are always safe in His loving arms?  No matter what direction your life takes, He knows what’s best for you and will always hold you tight.  He will comfort you and give you peace as long as you trust Him and let Him direct your life.  And He is faithful – He will never let you fall.

Learn more about discovering a childlike faith that will bring you closer in your walk with God in my book Jesus Take the Wheel:  7 Keys to a Transformed Life with God.

Go to my website, www.letjesustakethewheel.com for more information, including testimonials, videos and resources for further study.

Childlike Humility

In the Old Testament, Solomon, King David’s son, was appointed King of Israel when he was about twenty years old.  The Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Ask what you wish me to give you” (1 Kings 3:5).  Instead of asking for selfish things, Solomon asked God for the wisdom to discern between good and evil, so that he would be better equipped to judge God’s chosen people.  God was so pleased that not only did He honor the request, but bestowed upon Solomon riches and honor in addition to great wisdom.

Solomon knew he couldn’t do it on his own.  With childlike humility, he said to God in 1 Kings 3:7, “Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.” Solomon realized He couldn’t rule over God’s people by himself and needed to be open to God’s counsel, just as a little child is willing to learn.

The key to letting Jesus lead is the same as what Solomon realized – it’s about coming to God as a child.    Solomon acknowledged he couldn’t do it on his own, compared himself to a child, and asked God for help.  In today’s world, that kind of childlike humility is not easy to come by.  It’s only too common to want to take the wheel of your life and try to steer in your own direction.  Do you have this mindset?  Or, like Solomon, do you recognize that God is the source of all wisdom and approach your relationship with God with humility and an eagerness to allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life?

As Jesus explained, the humility of a child is what is considered great in the Kingdom of God.  When you adopt this humility and surrender the wheel of your life to Him, there is nothing you can’t do – and nothing He can’t do through you!  Giving Jesus His rightful place behind the wheel will free you to receive wisdom and blessings beyond comprehension!

Learn more about Solomon and how you can adopt the same childlike humility to grow in your relationship with God in my book Jesus Take the Wheel:  7 Keys to a Transformed Life with God.

Go to my website, www.letjesustakethewheel.com for more information, including testimonials, videos and resources for further study.

How Does a First Time Author Publish a Book?

I spent several months researching a variety of different self publishers and I narrowed my choice to two, one a secular publisher that also did Christian work,  and the other solely a Christian publisher. There proposals were similar in  alot of ways but different primarily in editing and distribution. I felt passionate about the editing of the book, especially since one manuscript had to be divided into two books, and I felt that the Christian publishing company would do a better job of editing. 

The publisher I chose worked with a freelance editor who did a great job! She helped divide the book and edited each chapter as if it were her book and not mine. She was by far the best asset the publisher offered. As the book was being edited there was a significant, almost daily exchange between the to of us, both with the goal of glorifying the Lord.

At the same time the book was being edited, I worked with the publisher on; page and chapter layout, cover design, coming up with a title for the book, pre publication publicity ideas, plans for initial introduction of the book at the International Christian Retailers Show in Florida, type of paper, hardback verse soft cover and many other small but important details that go into publishing a book. It was an exciting time but at the same time a difficult time, my publisher was extremely rigid and I’m not use to that!

At the end of  an 11 month process that had it’s share of ups and downs, the book was ready for sale and I flew down to Florida to introduce it to the Christian book stores.

God Transforms an Outline into Two Books

When I began writing the book I had no idea of what the title would be or even what the content would be. I knew God wanted me to write and so I made a commitment to write as often as I could. I have a fulltime job as an insurance broker so all my writing took place in the evenings and on the weekends. I began by studying the life of Moses and his relationship with God, and making an outline of all my thoughts and studies, Being Jewish, I felt a connection with Moses since I had been hearing about him since my days in hebrew school as a young boy.

When I look back on the three and a half years it took me to write what was ultimately two books, even though I thought it was one, what stands out for me is that I had no goal for completion. I kept writng a little bit each day I could and I wasn’t conccerned how long it would take to finish. In fact, I didn’t have a planned end at all. Many of my friends would ask me when I would finally be done writing and my reply was always the same, I don’t know. I felt a peace about just writing and leaving the rest to God to sort out.

I wrote for three years before I even went back over my work to develop a theme for the book. In fact, after three years of writing I remember praying and asking God to help me put the book together in a way that flowed. Up until that time, it wasn’t a book at all, not in the least. Within a few months though, it all came together into one very long book! I did feel a sense of accomplishment once I submitted the book to a publisher, and I was happy it was done, but throughout the writing process I was very content to be patient and wait to see what God would do with my writings.

Since this was the first book I ever wrote, I decided to only approach self publishing companies, I felt my chances to get a royalty publisher to publish the book were very remote and would take much more time than if I self published. With a self publisher, the author pays all the expenses of getting the book published but retains full control and ownership of the work. A royalty publisher absorbs the cost of publishing, owns the rights of the book and pays a per book fee called a royalty to the author for each book sold. Within the first week of the publisher reviewing my submitted manuscript they told me that I needed to split my writing in two. I had submitted 193,000 words and they wanted the book to be about 80,000 words! Through considerable help from my editor, who did a great job, my original manuscript was carved into two books, the first one published in July, 2008.

With a commitment to writing almost everyday for an average of an hour or so each day and a passion to serve God in this way, two books were birthed and I was off to the races of getting the first book published.

The Motivation to Write

Jesus Take The Wheel is the first book I have written, published and am marketing. There is so much that goes into writing a book, getting it published and getting the word out about the book that I thought it would be a good idea to share my journey. I hope to be blogging on a somewhat regular basis about the trials, tribulations and joys of a first time author, at least that’s what I feel led to do right now. We all know how plans can change, so let’s see what happens!

Soon I want my blog to be real time, in other words what has happened today but I need to catch up first and that’s what I am starting to do today. So, let’s back up  a number of years ago to a time before I knew Jesus.

About 20 years ago I felt the desire to  write a book. I decided to write about my life but change the names of the people and places.  I spent a few nights a week for about a month writing about what was going on in my business world at a time when I was getting started in the Insurance business and experiencing the difficulties that come with starting any business, especially selling insurance. I was writng by hand and my wife , Jeanne would type the few hand written pages I’d give her twice a week. After about a month I lost interest but I still have those few pages sitting on the floor of my office, why I have saved them, I don’t know!

About 18 years ago I recognized Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, put my faith in Him and my life changed for the better in ways that I could never have imagined. What didn’t change was my desire to write a book. After I knew Jesus for about 6 months I sat down with my Pastor and told him that I wanted to write a book about how to be succesful God’s way. I told him that I had read so many self help books about how to be successful, none of which were written from a Christian perspective. I decided I was going to set the record straight! My Pastor politely but firmly told me that although that was a good idea, I should instead spend my time reading  The Book (the Bible) and get to know God better. I took my Pastor’s advice and for the next 12 years I read and studied the bible daily.

Then about 6 years ago I was sitting in my living room, having decided just two days before not to go to the Pastor’s conference I had signed up for, asking God what He wanted me to do, how I could be a better servant of His. Suddenly I felt the renewed desire to write a book. I knew it wasn’t going to be about my life as an insurance salesman and I knew it wasn’t going to be about success the way I would have defined it when I first came to know Jesus. I did however know that it was going to be about God and what He requires of his children. With a pad and pen in hand I started to outline some thoughts that came to mind.

Troubled times in the economy

The stock market has just ended its worst week ever. Fear is gripping investors all over the world and people are panicking. You can’t turn on the TV or Radio or pick up a newspaper without hearing or reading about the doom and gloom. 

Worry is rampant as we try and figure out what is going to happen next. Will the financial bailout work? Will the Republican or Democratic candidate win the presidential race and how will it affect world events? Are we headed for a recession or worse yet, a depression?

Many people are concerned about their jobs, their 401k plans, their homes, their investments; they are concerned about their future! People are feeling overwhelmed and are looking for relief from worry and anxiety.

Christians are crying out to God wondering what it is they should do. How should Christians react in the midst of this huge trial?

We can learn so much from the reaction of Job who suffered so much more than just financially. Not only did Job lose all his financial wealth but all ten of his children were killed when the house they were gathered in collapsed on them. This is a tragedy that seems like too much for anyone to live through. It’s a tragedy that would cause anyone to question God, right?

Let’s take a look at Job’s immediate response after hearing about his financial loss and the loss of his children. Job 1:21-22 says, “And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.’ Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.” 

It is through the difficult times in our lives, through the toughest trials, that God molds and shapes us into the men and women He wants us to be. It is in these tough times that we can tell the world about the great God we serve and they will be listening more intently! They won’t understand how we can find peace and rely on God when everything seems so bleak. They will, however, desire what we have and want to know more.

Please remember that God is sufficient no matter what our circumstances. He is enough and there is nothing more that we need. We can only truly understand this when we are living a life of self denial and acknowledging and glorifying God. We must learn to let Him take the wheel of our lives, when we do we will see that He will never let go!

 

God Bless,

Stuart Migdon

“Jesus Take The Wheel

7 Keys to a Transformed Life with God”

www.letjesustakethewheel.com

P.O. Box 62

Allenwood, NJ 08720

888-766-2431

In The Media

I am excited to let you know that there is a new feature on my website, www.letjesustakethewheel.com. The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to do some TV and Radio publicity and I have some of the shows that I did on my website.

If you click on the media page, you will get right to it. I anticipate doing several more shows so if you’re interested, you can check the page from time to time.

http://www.letjesustakethewheel.com/inmedia.php

I am in the airport, heading home from a pastors conference I spoke at in California. I spoke on the importance of a life lived as a true disciple of Jesus. In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, “If you want to be my disciple, you must deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Me”.

Counsel for a life lived for God  cannot be found in life enhancement  programs or self improvement plans. A life lived for God must be about following Him, letting Him take the Wheel of your life no matter what. We must decrease and He must increase. That’s where a true joy of the Lord can be found!

Take care and God bless you,
Stuart