"Real Wealth" - A Devotional for Thursday

Matthew 6:25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?"

I have always considered myself middle class. I was raised by two parents who lived frugally and seemingly within their means. We turned the A/C on only on weekends and as a "special treat." We rarely ever ate out and bought clothes and furniture from my uncle who was an estate buyer. People would die with no heirs... the state didn't want the stuff...my uncle would bid on their belongings and re-sell them. Some of it would end up in our house... I never knew any differently.

We weren't poor...but I always wondered what life would have been like with more. What would happen if we bought name brand jeans...or real cereal instead of generic. Why did my clothes have patches but my friend's shirt didn't. I spent a lot of my childhood wondering why I didn't have what others did....then my perception changed.

I once took a mission trip to El Salvador and spent some time with a family who was living on the city dump. Not near it...on it. I talked to one of them who spoke broken, but understandable English. You know what I discovered? Their motivation wasn't what I thought it would be. Not once in our entire conversation did anyone from the family complain or wonder what having more would be like. They had learned one of the key secrets to life: contentment. They didn't necessarily treasure eating their dinner on top of a mound of garbage, but they realized that you can have happiness wherever you are. In fact, as we were leaving the dump where they lived, they wanted to give us objects that they had found so that we would remember them... Even when they had nothing...they had joy.

Where are you today? I know the economy is terribly bad. I know that you have more month than money. Where are your thoughts on poverty? Do you see yourself as broke and struggling? Or do you see this as an opportunity to find joy in what you do have and celebrate what God has blessed you with (no matter how small). Have you stopped giving of your time and resources because you don't know if you'll have what you need when you need it? Or are you being creative in what you CAN give so that others will know the character of the God that you serve?

Poverty is very real...but I think those that are truly broke are those that have lost perspective of what real wealth means. You can have very little...yet still have what's most important.

Pastor Brian

"Change" - A Devotional for Thursday

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

The pattern of this world is much different than the design that our Creator has in place for us. God wants us to be good stewards of the resources that He has blessed us with. We live in a world of overspending, envy, greed, credit, and foreclosure. Somewhere along the line, we have not made the change from worldly thinking to Godly thinking... but what can we change? I truly believe, this morning, that it is having a different perspective on our money.

1) Our money isn't ours. Sure, we earned it but the gifts and abilities that we have in order to do so come from God. Thus, the money that we take home each week is a result of what God allows us to do with what He has given us. We are entrusted with this wealth in order to use it in a way that will bring Glory to God.

2) What we spend our money on is temporary. Every light bill... new car...rent...shirt...meal...flower...or cell phone is only going to be around for a relatively short amount of time. The only thing permanent that you can do with your money is use it for God's Kingdom. Help people find Christ with your resources... tithe, donate, bless others...share the love of Christ with the world.

3) Money itself is temporary - This week, as we've watched the economy slip even further, we've probably wanted to ask...why me? Doesn't God see what's happening here? That's not fair! I had so much and now I have so little... We've got to change the way we think about wealth. True wealth isn't found in a bank....it's found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. The money we carry around, store under a mattress, invest in a fund, or have in a savings account can't go with us when we die. Money goes so quickly....it is temporary...it spends as quickly as we earn it...and we can't control what goes on in the world that may affect our investments.

So what does all of this mean? I believe that we need to change how we look at money. It's been said that money can't buy you happiness. Most of us, however, may secretly feel that if we had more of it, we could at least "rent" happiness. Not true. Money is a gift from God...it is temporary and what we buy will rust and fall apart.... Let's change how we look at our finances...give it to God...and allow the joy to return to our hearts!

Are you in?

Pastor Brian

"Sacrifice Worry" - A Devotional for Wednesday

Yesterday, I was driving back from lunch and started thinking...about money.

Do I have enough? Will I pay everything on time? What about my job...is it secure? What if I lose it? What will I do then? When is God going to step in here? Is He already here and I'm ignoring Him? Why do I feel so unfulfilled with what I have? Can I afford to be eating lunch out everyday? Am I making the most out of what I have? Why am I feeling like this as a Christian?

I parked and got out of the car and as I did, a spark of blue in the tree caught my eye. The most beautiful blue jay was just sitting there on a branch...looking around...seemingly unconcerned that I was in its presence. Then it hit me... hard.

Last weekend, Pastor Troy quoted one of my favorite yet most challenging verses:

Matthew 6:25-26 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

I have literally read that verse a hundred times or more. Yet...sometimes I still worry. I wish it weren't so. I wish I could just give my financial concerns over to God and be done with them. Sometimes I think I have to help God by worrying about these matters. I want to help Him manage things sometimes, don't you?

Do you ever feel that way? Here's what I am telling myself this morning as I do this devotional with you...if you ever want to achieve financial freedom...you have to place your worries at the foot of the cross. You will have to sacrifice worry. Sounds easier said than done, right? Here's what I know...if I am obedient and follow what Christ wants me to do (ie; salvation, baptism, tithe, serve and love others), I will have a blessable life. If my life receives blessings from God...what do I have to fret over? I don't want to worry anymore...and I am praying for each one of you to feel the same way. Let's do something about it...let's sacrifice our fear and doubt and replace it with peace and wisdom.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

"Sacrifice" - A devotional for Tuesday

Malachi 3:10 "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!"

What is the most important thing that someone has to sacrifice in order to achieve financial freedom? Some would say our wants over our needs...while others might think name brands over store brands... While both might be true, the most important thing that we have to sacrifice is our role. In order for us to free ourselves from the grip that money (or lack thereof) has on our lives is to let God control our spending and saving. How can we do that better?

1) Decide to Tithe - If we are ever going to climb out of debt and control our spending...we've got to depend on God for His strength and wisdom. There will be many decisions ahead that will require you to count on God's blessing to make the correct one. How do we live blessable lives? Easy...we stay obedient to what God has asked us to do. Take a look at Malachi 3:10 again and ask yourself.. "Am I being obedient with my finances and making God first priority?"

2) Decide to Sacrifice - What has your debt cost you? Peace of mind? Sleep? Missed opportunity to do what you want? Probably all three...that's how debt works. My challenge to you this morning is to ask yourself.. What have I sacrificed to get out of debt? I don't mean the things I listed above...I'm talking about those things that you think you "can't live without..."
Is there anything you have given up because you've wanted to use the money to pay off old debt? If not...there needs to be. Ask God to help you find some places to tighten things up (or cut things out completely)...then you will be on the road..

3) Pray Over Big Purchases - Want to hear what God has to say about what you are about to buy? Don't buy it right away...come home...spend some of your quiet time and prayer asking God what He thinks about it. Don't rationalize...don't justify....just pray and ask. The Holy Spirit WILL nudge you the direction to follow. If you don't get a clear answer right away...keep praying and seeking...He will reveal it to you!

Sacrifice isn't easy...especially when it comes to who (or Who) gets to decide where the money goes. I can promise you this... give God 10% and let Him lead you in spending the other 90% and you will truly be prosperous.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

"Borrower" - A Devotional for Monday

“Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth . . The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” Deuteronomy 28:1,12 (NASB)]

You shall not borrow. Anybody violated this one? I have. What does it mean to borrow? Basically, I interpret it as spending money that isn't yours or you haven't earned yet. It's telling people "I'm good for it"... and hoping to have the money to pay it back later.

This morning let's really get serious about something... If you are currently in debt...let's pray for a way out. Let's not let ourselves be burdened with the tremendous weight that owing money brings down on our lives. Sound too easy? It isn't. Getting out of debt can be extremely challenging. Why? Because it requires two key things that we don't like to do...

1) Sacrifice
2) Change

This week's devotions will be talking about these two areas in greater detail...but first we have to prepare our hearts to hear from God.

Are you ready to make a change in your debt? Are you ready to live the life that God intended for you...not as a borrower... pray this prayer:

Dear Lord, You are amazing! Please forgive me for the way I have controlled my finances. I realize that in Your Word you tell me not to borrow, but I have violated that. Please forgive me for my shortsightedness. I pray that this week, you help me to see the value of sacrifice and change as it relates to my money. Please help me, Lord, have a stress- free outlook on my future and the role of money in it. Thanks you, Jesus. It is in Jesus' name that I pray...Amen

Let's go after this together! Have a great Monday!

Pastor Brian