08/09/18 - 2Cor 9

Aug 09, 2018

Give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2Cor 9:7 

God loves givers, so plan, proportion, and praise God in our giving.

Van Morris of Kentucky tells this story:  A mother gave her child a one-dollar bill and a quarter.  "Sweetheart," the mother said, "you can place either one in the offering plate. It's entirely up to you."  As they were driving home, the mother asked the daughter what she had decided to give.  "Well, at first I was going to give the dollar," said the daughter. "But the man behind the pulpit said God loves a cheerful giver, so I felt like I would be much more cheerful if I gave the quarter instead."

Somehow I think the child missed the point about giving with a cheerful heart … and maybe we do too.

Too often, we associate cheerful with happy.  Although there is often happiness in a cheerful heart, that is not the whole meaning.  Being cheerful is about encouraging or enjoying the success of another.  Greed can make us temporarily happy, but doesn’t create cheer.   Cheer is created when we GIVE something for another – whether that’s money, time, encouragement, appreciation, support, etc.  Holding may help us feel happy for ourselves, but it is not cheerful.

That’s why Paul reminds us that when we give, it should be thought out, prepared, and with the desire to cheer another on.  When we give for the sake of others, it pleases God.  And SOMEHOW we seem to know that deep in our soul.  Most people DO realize that it is more blessed to give than to receive.  Because when they have given and it met a need or encouraged a needy person, we actually felt the blessing in our soul. 

If we’re holding back on giving to the Kingdom – we’re missing out.  We miss out on a cheerful heart.  We miss out on some of God’s blessings upon our life.  We miss out on eternal rewards.  And we miss out on expanding the Kingdom of God.  GET THIS:  GOD LOVES GIVERS, because God IS a Giver.  That’s who He is, and that’s who He wants us to be.  When we give – we Cheer God On!

Here’s an exercise to do TODAY (if you delay, you won’t likely do it!):

1.       Stop and look at your account(s), and discern what your current plan for giving looks like.  Write down how you give – whether to church, other organizations, relatives, friends.  Consider also the giving you do to support local fundraisers and shopping center collections.

2.       Review that plan – and consider what God wants you to do with it.  What percentage of income do you give on a regular basis?  Is that appropriate?  Should it be more?  Should it be reallocated?

3.       Make a new plan – consider how you can give to more of the functions that God is directing.  Look for how God wants you to create CHEER when you give.  (Not happiness, but cheer.)

If you’re not cheerful when you give, hit the pause button, and review your giving.  Either you’re not giving properly, or not giving with the right spirit.  Give to create CHEER!  Then watch what happens when you obey and follow through on a plan of consistent giving!  (You will find a cheerFULL heart.)

08/08/18 - 2Cor 8

Aug 08, 2018

Since you excel in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in love - see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 2Cor 8:7  

Giving to God is a privilege & grace - to save souls and break the power of sin in us.

Everybody wants to excel at something.  Musicians want to excel at playing or singing.  Athletes want to excel at their sport.  Entrepreneurs want to excel at their businesses.  Politicians want to excel at their governance.  Preachers want to excel at their teaching.  Moms & dads want to excel at their parenting.

Even in a church, we want to excel at something.  But the ONE thing people prefer NOT to excel at is giving.  That doesn’t mean we don’t have generous people in churches or in the world.  There are MANY GENEROUS Givers!!!  In fact, I’m blown away by the depth and commitment of the smaller percentage of people who give to the Kingdom work so faithfully.  It’s simply amazing what 20% of the Kingdom gives to support the other 80% (on average).

But here’s the thing --- who have you ever heard say they want to EXCEL at giving?  I know people who want to improve their giving, or give more, but who is committed to figuring out how to EXCEL at it?

So based on this Scripture, I wrote down some personal convictions about what excelling at giving might look like.

1.       Certainly it means giving God my first-fruits of anything I receive.  That includes gross salary, bonuses, gifts, etc.  If I want to Excel, then honoring him first in my giving is the starting point.

2.       It also means percentage giving, figuring out the percent of my income that qualifies as an excellent gift.  Abraham & the Scriptures look at 10% as the standard to shoot for, but excellent giving is about what God expects from me (maybe less at the moment, maybe more during this season of life).

3.       Excelling in giving would also challenge me to examine how I spend my income in the other areas of my life.  If I wanted to excel at it, then other areas would be minimized or even eliminated.  I would look at how I spend God’s resources, and try to find ways to bless missions & ministries that would generate a better return.

4.       Excelling also would challenge me in other areas of giving – like giving of my time, giving of my wisdom, investing of my character into the next generation. 

5.       To pursue excellence always requires sacrifice, but also generates the pleasure of knowing we fulfilled our goal.  So excelling at giving would also be goal-driven.  We would want a way to know we accomplished our intent, both to hold ourselves accountable and to know our gifts succeeded.  It would raise the bar significantly on wanting to know what people are doing with our gifts (not to the point of control, but to verify our giving was effective).

You might have a much bigger list than that, but the point is that excelling at giving takes thought, planning, and effort.  The reward is a partnership with God that far exceeds what much of the world looks for, and even the possibility of God routing MUCH MORE RESOURCES through us.  Who knows what God might do with us --- so choose to EXCEL in this gift of giving!

08/07/18 - 2Cor 7

Aug 7, 2018

Because of God's promises, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.  2Cor 7:1 

Our holiness is a reflection of how big God is in our lives.

Here’s a simple principle to consider:  The bigger my God, the better my holiness!

So to turn that around:  People can tell the size of our God by the level of holy obedience we live out.

That sounds very profound, but it really is a simple concept.  Consider:

-          If my God is big enough to solve all my problems, I can be more patient, have a better attitude, offer people more trust, take on bigger challenges, obey His word more faithfully, live more joyfully, have a spirit of forgiveness, and be more content.

-          If my God is smaller than that, I will have to fix every problem, control my circumstances, push my plans, test people’s trustworthiness, discern what works for me, make my own joy, be cautious with forgiveness, and grab for everything in life.

Holiness is not as much about the size of my abilities as it is the size of my God.  That’s both encouraging and convicting.  It’s also why a person can practice religious behaviors and not be holy.  Or why a person can fail miserably in life and still find salvation. 

Paul tells the Corinthians that our God is 100% faithful to EVERY promise.   If we truly believe God is that great and that perfect, then we will trust Him to take care of us when we obey Him.  But if we think God is only 90% faithful, or 80%, or 70% … we not only shrink the size of God in our lives, we shrink the level of holy obedience too. 

Here’s a practice for every temptation or struggle to take shortcuts:  remind yourself GOD is 100% FAITHFUL!

-          He is faithful to give us a way out from a difficult temptation – find it and take it.

-          He is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from the past – let him make you clean.

-          He is faithful to NEVER leave you nor forsake you – so stand for Him, even against ‘friends’.

-          He is faithful to meet your every need – so be content with what He gives us daily.

-          He is faithful to reward your obedience – so obey and let Him decide how to reward.

-          He is faithful to protect His own – so live for Him.

What percentage does your God represent?  The level of trust reflects the size of your God!

And the size of your God will determine the level of holiness you will live. 

God said:  Be Holy, because I the Lord God AM holy!  He’s our 100% God!  That’s pretty big!

08/06/18 - 2Cor 6

Aug 6, 2018

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? 2 Cor 6:14 

Our closest relationships will influence beliefs, so choose wisely.

What are you looking for in a mate?

When I have asked other people that question, the common answers tend to deal with personality, physique, life season similarities, shared enjoyments, and other physical or emotional characteristics.  Sometimes people list their spiritual expectations, but often that is down the list from appearance or temperament.  Sadly, the traits that tend to be less important before the marriage often become the roadblocks after the wedding. 

Our best relational matches have little to do with physical, emotional or social attributes.  The best relationships share common beliefs and values – which are spiritual attributes.  Show me a couple who have shared beliefs about handling money, raising children, worshipping God, choosing a lifestyle, and I will show you a couple that has a far better chance of going the distance.  But show me one that is mismatched in those areas, and I’ll show you one that will be struggling with doubts and fears.

The Bible teaches us to be yoked with people who have common values in our religious (spiritual) beliefs.  Because when we don’t match up with another person who shares in our faith, it will weaken the person of faith and cause compromise in their values.  When that happens, not only does the marriage head the wrong direction, but the children grow up without a strong moral foundation, and end up struggling with the same challenges in their future relationships.  The principle is simple – beliefs tend to travel to the LOWEST common denominator. 

That’s why SO MANY believers are falling for sinful lifestyles these days!  People are valuing physical attraction and shared enjoyment over spiritual values – and end up sacrificing their obedience to gain the relationship.  In the end, it leaves a trail of brokenness and pain that either must be repaired, or ends up as lingering disappointment.

CHANGE the ORDER!   START with looking at beliefs and values FIRST --- THEN consider the physical, emotional and social elements.  Not only will it lead to a happier relationship, but the marriage will grow more holy.  And THAT IS THE REAL PURPOSE of marriage anyways.

So take 5 minutes right now and start a list – what are the right spiritual values to look for, or to build up, in your marriage.  Whether you are married or not, it will be the foundation of growing holiness in yourself and your closest relationship.

08/03/18 - 2Cor 5

Aug 3, 2018

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2Cor 5:21

Jesus became our sin on the cross, so that we can stop living selfishly and become righteous like Him.

The greatest way to thank someone for a gift we have received is to USE the blessing the way they would.

A friend recently gave me a wonderful gift – an acoustic guitar.  He knew I had given away my previous guitars to other ministry endeavors, and wanted to offer me a blessing.  His thoughtfulness and kindness not only left me speechless, but increased my hunger to play again.  I offered to pay him something in return, but all he wanted me to do was play that guitar.  I have COMPLIED!

Consider that guitar for a second.  It was not designed to be a hammer.  It is not made to be a wall ornament, or a paper weight, or a planter.  It is designed to make music by playing it.  Doing anything else with it would be a dis-service to the person who gave it to me.  But when I use it the way it was intended, that guitar is a joy for me (albeit maybe not quite as much of a joy to my family); playing it is also an honor to his kindness.

Jesus did something for you and me that is FAR GREATER than giving us a guitar --- He took our sins on himself and died in our place.  Just let that sink in a few minutes.  The Bible says: “He who had NO sin, became sin FOR US”.  His gift of sacrifice was the greatest gift we will ever receive, because ONLY Jesus could do it, and it was the one gift we all desperately needed.  Jesus didn’t give us that gift so that we would abuse it or misuse it, but so that we would become what God had intended us to be – righteous, holy, and obedient children of Almighty God.

We have been given a HUGE Gift!  Don’t waste it, or leave it laying around.  Put it to use!  

Consider:

-          What sinful habits or lifestyles need to be transformed into behaviors that match Jesus?

-          What spiritual disciples need to be implemented to grow holiness?

-          What practices in family and work need changed so that we can live righteously?

Jesus took on death so that we could have NEW life --- what are you doing with that Gift?

It’s time to start playing the music of your life again…

08/02/18 - 2Cor 4

Aug 2, 2018

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2Cor 4:17

Every struggle on earth is creating a bigger blessing in heaven.

Every year, our family planted a vegetable garden and all of us worked that garden each year.  The digging and planting in the spring wasn’t so bad, but the weeding each week was NOT my favorite activity.  Yet, throughout the summer and fall, when we pulled those big juicy fresh tomatoes, or picked and cooked up the green beans, or ate the watermelon, lettuce, onions, green peppers, and corn – it was some of the BEST tasting food we had.   It was awesome to see all of the production a few seeds could create.  With a little work, and a little patience, the harvest was amazing.

Funny thing about seeds.  They have to die in order to reproduce.  Then there is the struggle for the seed to germinate and break apart so that the plant can begin.  Then the seed and plant must struggle to break through the earth and brave the elements to produce its harvest.  There are many trials a seed must go through to produce a harvest, but in the end, the production far outweighs the size of that seed.

So it is with our lives.  We avoid struggles, steer clear of trials, and attempt to eliminate any hardships, yet those are the EXACT things that make our lives rich in the end.  Any marriage worth its salt has learned and grown through struggles.  Kids who develop character came through hardships & lessons.  Companies that survive the long haul in business all had to learn important lessons through difficulty.  No seed produces until it struggles.  And no life produces eternal results until it goes through the challenges of life successfully.

When we face troubles, don’t run back into our shell – keep breaking through!  In the end, you will benefit FAR MORE by the struggle than by staying safe.  And God will RICHLY bless your eternal life with a FAR GREATER RESULT when you endure the trials of life obeying His ways. 

Jesus told his disciples that the reward in heaven for their few decades of following Him on earth involved riches, authority, and honor in the Presence of Almighty God … and that was for Eternity!  A few decades of difficulty would end up producing an eternal abundance of harvest.  The same deal is offered to all of us --- IF we will continue to strive to follow Jesus. 

So let’s get back to the work of our garden, and keep growing through the light and momentary struggles.

08/01/18 - 2Cor 3

Aug 1, 2018

And we are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory...  2Cor 3:18

God's will is to see us become more like His Son --- are we becoming more like Jesus every day?

When God created Adam, He made Adam in his own image.  That didn’t mean God has the body of a human, but it did mean Adam had the holiness, the character of God, and the love of God.  If Adam wondered what God was like, all he had to do was consider his own lifestyle.

But something changed all that.  Adam and Eve decided the image of God was not good enough.  They wanted to have the knowledge of God.  So they broke the command and ate of the forbidden fruit, and lost the image of God they were created with.  Instantly, the holiness, character and love of God was gone in their lives, and they found themselves expelled from the Presence of God to live outside of Eden.

But God loved men too much to leaves us in that broken condition.  He desired to see us returned to the state we were created in.  So God sent His Son Jesus to earth to rescue us, but taking our place on the cross and putting to death the broken image we had acquired.  Instead of losing the holiness, character and love of God, we now had the ability to start growing the image of God again in our lives.

This process of regaining the image of God is called transformation.  It’s not an upgrade, it’s a rebuild.  Faith in Jesus starts from the inside of our hearts, and slowly remolds the old character into a new one.  His Spirit pushes out the selfishness of our lives and recreates love in our lives.  And the sin that kept us from God’s Presence is rebuilt into the holiness of God. 

It takes the rest of our lives, and we never fully arrive on earth, but the transformation is a mark on our lives that God is involved and He claims us as His own.  While the image doesn’t become perfect, the glory grows.  This is not OUR glory, it is the glory of Jesus being reflected by our transformation.  Jesus gets the credit and the worship.

So our goal in life is no longer to satisfy our old sin nature, but to pursue the image God designed us to have.  You can assist God in the transformation simply by looking to become more like Jesus. 

So … how are you becoming more like Jesus today?