Ten Ways: Give Money

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"--Matthew 6.21

You want to be on fire? You want to know God more deeply, love Him more fully, and enjoy Him more richly? Then you need to see God's glory. One way you can see God's glory is to spend time with every day. Another way is pretty simple, give money to God.

Why Give? We are naturally greedy, especially in America. God has blessed us with so much and, yet, we want more. We confuse needs and wants. We are materialistic, covetous, and discontent.

While the Bible is clear about the sinfulness and deceit of greed, we don't see in ourselves. We don't see the problem. We don't see how it affects our relationship with God.

But, it does. Jesus said that where your treasure (read: money) is, there your heart will be also. You can claim to love Jesus. You can claim that Jesus has first place in your heart. You can claim that God is your top priority.

But the proof is found in how you use your money. Does your money show that your priority is God and His Kingdom or that your priority is Yourself and Your Kingdom? Do you look forward to giving? Do you seek out ways that you can give to God? Do you give at all?

So, take a look at how you spend your money. It will be a good test to see where your heart is.

Essential Way 1: Give to Your Local Church

God has specially designed the Church (read: Bride of Christ) to represent Jesus, magnify God, build up the saints, and preach the truth.

As you can see, God views the church highly. You should too. God wants you to give to the local church to support this ongoing ministry. Your offering helps heat the building, support the pastors (thanks!), and funds world-wide missions. Give, and give generously.

Essential Way 2: Creatively Be Generous to Others

Obvious Statement 1: Instead of always spending your money on yourself, spend it on others. Obvious Statement 2: After all, God's the One who gave you that money in the first place.

Obvious Statement 3: Other people will really like it if you are generous to them.

Five quick ideas:

- pay for everyone when you go out to eat

- buy a friend a book you like

- pick up a nice gift for your folks

- over-tip

- get someone a gift card and slip it to them anonymously

Result of Giving: Joy! (Don't believe me? Try it!)

Few things break the power of greed in your life like giving...

Ten Ways: QT Every Day

"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation--if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good." --1 Peter 2.2-3

I don't want to be lukewarm. I don't want to live a lame, hypocritical Christian life. I really want to love Jesus. To do so, I need to see the glory of God regularly. One of the best ways to see God's glory at work in your life is to spend time with God. A lot of time. Like, every day.

If you really are a Christian, if you really have passed from death to life, if you really love Jesus, won't you spend time with Him? It seems like in some Christians this most basic, foundational part of life is missing.

Peter says that we are to long for God's Word. We are to desire God's Word. Like a baby craves food, we are to crave God and how He's revealed Himself--through His Word.

A big problem, though, is that many Christians have their appetites filled elsewhere. Like a little child stuffing his face with candy before dinner, Christians fill themselves up on junk food rather than on the nourishing Word of God.

How is it that we have so much time for Internet, Facebook, Twitter, TV, music, friends, worried thoughts, lazy times of laying around, entertainment, and sleep? How is it that we don't have time for what really matters?

It is hard for me to look at pictures of children overseas who are malnourished. It is sad to see young children lacking what is needed for life. It is harder and sadder for God to look at His children, who are spiritually malnourished, when the food is sitting right next to them. Seeing Jesus in God's Word is how we grow and are fed.

Peter's reasoning for spending time with God in the Bible couldn't be better. He doesn't give threats or try to logically convince us. He says, "if you have tasted that the Lord is good."

Haven't you tasted how good God is? Haven't you had times where you've shut the door, turned off the cell phone, shut down the computer, gotten away from friends, woken up early, whatever, and had God really speak to you?

Haven't you seen God's goodness in your life? Don't you know how wonderful Jesus is? Don't you know God's love for you? Don't you know where true life is found? Don't you know where true peace can be had? Where worry can end? Where hope is renewed? Where joy abounds?

Once you've tasted how good God is, you want more. And, He always satisfies.

How can you do it? Try reading through John. 21 days left in February. 21 chapters in John. Read a chapter a day. Taste the goodness of the Lord.

The Glory of God

But when Jesus heard it He said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." --John 11.4

Do you have a lame spiritual life? Are you lukewarm? Do you feel like your love for Jesus is getting weak? Maybe its because you don't see God's glory.

In John 11, Jesus raises His friend Lazarus from the dead. Jesus, at the very beginning of the story, tells His disciples that the reason Lazarus is sick (and will die) is so that the glory of God can be seen. God allows a horrible event to happen so that Jesus can be glorified (v. 4).

God allows all kinds of circumstances to come into our lives--good and bad, exciting and mundane, new and routine--all so that Jesus can be glorified.

But we often miss it.

We miss God's glory.

Like Martha in John 11 (read the chapter and watch Martha and Jesus' conversation), we take our eyes off God and we stop believing in God. Yes, we know God exists. Yes, we believe He can do anything. Yes, we know He works out all things for good. But we stop believing Him. We look at our problems and our trials. We forget that this world serves to bring God glory (and not immediate comfort and pleasure to us). We miss what God is doing, because we aren't living to bring Him glory.

When we don't see God doing amazing things around us, our walk with Jesus can get boring and lame pretty quick. The problem isn't with God (He is always living for His glory), the problem is with us (we aren't always living for His glory).

So, for February, I'll post ten ideas on how to see God's glory in 2010.

Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?" --John 11.40

Top Ten: Meeting Kevin DeYoung

Today, Drew Papillon and I drove down to Moody to hear Kevin DeYoung speak at Founder's Week. Kevin DeYoung is one of my favorite people to read, because he loves the gospel and communicates it clearly and understandably. He blogs, writes books, and, like today, speaks at conferences. While this list will be meaningful to just me, here is a top ten list of the trip:

10. Cake Shakes--A trip to Chicago is never complete until one hits up Portillo's for a cake shake. They are delicious. Despite being mocked (by me) and threatened with a mysterious "thighmaster" (by David), Drew refused to get one.

9. Directions--As we pulled up to Moody, we approached a Moody security guard who was handling parking for the event. We rolled down our window and asked where to park. He directed us to a parking garage, which was directly across the street (and in plain view). He then proceeded to give us several steps of directions to get to this parking garage (again, which was right across the street). Thankfully, we didn't get lost.

8. Seeing LT--Surprisingly, I got to see my old roommate, who was also in town bringing some of his high school students to the conference. He's doing well, teaching high school in Ohio. It is really cool to see old friends that God is using in ministry.

7. Happy Day--Ride home. Pitch black outside. Blasting Tim Hughes. Air drums and guitar. Rejoicing in the forgiveness of sins. Real joy because of Jesus' love.

6. David--Since David works for Moody security, Drew and I had a good time needling David about his job and security guards in general.

5. Picture--I wanted a picture with DeYoung. So, we got in line to meet him after his message. As we inched closer to him, I showed a guy standing next to me in line how to take a picture with my phone. He failed. No picture. Not even a blurry one. I almost cried. So, we had to naggingly ask him to take another one with us (shown above).

4. Memorizing Romans--I meet with Drew each week and we spend a few hours together, mostly made up of me whining about my sin and Drew encouraging me with the gospel. Its great (for me). Drew also keeps me accountable in memorizing verses. We worked on 1 Peter 1 and 2 this fall with the youth and now we're starting Romans 3. I really appreciate Drew helping to keep God's Word in my thinking.

3. My Interaction--So, I get up to DeYoung in line to meet him. I should have rehearsed some lines or something. I got nervous. I stumbled my way through the conversation. It was about as smooth as asking a woman who's not pregnant if she is having a baby. It was about as smooth as getting someone's gender wrong. It was about as smooth as my interactions with girls in middle school. In short, I choked.

2. Drew's Interaction--Not surprisingly, Drew immediately brought Bob Kauflin up in conversation:

Drew (to DeYoung): "I only like you because Bob Kauflin likes you."

DeYoung: "Oh, I love Bob. He's a great guy. How do you know Bob?"

Drew: (in tears) "I don't really know Bob" (then softly, to himself) "But I wish I did."

Ok, I made that last part up.

1. DeYoung's Message--The message he gave was really good. He preached out of Leviticus 1 and did an excellent job of explaining the chapter (tough to pull off in Leviticus) and applying it to us today. Take home points:

A. True Worship of God is Costly

B. God Is Holy and Without His Provision, We Are Not

C. God Provided an Acceptable Substitute for Our Sin

D. Christ Is the End of the Law for Everyone Who Believes

He closed by connecting the sacrificed lambs of the Old Testament to the Lamb of God (Jesus) in the book of John. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, our sin has been paid for. We are covered by His blood. When God, then, looks at those who have been forgiven, He can say to us: "You are My beloved son, in you I am well-pleased."

Talk about a reason for a joy. Jesus loves me.

Book Log: January 2010

Not much this month...

1. Douglas Wilson. Future Men. 199 pages. Canon Press. This book talks about raising young men to become spiritual leaders. A friend suggested I read this book, not because I'm raising sons, but because one of the primary goals of my ministry is to build young men into men of God. This book provoked much thought and I hope to do a study of manhood on the blog for an upcoming month. A good read.

2. Donald Whitney. 10 Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. 112 pages. NavPress. This book systematically asks 10 questions on the state of one's soul. Whitney is an easy writer to follow and he cuts right to the heart with many of his questions. The youth ministry at RBC is using the book on Wednesday nights in the spring semester as we help students grow in their walks with Christ.

2009 in Review: November-December

November 2009--Prayer. This was my highlight from November. We ended elder's meeting by breaking off with another person and praying. I was with Pete Haumersen and I had a great time in the presence of God with this godly man. Its hard to describe what makes a prayer time "powerful"--you just sort of know. Our prayer time was powerful. He is incredibly sincere, compassionate, and humble--good traits to have in the presence of an awesome God. I left feeling very encouraged and knowing God is near.

December 2009--I love youth events (like the one above). I love the students in youth ministry. They are just a blast. We had two Christmas parties in December--one for middle school and one for high school. Both were great. Both groups have leaders that just click together so well and who make everything run so smoothly. God has blessed RBC with great youth leaders who are so gifted and love Jesus so much. I am blessed to serve with them.

2009 in Review: September-October

September 2009--The High School Youth Group and "Senior Saints" Sunday School Class got together one Sunday morning for Bible trivia and prayer. How cool is it to see folks who have walked with Jesus for 50 years spending time with students who have walked with Jesus for just a few? Obviously, Eric Vazquez and Lorraine Doperalski fist-pumping each other for right answers in Bible trivia was unforgettable, but knowing the older folks are still praying for the students is even better.

October 2009--The group pictured above went up to Fort for a service weekend. The students worked hard, real hard. One of the main tasks was serving a banquet to some of the camp donors. They wiped down tables, washed dishes, and mopped floors. And they were rewarded that night with a banquet of lobster, steak, and cornish hen for themselves after the donors were served (its biblical, see Luke 17.7-10). The students also spent time devouring Habakkuk, memorizing the last three verses of the book. Joy in the Lord, no matter what.