Giving

I recently came across this article and have felt compelled to write about it if for no other reason than just to articulate how I feel about it.  Please take the time to read the article first....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/justin-lee/are-christians-christianitys-worst-enemies_b_2586339.html

Regardless of one's opinion about the Huffington Post, seeing this article makes my heart ache for two reasons maybe more but two that I am going to elaborate.

Reason #1  Sadly I have like the writer have seen and heard this played out many many times over.  It is sad to me that when given the opportunity to be a witness and strong testimony for Christ often Christians choose money over testimony, regardless of it being a tip or in some other circumstance.  God through Paul has called us to walk worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:27).

Reason #2  The other thing that saddens me is what I like to call, "The Tithe Trap."Its the idea often is promoted in church that 10% is what a "Good Christian" gives. Sadly what I have seen is two fold, either people limit what God is doing by only giving 10% or some who find themselves in financial stress feel they can't give at all because it's not 10%.  Interestingly no where in the New Testament is 10% taught.  Actually the Bible tells us to give as the Lord leads you to give and give out of a cheerful heart (2 Corinthians 9:7).  Jesus even in his ministry used the giving of a woman who gave all that she had as a teaching on our giving being connected to our true nature of our relationship with Him by how we live it out.  See here's the thing by holding to "The Tithe Trap",  I believe you may be limiting God and limiting the blessing that you could be a part.  Just a few questions,  what if God laid on your heart to give more?  what if the amount was not as important as your obedience?

The sad truth is according to Barna Research and others that I have read.  Only 6% of evangelical followers of Christ tithe and out of the 6% they only give on average 2% of their income.  What does this say about the  heart of followers of Christ here in the US??????

Now with all that said I am so thankful to be a part of a church that breaks the norm.  I am blown away at the giving of our Body of Followers and am never ceased to be amazed at how God is blessing and using the people of HTBC to impact the World.   My prayer is that others would follow your examples as we follow Christ.

Stone Throwing

^{John 8:2-11}

² At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. ³ The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” ⁶ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

I recently was challenged to evaluate my approach in speaking to a world that does not except the Bible as an authority.  One of the things that challenged me was what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 5, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? God will judge those outside."

We have become quite proficient stone throwers in the church.  Instead of helping our own to grow and avoid the snares of sin we throw stones at a world that we expect to accept the Word of God before they accept the God of the Word.  Isn't true that we really cannot accept the Word of God till we have began a relationship with Jesus where the Holy Spirit comes to reside in our lives.  The world does not have the Holy Spirit, they have Satan pulling the blinders over their eyes.  What do we do, we throw stones and give them a black eye.  We say things like, "the Bible says that marriage is one man and one woman"  which I believe with all my heart.  We say the Bible says "life is precious"  which I believe with all my heart.  But the world says back to us, yes but your Bible also says that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines, your Bible says that many of your founding fathers had multiple wives.  This is true and to a world devoid of the Holy Spirit this is all they see.  Because we have the Holy Spirit we understand that the Bible is clear that this was never the will of God for them and that it caused many problems.  

Is it possible that a better approach would be to love them, to let them see our lives that are different because of the Holy Spirit living in us and to introduce them to the God of the Bible.  Then what happens is that when they find Jesus they realize the lifestyle they are living is wrong, they realize the beliefs they once held to just do not add up anymore.

I don't claim to have arrived at this but one thing I do want to do is be obedient to Christ and Jesus said, "you who are without sin cast the first stone".  May I be like those who held the stones realized they were wrong and walked away.  May I walk away from throwing stones.

Catalyst

Catalyst

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending Catalyst a conference for leaders where Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel were speaking.  It was an amazing day of being challenged in leadership and fellowship with my brothers in Christ.  I want to share with you some of the "sticky statements"  that have been burning on my heart.  Partly I want to share them because maybe they will burn on your heart and partly because as I talk about them they burn brighter on mine.  So below I am going to just list them and talk about how they are impacting me currently.....

#1  Your Greatest contribution to the church may not be something you do, but someone you raise.

This is number #1 on the list because it is the most closest to my heart.  I have 5 kids and my greatest desire for them is that they fall head over heals in love with Jesus.  But in order for that to happen I have to be head over heals in love with Jesus and they have to see it.  Sometimes in ministry it is so easy to put the needs of others in the church before the needs of my family.  I cannot say this enough I love our church and I love our people.  But my greatest call is not to be a pastor but a father.  If I fail as a father I fail as a pastor.  I know that I need to adjust some things in my life in order to better spend more quality time with my kids.  My prayer is that as this ":sticky statement" sticks that I will do what I have to because who knows what God has in store for my kids but maybe just maybe He will use one or all to impact the world.


#2 I am not a Christian because of the Bible but because of Jesus

Heretic, woe before you go calling me names hear this out.  Which came first Jesus or the Bible?  Was the new testament written when the first gentiles came to know Christ?  Answers Jesus and no  I am a Christian not because of the Bible but because of an event.  That event is the resurrection.  Jesus died on a cross was buried and rose again and because He did that I am a Christian.  The Bible was written so that I may know in whom I have believed.  I believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God without error.  But the Bible does not save anyone, only Jesus.  So the question we were asked is why do we expect the world (who rejects the Bible) to except the Bible before they except Jesus?  Ouch good question.....  and one that I am still thinking on by the way.

Well I hope these two statements are a Catalyst in your life as they have been in mine.

Time

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 

²     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

24 hours is what everyone of us has to work with regardless of what, where or why we all have the same amount of time in a day.  What varies is the amount of time we have in this life and honestly what we do with that time given us.

Solomon writes and reminds me that their is a time for everything and season for every activity.  Interesting that phrase "season for every activity" refers to every delight, longing, every good pleasure that one would take delight.  I know so often I say to someone or myself well I just ran out of time today.   Is it that I ran out of time or I chose or allowed other things to take priority over what I wanted or needed to do?

My prayer is that today I will take the time to do the things that draw me closer in my walk with Christ and not allow the mundane or mediocre things take precedent.  

Rewards

2 Corinthians 5:1-11

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ² Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, ³ because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ For we live by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Who doesn't like getting a reward?  Maybe its for winning something or recognition for something, but I am pretty sure we as people like rewards.  I know my kids do, "If you guys behave well today at ...... we will go get ice cream after."  Bam motivation set, good behavior delivered, reward given... Mission Accomplished!!!!

Rewards is something that each one of us as followers of Christ will receive. As verse 10 tells us we will receive what is due us for things done in this life, whether good or bad.  Now that should be motivating and convicting all at the same time.  Every work (every action, reaction, thought, word....) will be revealed for what it truly is at the judgement seat of Christ. 

But neither reward or fear should drive us to live for Christ.  We should be driven by love.  Driven by what Christ has done for us and our lives should be lived as a reflection of our deep need of Him.  

Today as I got about this new day my prayer is that I will be constantly reminded of Christ's love for me and that His love will drive me to serve Him. 

One of my favorite lines in a movie is,  "Brothers what we do in this life will echo into eternity."  May my life echo Jesus all day today.

Peace

Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Not really sure why but my mind goes to a movie called, Miss Congeniality where this FBI agent is undercover and has to become a contestant in a beauty pageant.  Well the classic question is asked and of course the classic answer is given, "I would like World Peace."  While world peace would be amazing it's highly unlikely because well lets face it, humans stand in the way.  

However, personal peace I believe can be practiced.  So what do I mean by peace?  Well Dictionary.com gives this definition that I believe best fits with this verse:  cessation of or freedom from any strife or dissension.  The blueletterbible.org website offers the original Greek as:  to cultivate or keep peace.  

Notice what Paul says, "as far as it depends on you".  What I believe Paul is saying is that cultivating peace or keeping peace really depends on your own personal focus.  Obviously we cannot control how others act or react, but what we can control is ourselves.  So as far as it depends on myself I must decide to cultivate peace instead of cultivating my own agenda, desires, plans, etc...

Is it possible to live at peace and stand your ground?  Does this mean that I have to bend over backwards or get bull dozed every time.  No I do not believe it does mean that, because if I look at Jesus example their is not question that He stood his ground that He answered the critics, he overturned the money changers, he stood up to the religious leaders.  However all that was motivated I believe by a desire to cultivate peace not an agenda, because everything Christ did was saturated with love.  

Looking at my life currently I do not believe that I hold any bitterness or anger toward anyone but I know that could change very quickly depending on my heart.  Often my heart gets distracted by my flesh and Satans attacks.  Today I pray that I will focus on Christ, focus on His love and allow Him to be seen in me.