Greetings Internet Campus Family,
II Chronicles 29:4-6 (NLT)
4 He summoned the priests and Levites to meet him at the courtyard east of the Temple. 5 He said to them, “Listen to me, you Levites! Purify yourselves, and purify the Temple of the LORD, the God of your ancestors. Remove all the defiled things from the sanctuary. 6 Our ancestors were unfaithful and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD our God. They abandoned the LORD and his dwelling place; they turned their backs on him.
What will your legacy be in the area of sacrifice? When it comes to giving of yourself and your resources...were you generous? Did you do without so that others could have? Who did you put first in your life?
I really believe that part of our lasting legacy includes sacrifice. Unfortunately, our very nature (being made of flesh) drives us to be concerned with our own well being sometimes. But how do we model sacrifice?
1) We give of our resources - God has told each of us to tithe. I really don't know a gentler way to put it than that. He has instructed us to sacrifice or do whatever it takes to put Him first. I know this is very challenging (especially these days...) but I can tell you...it will never be easy. It isn't a matter of more money=more giving. It seems that when we do have a little extra, we can always find places to use it... Giving of our resources requires sacrifice. We may be called to eliminate extra "wants" in our lives so that we can make this happen. We don't give to God because we want others to be impressed or because we think the church needs (or doesn't need) the money. Giving is obedience. If sacrifice is required for us to leave a legacy of generosity...than that is something that we need to pray over and follow.
2) We give of ourselves - What is it about time that seems to speed up when we want it to slow down? We only have a limited number of hours in a day and it's all we can do to get what we need to get done...let alone have enough time to serve others. However, this is what God has called us to do. A legacy of sacrifice means that we need to love our neighbors (everybody) as we love ourselves. Serve those around you...commit to reaching out...allow the needs of people to outweigh the needs of yourself. These aren't just noble goals for somebody else. They are for you and they are for me.
I know that this morning's devotional has been challenging...but nobody ever said that being a Christian would be simple and easy. A legacy of sacrifice...making a footprint of selflessness on the planet makes it a better place. It also makes us more like Christ...and that should be our goal regardless of feelings or challenges that may prevent us from doing so.
Really take some time this morning and pray over this. I am praying this morning for you.
Blessings,
Pastor Brian
Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Thursday - "Devotion"
Greetings Internet Campus,
Acts 2:42 (ESV) “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
DEVOTION: A decision made once and managed daily.
Who or what are you devoted to? What decision have you made that you have to remember to follow daily? For many it is a diet....or an attitude change. Still for others it is a commitment to enjoy life more...or tell a loved one that you care about them. Devotion is a commitment. It must be managed and maintained each and every day... but it isn't always easy.
If you are a devoted spouse...your husband/wife comes first. If you are a devoted employee...the company takes first priority. Devoted family member? You know that your weekend will be spent babysitting your nephews or helping Uncle Earl move. Devotion requires a few things to maintain.
1) Love
2) Sacrifice
3) Dedication
How does this apply to this week's topic of generosity? Are you a devoted tither? Let's look at the short list of qualifications... Do you love God and put Him first in your life? Are you sacrificing some of your "wants" so that tithing is even a possibility? Are you dedicated to giving 10% no matter what the bills add up to? That's what being devoted to giving means. If God is first priority in your life...just like we talked about yesterday...He has to be first priority in your finances. It's a one time decision managed daily.
I'm praying for each of you in this...have a great Thursday!
Pastor Brian
Acts 2:42 (ESV) “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
DEVOTION: A decision made once and managed daily.
Who or what are you devoted to? What decision have you made that you have to remember to follow daily? For many it is a diet....or an attitude change. Still for others it is a commitment to enjoy life more...or tell a loved one that you care about them. Devotion is a commitment. It must be managed and maintained each and every day... but it isn't always easy.
If you are a devoted spouse...your husband/wife comes first. If you are a devoted employee...the company takes first priority. Devoted family member? You know that your weekend will be spent babysitting your nephews or helping Uncle Earl move. Devotion requires a few things to maintain.
1) Love
2) Sacrifice
3) Dedication
How does this apply to this week's topic of generosity? Are you a devoted tither? Let's look at the short list of qualifications... Do you love God and put Him first in your life? Are you sacrificing some of your "wants" so that tithing is even a possibility? Are you dedicated to giving 10% no matter what the bills add up to? That's what being devoted to giving means. If God is first priority in your life...just like we talked about yesterday...He has to be first priority in your finances. It's a one time decision managed daily.
I'm praying for each of you in this...have a great Thursday!
Pastor Brian
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Wednesday - "Faith Not Fear"
Greetings Internet Campus,
Matthew 6:33 (ESV) “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Here's today's thought....God asks that I have faith NOT fear.
Fear is a great motivator. By great, I don't mean that we like it...or even that it is good...I mean that it is powerful. Fear can drive to do things that we wouldn't ordinarily think of or to avoid things that we know would benefit us because we can't be sure.
Giving is just like that. When we give our resources...our tithe... to God we are basically trusting God with the spending. We are trusting that He will do more with the money than we ever could...but that's not the only way we trust Him...
We are also trusting God to provide for us...to make sure that we have what we need, even if we give that called-for 10%. Pastor Troy said it well last weekend...we trust that God is building us a home in Heaven and that we are going to walk down golden streets when we get there...but we don't trust that we will have enough money to cover the water bill. An interesting thought...to be sure. When we give to God what He calls us to do we must have faith that He will take care of us with our 90%.
What's important to remember, though, is that we don't give to God because we expect something in return...we give out of obedience. What God blesses us with in our faith is by his grace and wisdom. We can't rent God's favor.
Are you stepping out in faith or living in fear? Are you seeking God first with your resources? As today's verse says..."All these things will be added to you" Are you ready?
See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian
Matthew 6:33 (ESV) “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Here's today's thought....God asks that I have faith NOT fear.
Fear is a great motivator. By great, I don't mean that we like it...or even that it is good...I mean that it is powerful. Fear can drive to do things that we wouldn't ordinarily think of or to avoid things that we know would benefit us because we can't be sure.
Giving is just like that. When we give our resources...our tithe... to God we are basically trusting God with the spending. We are trusting that He will do more with the money than we ever could...but that's not the only way we trust Him...
We are also trusting God to provide for us...to make sure that we have what we need, even if we give that called-for 10%. Pastor Troy said it well last weekend...we trust that God is building us a home in Heaven and that we are going to walk down golden streets when we get there...but we don't trust that we will have enough money to cover the water bill. An interesting thought...to be sure. When we give to God what He calls us to do we must have faith that He will take care of us with our 90%.
What's important to remember, though, is that we don't give to God because we expect something in return...we give out of obedience. What God blesses us with in our faith is by his grace and wisdom. We can't rent God's favor.
Are you stepping out in faith or living in fear? Are you seeking God first with your resources? As today's verse says..."All these things will be added to you" Are you ready?
See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Tuesday - "Priority"
Greetings Internet Campus,
This week we are looking at barriers to generosity...today's thought...
God asks that my priority be Him NOT me.
Haggai 1:2-4 (NLT2) “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’ Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?”
Today's passage is all about priority...who was first in the eyes of the people? Was it their own homes or the house of the Lord? According to Haggai, it was the former. The people's priorities overran the obligation and responsibility that they had to tend to the church.
Our generosity is also all about priority. Just like in yesterday's devotional...we have to decide who gets the "first fruits". Us or God? The Lord's priority is very clear...He says the church. What do you say?
Selfishness is something that many (if not all) of us face. When it comes to the arena of giving, we've got to decide to give to God first before our paycheck gets in our hands. Sometimes we see the number on our check and start to think twice...I could do so much with this....10% is way too much...God will understand...
Is God your priority when it comes to money? This morning...let's do a little digging...let's come to some conclusions... If God IS your first priority....keep going! God will bless your obedience! If not, and your priority is you, I pray that you wrestle with this verse in Haggai and perhaps re-prioritize.
See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian
This week we are looking at barriers to generosity...today's thought...
God asks that my priority be Him NOT me.
Haggai 1:2-4 (NLT2) “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’ Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?”
Today's passage is all about priority...who was first in the eyes of the people? Was it their own homes or the house of the Lord? According to Haggai, it was the former. The people's priorities overran the obligation and responsibility that they had to tend to the church.
Our generosity is also all about priority. Just like in yesterday's devotional...we have to decide who gets the "first fruits". Us or God? The Lord's priority is very clear...He says the church. What do you say?
Selfishness is something that many (if not all) of us face. When it comes to the arena of giving, we've got to decide to give to God first before our paycheck gets in our hands. Sometimes we see the number on our check and start to think twice...I could do so much with this....10% is way too much...God will understand...
Is God your priority when it comes to money? This morning...let's do a little digging...let's come to some conclusions... If God IS your first priority....keep going! God will bless your obedience! If not, and your priority is you, I pray that you wrestle with this verse in Haggai and perhaps re-prioritize.
See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian
Friday, January 4, 2008
Friday 1-4-08
Greetings Internet Campus,
Today, we're going to look at Dr. Charles Stanley's devotional about giving. Now I know...that's not a popular topic...but it is necessary if we are going to be more like Christ.
January 3, 2008 – Giving Out of Need – 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
My challenge this weekend....pray for an answer to those questions....
Pastor Brian
Today, we're going to look at Dr. Charles Stanley's devotional about giving. Now I know...that's not a popular topic...but it is necessary if we are going to be more like Christ.
January 3, 2008 – Giving Out of Need – 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
In elementary school, we learned how to subtract: take away, and you have less than when you started. Contrary to the laws of mathematics, God tells us that when we give, we will receive even more in return. “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” (Luke 6:38).
God’s design for giving requires that we depend on His revelation rather than our reason. Logic would check the bank account before deciding how much is available to tithe. The Bible, however, states that all wealth belongs to the Lord and we are to give back to Him the first fruits of our labor (Deuteronomy 10:14; 18:4-5). When we obey, we trust Him to take care of us—which sometimes means choosing to ignore what makes sense, humanly speaking. God doesn’t always provide in the manner we expect or hope. Instead, He satisfies our needs and blesses in the way He knows will truly be best for us.
When facing hard financial circumstances, we can be tempted to justify hoarding our resources. But God, who understands the situation perfectly, requires that we give not simply out of our surplus, but out of our need. The Macedonian church, for example, gave generously even while experiencing affliction (2 Corinthians 8:2). This pleased the Lord because they were giving in faith.
Ask God what He would like you to give. Pray for the courage to obey. Then eagerly await His blessings.
As we start our new year together...we've got to take some inventory...are we giving for the right reasons? Are we giving at all?My challenge this weekend....pray for an answer to those questions....
Pastor Brian
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
