Spiritual Ambitions
How Rich Do You Want to Be in Eternity?
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In 2013, I sensed God wanting me to write my spiritual ambitions. I planned on retiring soon, and needed new focus. After prayer, I developed eight ambitions. My list is similar to many people’s bucket list, detailing what they want to do before they die, except my list addresses my spiritual life. I will never be able to say I achieved my list of Spiritual Ambitions. Hebrews chapter 2 warns us against “drifting.” I decided to make these ambitions my life’s priority, and not drift aimlessly from one spiritual activity to another. I can compare or test everything in my life against these ambitions.
I can’t move towards these ambitions by myself, no matter how hard I try. All I can do is give God permission, and put myself in positions where God can touch me. This includes what I read, think, and do. I believe God wants these ambitions for me more than I want them.
My list is
• God’s presence
• Filled with God’s love
• To hear the gentle wind of God
• Inspire others to obtain fruit for God’s kingdom
• Inner spiritual peace
• Boldness, to do as I hear
• Be used with Power
• See the times.
Why do I recommend someone develop their own ambitions? We like to say we want to be intentional with life. I don’t want to reach life’s end and be any more disappointed than necessary. I don’t want to add to the existing wasted time, effort, and focus in my past.
As an aside, the devil wants to steal God’s mission for you. He doesn’t want you to have one. He will tell you every lie from the pit, whisper in your ear “it is too late, you have done too much, gone too far, are too unimportant, or it doesn’t matter.” The devil will tell you can’t, you’re not cut out for it, you can’t speak or think or study like it requires. He will help you to be lazy, put it off, or whatever lie will keep you from seeing and doing God’s plan or mission for you. The Bible says people perish without a vision (see Proverbs 29 v18). The devil wants everyone to perish, and the sooner the better. Critical to your God-given vision is your spiritual ambitions.
Develop your own list and then study it. What does Scripture say about these ambitions, both in what they are and how to strive for them? Paul said:
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NKJV) 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
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About the Book
Our ambitions determine the kind of person we become, and the kind of person we become determines what we will do in life. And since what we do in life can have lasting—even eternal—results, it’s no surprise that many of us strive to reach our ambitions. Yet while we can be consumed with pursuing worldly, secular ambitions for career and family, our spiritual ambitions are too often left to chance as we drift through life.
Spiritual Ambitions: How Rich Do You Want to Be in Eternity? challenges us to identify our spiritual ambitions and evaluate their genuine importance to our lives. Whether you want to start a ministry, become a pastor, or just be more mindful of God’s presence in your life, author Tom Schulte shows you how to set your ambitions and listen for God’s guidance to follow the path he sets out before you.
To be used by God to fulfill his purpose is the greatest reward and victory we can have as Christians, but first we must be the kind of person who is pleasing to God. Therefore, we must develop our spiritual ambitions and make them our priority in life, proving to ourselves and to God that we are receptive and ready to heed the call and be touched by God’s Spirit.
About the Author
Tom Schulte is a retired engineer, and Jesus became fully real to him on June 25, 1975, when he committed his life to serving Christ. Since then, Tom has been active in his local church, has spoken in numerous churches, and regularly speaks at his local jail and prison.