Grace for Española
 
Recently I became a mentor with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northern New Mexico and was paired with an 8 yr. old boy named Christian. On one of our outings I took him to see the new movie based on the classic Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol. It was quite a thrill with the techno animation and in 3-D. Of course, the story itself is pretty powerful. I was reminded how miserable it is to be a miser like Ebenezer Scrooge was and the joy of giving was rekindled as we saw Scrooge transformed due to his visits of the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.

Not soon after seeing this movie I listened to the audio book The Treasure Principle: Discovering the Secret of Joyful Giving by Randy Alcorn. If you read just one Christian book in 2010, I highly recommend this one. Alcorn sums up the message of his book with six keys of giving. These are reproduced below along with some points to ponder taken from 18 study questions he posted on his web site. Listen for the voice of God’s Spirit as you read and see if God just might be calling you to embrace more of the giving spirit this Christmas and beyond. Someone said, "You’re never more like God than when you give."

Key #1. God owns everything. I’m His money manager.

We are the managers of the assets God has entrusted—not given—to us. The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1). The land is Mine and you are but aliens and My tenants...the silver is Mine and the gold is Mine (Leviticus 25:23; Haggai 2:8). It is required of a steward [property and money manager] that he be found faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).

  1. If God is the owner, then what is my role? Do I have any rights? What are my responsibilities?
  2. Do I fall into the trap of "tipping" God a little each month? If I tithe faithfully, what are my responsibilities with the remaining 90 percent of my income?
Key #2. My Heart Always Goes Where I Put God's Money.

Watch what happens when you reallocate your money from temporal things to eternal things.

  1. Last year, did I give to others (e.g. tithes, offerings, personal gifts) as much as I spent on myself (e.g. entertainment, vacations, club memberships)? How does my giving history reflect my understanding of Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:38-39, the second greatest commandment ("Love your neighbor as yourself")?
  2. Specifically, what keeps me from giving more? Am I afraid of giving? Do I trust that God will meet my needs if I give?
  3. How much giving (percentage of my gross income) would it take to make me uncomfortable ... 5%? 10%? 25%? 50%? More?
  4. Do I consider money I’ve given away as part of my ‘net worth’? Do I give the same attention to the money I give as I do to the money I invest?
Key #3. Heaven, not earth, is my home.

We are citizens of "a better country—a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11:16).

  1. In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." As God’s steward, am I sinking His money into temporal things, or am I sending it on ahead, using it to advance His Kingdom?
  2. Am I more attached to the things of this world or to the things of God’s Kingdom?
  3. Does the way in which I live my life, spend my time, and handle my money point others to Christ? Am I more excited about the latest release of a Hollywood movie or the spiritual growth of a friend? Do I see a business deal as a prospect for profit or as an opportunity for ministry?
Key #4. I should not live for the dot but for the line.

From the dot—our present life on earth—extends a line that goes on forever, which is eternity in heaven.

  1. Alcorn compares our short lives on earth to a dot and our eternal lives in heaven as a never-ending line that extends from that dot. If God were to audit my finances, would He conclude that I live more for the "dot" or more for the "line"? What would some of His observations be?
  2. Do I consider money I invest as "mine" but money I give as "lost"?
  3. Do all of my purchases or spending have eternal consequences?
Key #5. Giving is the only antidote to materialism.

Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and a greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts Him.

  1. Have money and possessions created greater faith or caused greater fear in my life?
  2. Are my possessions "competing" with my giving? If materialism is a "disease," then what is the "cure"?
  3. Which is really most important to me – "building bigger barns" (Luke 12:16-21) or "storing up treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:19-21)?
Key #6. God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.

God gives us more money than we need so we can give—generously.

  1. Why have I been given more than I need? How am I using the "surplus"?
  2. Do I really believe that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35)? How does my belief tangibly prove itself in my life?
To sum it all up, Alcorn says, "You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead."

Seeking an eternal perspective with you,

Pastor Massimo
 
 
We’ve been looking at Ephesians 4 for many weeks now in this blog. Is the divine plan for the growth of the church clear enough? Understanding it is the easy part. Living it out is the more difficult part. Growing into maturity as a church and individual believers requires effort, patience, love, and sacrifice. It will cost you to be part of the church, but it is worth it. What is it costing you?

I’m reminded of the time when King David was making provisions for the building of the temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to build it himself, but God wouldn’t let him since he was a man of war. Rather, God said Solomon, David’s son, would build the temple. But God allowed David to provide all the materials. David wanted to buy the land for the temple but Araunah, the land owner offered to give it to King David. Notice David’s response:

Then the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver (2 Sam 24:24, emphasis added).

True worship is costly worship. It will cost you to obey God and serve Him in His church. There will be responsibilities to meet, people to forgive, erring brothers to confront, as well as money, time, and sweat to give. As we do what is required of us by God’s Word, we will notice changes take place over time. We will grow into Christlikeness. The church will become healthy and strong. New believers will be added to the church. Significant ministry will take place. Lives will be forever changed. God will be glorified. Doesn’t that sound exciting? People who work out say, "No pain, no gain." In ministry, we can say, "No sacrifice, no joy."

Seven Dangers to Guard Against:
* Politics without principle
* Knowledge without character
* Wealth without work
* Pleasure without conscience
* Business without morality
* Science without humanity
* Worship without sacrifice

Let’s review where we’ve been in our study so far. We saw that (1) God has given us participation in His eternal purpose; (2) God has given us the structure for fulfilling His eternal purpose; (3) God has given us a calling to contribute to His eternal purpose. We are to continue in this process, "till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13, NKJV). So the goal is spiritual maturity defined by likeness to Jesus Christ.

How do we achieve spiritual maturity? "The whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love" (Eph 4:16). Did you catch it? "Every part does its share." Are you growing in your faith and knowledge of Christ? Are you doing your part to build up the body of Christ?

If the book of Acts were still being written, what would it say about you? "So and so lived out his life in comfort and ease?" "He kept to himself and kept his nose clean?" Or, "She lovingly and faithfully served the Lord through His church all her life. The lives she touched by her personal ministry were encouraged and blessed. She found Jesus’ words true, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35)."

We are the body of Christ. Jesus wants our hands, that’s how He works. He wants our feet, that’s how He goes. He wants our voices, that’s how He talks. He wants our hearts, that’s how He loves. True worship is costly. It means denying self to be used by God in the lives of others. Have you come to a point in your Christian walk that you have consciously yielded your life to God to serve Him in whatever way He calls you? If you do, it will cost you. But the reward is out of this world!

To know, to do; the Head’s commands, For this the body lives and grows;
All speed of feet and skill of hands, Is for Him spent, and from Him flows.
-author unknown