IN TOUCH IMPACT TEAM

Word to the World

    Do you consider your life successful? Are you a success in your relationships with family and friends? What about at your job? If you answered yes to any of these questions, to what do you attribute your success? Undoubtedly, one factor is your ability to communicate, which is one of the most important elements in any rela-tionship. Defined as an interchange of ideas, communication has to do with expressing thoughts in such a way that they are readily and clearly understood.

    True success doesn't come from what we do, but by who we are—ultimately, the only way to be successful in life is to be a member of God's family through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship . . . " (Ephesians 2:8-10).

    Once we have received Jesus into our hearts, prayer is the way by which we communicate our thoughts, emotions, and feelings to God. We also must be able to listen and understand what the Lord has to say to us. This should be two-way communication, but we often spend far more time talking than we do listening. God speaks to us primarily by means of His Word and through the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us. He can also communicate through other people or our circumstances.

    It is wonderful to be successful at work and in our relationships with others, but how much time are we devoting to prayer and diligent study of God's Word? I encourage you to take your prayer life to a deeper level. The more time you spend in prayer and in the Word, the more you will hear from God through His Spirit.

    The most important measure of success is the return on spiritual investments that we make in our relationship with Jesus Christ. When we put Him first by concentrating on our prayer life, we are making eternal investments that will reap great rewards.

    If you are not yet a member of our Prayer Team, please go to the order form in the center of the magazine and check the box indicating you would like to join. If you are already part of our Prayer Team, thank you for your support of In Touch Ministries. May God richly bless you.

—Robert J. Schipper, Chaplain
Executive Assistant to the President

Pursuing God's Goals

    One of the keys to achieving success is pursuing God's goals in His ways rather than pursuing our own. That is why IN TOUCH FOUNDATION helps conscientious stewards engage in a biblically based process of identifying God's goals and implementing God's plans for the resources He has entrusted to them.

1 Picture the Goals and Their Outcomes

    David courageously faced Goliath because he was confident of what God wanted him to do, how God wanted him to do it, and the result God wanted to produce. (1 Samuel 17:34-47) David could envision what God wanted to accomplish. Since God's ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8), stewards are often called to make decisions that seem illogical and thus require great trust and courage. Having a clear picture of God's vision for what He has entrusted to you is the best way to make courageous stewardship decisions.

2 Earnestly Desire to Reach the Goals

    David's brothers and King Saul tried to persuade the young shepherd not to face Goliath, but he could not be deterred (1 Samuel 17:28-33)—he was determined to carry out the task God put before him. Determination comes from a conviction that what God asks you to do must be done at all costs. The best way for a steward to be convicted about what must be done is to engage in ongoing communication with God about what He wants for His resources. That way, your desire to reach God's goals for your life increases as He reveals His plan for you.

3 Wisely Set a Course for Action

    David went into battle with the strategy and weapons that were right for him. (1 Samuel 17: 39-40) Rather than trusting the "standard" armor and tactics of the day, David slew Goliath with an approach that suited his specific circumstance. God knows the details of your life and how they will unfold. For this reason, He is in the best position to show you which stewardship strategies and tools are right for you. He wants you to seek His direction and godly counsel so He can equip you with a tailor-made plan for pursuing His goals in His ways.

    IN TOUCH FOUNDATION has a passion for serving people who seek to discover and implement God's plan for the assets He has entrusted to them. With the tools, advice, and services you can depend on to help make it happen, we are here to serve you, your family, and future generations. Let us know if we can assist you in achieving stewardship success God's way.

IN TOUCH FOUNDATION
P.O. Box 620362, Atlanta, GA 30362
(800) 967-2200 • foundation@intouch.org