Category Archives: Money & Wealth

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August 5, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, God's Grace & Love, God's Plan, Love & Works, Money & Wealth, Sharing Our Faith, Spiritual Gifts

THE GRACE PROJECT – PART 2 (RECEIVING)

And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” [Acts 20:35 (NLT)]

columbine - mhspIL0549-2-cropwebWhile our pastor was preaching his series on God’s grace, an acquaintance asked me to pray for her friend (who we’ll call Faith) and her friend’s twenty-month old daughter (who we’ll call Hope). Faith was a single mother with no family support. Baby Hope, underweight and slow in her development, was failing to thrive for no apparent medical reason and scheduled to undergo a series of medical tests. Because she’d missed so much work due to her daughter’s illnesses, Faith had lost her job.

When our pastor offered each congregant a ten dollar bill to use to spread God’s grace, I just knew that money was intended for Faith. When the time came to accept the cash, however, I hesitated. The church was struggling to pay down their mortgage. Why should I take money from it when I had enough of my own to give away? I didn’t feel that I could accept the church’s money when they had such a great need themselves.

The next week, ten dollar bills were offered once more and, again, I wouldn’t take one. Instead, I decided to send Faith some of my own money. While I could certainly afford it, that just didn’t feel right; that wasn’t part of God’s plan. The point of the exercise wasn’t just to give someone something; it was to accept something we didn’t deserve and then to pass it along. I knew that sending my own money bypassed the first part of the lesson.

Every day, as I prayed for Faith and Hope, I continued to be troubled by my refusal to accept the church’s money. A week later, I attended a class about spiritual gifts. Unexpectedly, the pastor gave me ten dollars to illustrate a point about the acceptance of God’s gifts. I had to laugh when it appeared that I could no longer escape that ten dollar bill! All I had to do was accept it, which I finally did. The next day, it was sent to Faith along with a note of encouragement and a promise to keep her in my prayers.

I’m glad God is so persistent—there was a lesson I needed to learn about accepting His gifts and He wasn’t about to quit until I learned it. Our God is loving and generous and, no matter how difficult it seems, we should be gracious enough to accept His gifts and use them wisely. The Apostle Paul quoted Jesus as saying that it is “more blessed to give than to receive.” While that’s undoubtedly true, for many of us, it much harder to receive than it is to give!

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the many gifts you lavish upon us, your children. May we always accept them with enthusiasm and grateful hearts and share them with joy and love.

As God loves a cheerful giver, so He also loves a cheerful taker, who takes hold on His gifts with a glad heart. [John Donne]

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. [Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)]

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August 4, 2015

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Church & Worship, God's Grace & Love, God's Promises, Love & Works, Money & Wealth, Sharing Our Faith

THE GRACE PROJECT – PART 1 (GIVING)

Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son! For by the blood of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God, which he gave to us in such large measure! [Ephesians 1:6-7 (GNT)]

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Several years ago, the pastor at our Colorado church preached a series on grace. Since God’s grace is both extravagant and unearned, he wanted the community to receive some unmerited gifts from our church as an expression of God’s grace. Anyone who wanted to participate in this demonstration received a ten dollar bill and was asked to use the money in a way that would spread God’s grace and love.

Members of the Spanish congregation made tamales and delivered them to the people vital to the migrant population in the community: the social service workers and volunteers at the food pantry and re-sale shop. When they walked into the offices of the food pantry with their tamales, imagine the surprise when the staff and volunteers realized that someone was bringing them food instead of taking it away! That same joy and surprise was expressed when a wagonload of tamales was pulled into the area social services’ office.

The teen youth group met the challenge by sharing God’s grace with the local police and sheriff’s deputies. Thinking that donuts were too predictable a gift for law enforcement, the teens purchased assorted breath mints and gum and delivered them to the officers. Smiles were shared all around and some of God’s grace was passed along.

One family combined their money and then doubled it with their own donations. Learning of a student who was unable to participate in a field trip because of the expense, they arranged a scholarship for her by finding another donor who would match their funds. A Bible study group knew of a family in need of assistance and decided to prepare and freeze dinners and to give to them. The group then agreed to continue this practice every month for a different family in need. When a church member’s co-worker broke into tears of frustration at work, she gave her the ten dollar grace gift with the instructions to take a break at Starbucks and enjoy a latte and muffin.

The final experiment in passing along God’s grace was when members of the congregation donated money so that free gas could be offered to the community. One Sunday, a special offering of $5,000 was collected. The following Saturday, seventy volunteers manned the pumps at two gas stations. Church members pumped ten dollars of gas into the tank of any car that arrived at the stations. While they were at it, they even washed car windows! There was no catch or hidden agenda to getting the free gas; nobody had to listen to a spiritual message and no religious pamphlets were distributed. The only things shared were smiles, free gas, and God’s love. In fact, when a few cars were still in line after the money ran out, volunteers paid for the last gallons of gas from their own pockets! Over five hundred people received a bit of grace that afternoon!

The point of all this: God’s grace is epic and extravagant; it’s totally unearned and underserved. All we have to do is accept it and then share it.

The secret of life is that all we have and are is a gift of grace to be shared. [Lloyd John Ogilvie]

Since you excel is so many ways – in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us – I want you to excel in this gracious act of giving. [2 Corinthians 8:7 (NLT)]

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August 3, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, God's Grace & Love, Love & Works, Money & Wealth

ON VACATION

There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need. [Deuteronomy 15:11 (NLT)]

If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. [1 John 3:17-18 (NLT)]

DSC08043-cropwebbNow that August has arrived, it seems like everyone is taking a vacation. People are retreating to the beach, a cabin in the woods, Grandma’s, or maybe just to the back yard. The Senate and House of Representatives are even taking a break (which could actually be good news for the nation). I don’t know if all the New York psychiatrists really left for the Hamptons but (more calamitous for me) my hair dresser has gone to the Wisconsin Dells.

Even though God doesn’t physically need to take a rest from his daily work, do you suppose He ever wants to get away from it all? Does He tire of the endless complaints, sorrowful pleas, and anxious appeals he gets 24/7? Does He ever get weary of forgiving the same sins over and over again? Does He yearn to escape from the clamor and confusion of this mixed up world of ours? Thankfully, our heavenly Father is truly a God of endless patience, boundless energy, and limitless love. Even when we take off from work, turn off our cell phones and stop answering emails, He continues to receive our calls; His door remains open all day long every day of the year.

God never takes a break and, unfortunately, neither does the tremendous need for Christian love and works. Charities and churches don’t take vacations and neither does the need for their services. Sadly, as volunteers and donations disappear over the summer months, their resources to meet those needs diminish as well. While we take vacations, poverty, hardship, and affliction never do. Offering envelopes and church pews may go empty but so do the stomachs of hungry children everywhere. The tremendous needs of the less fortunate don’t take a holiday but the ability to fill those needs does. So, on our way out of town, maybe we should drop off some food at the local food pantry, visit the area blood bank, and write that tithe and offering check to our church (and a few more to the charities of our choice). God never takes a break from loving his children and neither should we!

Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. [Galatians 6:10 (NLT)]

Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need. [Proverbs 21:13 (NLT)]

 

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July 20, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Money & Wealth, Obedience, Temptation & Sin, Thanks & Praise

IDOLS

You shall have no other gods before me. [Exodus 20:3 (RSV)]

You shall make for yourselves no idols and erect no graven image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land, to bow down to them; for I am the Lord your God. [Leviticus 26:1 (RSV)]

6-18-15IMG_1012webWhile Moses was on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments from God, the Israelites grew restless and impatient with his long absence. Faith in both God and Moses flew out the window (or tents, in this case) and the people convinced Aaron they needed an idol who could lead them in their journey to the Promised Land. Gold earrings were gathered, melted down, and molded into the shape of a calf. As soon as the Israelites saw the image, they proclaimed it to be the God that led them out of Egypt. It was easier to believe in a piece of gold they could see than a real god they couldn’t. As usually happens with disobedience and idolatry, immorality soon followed. In spite of the many miracles God had already performed that allowed them to leave Egyptian captivity, the Israelites chose their golden calf over the true giver of gifts.

Like the Israelites, we often forget our blessings and the one responsible for those blessings. While we may not deify a golden calf, in spite of God’s command, we often worship other gods. Many of us tend to be more concerned about wealth, appearances, or fame than we are about God; that’s worshipping an idol. When we care more about obtaining or maintaining our possessions than we care about God, that’s worshipping an idol. When we give more attention to ourselves and our interests than we do to God, we are worshipping idols. When our standard of living is more important than our standard of giving, we are worshipping idols. These may not be graven images and we may not be worshipping them at an altar, nonetheless, they are idols. The Lord God is the only one to whom we should bow down and the only one to whom we should look up to with adoration.

When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! The wind will carry them off, a breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain. [Isaiah 57:13 (RSV)]

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be held in awe above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols; but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. [1 Chronicles 16:25-27 (RSV)]

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July 11, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Church & Worship, Love & Works, Money & Wealth, Obedience

IGNORING THEIR CRIES

So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat a meal. [Genesis 37:23-25a (NKJV)]

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Recently, in our nation’s capital, four people were murdered and their home set ablaze. It was DNA left on a pizza crust that quickly led police to the alleged killer. While this was an astounding piece of detective work, what astonishes me most is that, while holding four people hostage, four people likely pleading desperately for their lives, someone could calmly eat a pizza. How could anyone have an appetite while plotting murder? Yet, someone did and he’s not alone; that’s exactly what Joseph’s brothers did.

You remember Joseph, the favored son of Jacob, the handsome one with the coat of many colors. When his jealous brothers conspired to kill him, Reuben (thinking he might rescue his younger brother later) suggested they throw him into a dry cistern and leave him to the mercy of the elements. After tossing Joseph like a piece of garbage into a pit, the brothers all sat down to eat. Boys being boys, perhaps Joseph thought it was just a brotherly prank and his siblings would soon let him out of the well. “Come on guys, I’m hungry and thirsty. Help me up so I can have some lunch. I’ll even share my coat with you!” But, when he heard his brothers discuss selling him into slavery to some Ishmaelite traders, it began to dawn on him that he was in serious trouble and they weren’t joking. Can you imagine the cries of the terrified youth once he realized what was happening and the danger of his situation? While Joseph pled for his life, his brothers ignored his cries and enjoyed their meal. Can you imagine how he must have begged for their mercy, much as the DC family probably begged for their lives? Unlike the pizza eating criminal, Joseph’s brothers didn’t plan an outright murder; they were going to leave that to the slave traders. But, like that killer in DC, they knew their victim’s anguish and refused to hear his cries.

While we’re not likely to invade a home and kill its occupants or throw someone into a pit and sell him into slavery, we’re not all that different from Joseph’s brothers and the suspected murderer in DC. We may not be plotting murder and mayhem, but we do ignore the desperate cries of those in need and, by ignoring their cries, condemn them to lives of misery or death. While calmly enjoying meals in the comfort of our homes, do we turn a deaf ear to the voices of the hungry? Do we turn our backs on our less fortunate brothers and sisters—the poor, homeless, sick, or victimized? This morning I saw a sign on a church that read, “Be the Church—Fight for the Powerless.” We can’t do that if we ignore their cries!

We must never minimize the suffering of another. Scripture’s mandate to us is, “Weep with them that weep.” [Billy Graham]

Then they said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.” [Genesis 42:21(NKJV)]

And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. [Luke 6:31 (NKJV)]

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June 22, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Holidays & Holy Days, Money & Wealth, Today: Make it Count, Wisdom & Guidance

GRANDPAS -Father’s Day 2015

If God doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn’t guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves? [Psalm 127:1-2 (MSG)]

6-22-150402cropOld friends were in town and several couples had gotten together for dinner. The men (now all retired and grandpas) got to talking. Instead of talking about work, which is what they used to do, or sports, which they still do, they started talking about their various grandchildren. I loved hearing them go on about teething, toys, Disney movies and the various cute sayings and fantastic achievements of their beloved grands. In short, they sounded just like my women friends and I did some forty plus years ago when we spoke about our children. These men clearly loved the grandpa gig and they chatted about it with the same enthusiasm they used to save for their golf games and the play-offs.

This group of men is from a generation of fathers that weren’t very “hands-on” in the way of baby and child care when their children were young. Parental roles were more defined then: our husbands were the breadwinners and we women were the homemakers, in charge of the house and children. Don’t get me wrong! None of them were neglectful; they are men of faith and all were attentive and loving fathers. They were, however, extremely busy in furthering their careers and attaining financial security for their families. Good fathers all, they just weren’t as involved in the diapers, doctor’s appointments, feeding, classroom parties, lessons and homework as many of today’s dads are. Their own children had done all of the same things their grandchildren were doing, but this was the first time these olds guys were taking part in it. I’m glad they all have grandchildren so they can now experience some of the joy they missed the first time around. Grandchildren are, indeed, God’s reward for growing older (and for not killing one’s teenagers, but that’s another meditation!)

Everything turned out well for these men’s families; it didn’t for many. These men have been blessed with a second chance; not all will be. We need to make sure none of us get so busy building our houses that we neglect building a home for those in it. Unless God is part of the building and guarding of our home and family, we will have nothing. It’s fine to be ambitious, but not to the extent that our spirit, body or family is neglected. Financial security is meaningless if the home life suffers. What good are accomplishments, honors, wealth or fame if we lose our souls, physical health, or families? If we don’t trust our lives to God, we will be anxious and have no rest. If we trust him, he will surely provide and give us the rest and peace we so desire.

Children are, indeed, a gift from God. And grandchildren are the frosting on His cake!

Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. And you’re keeping them all in the air. But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls – family, health, friends, integrity – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered. And once you truly understand the lesson of the five balls, you will have the beginnings of balance in your life. [From “Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas” by James Patterson]

Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep. [Psalm 127:3-5 (MSG)]