Being True

Here's a lesson that was very powerful for me tonight. I really love the word of God!

These lessons take us to where Paul gets into the nitty gritty of life now: what specifically to put off, what to put on in its place, and the renewed spirit of mind we should seek. I think he's listing examples, not an exhaustive list, but they are highly important examples. I plan to take these slowly, at least those that relate closely to finances, its use and abuse.

Passage: Eph. 4:25

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another.

We see the pattern clearly here:

Put off: Falsehood.

Put on: Speaking the truth to our neighbors.

Renewed spirit of mind: we are members of one another.

Some translators put "lying" here instead of "falsehood." But really, I understand that the Greek meaning is being false. This certainly includes lying, but being false is a much larger problem than just the words that come out of my mouth.

What's the logic for our new mindset here? Well, if your eyes are false to your feet, you'll trip over things or run into walls--and clearly your eyes get hurt as much as feet. If your hands are false while, say, handling a chain saw or power drill, you can bet the whole body will be wounded pretty quick.

So put off being false! Put on speaking truth. Because we're all connected organically, intimately, in the body of Christ.

Application: This applies to how I handle my finances in several ways:

1. Am I false or true to myself about where we stand? If I don't know how much we have currently and what expenses we expect, then I can't live with integrity in the area of money. I am bound to live falsely. I may be intentionally ignoring where we really stand because I'm anxious or afraid to find out, or I may simply be too lazy or even too busy to figure it out. But then I can't live completely honestly in this area. The first step is to be honest with myself, and to know where we stand.

2. Am I false to my wife about what we have and can afford? I often don't want to be honest, because maybe we can't afford something that I really want us to get or do together. Or I am afraid that she will be disappointed, so I am not completely forthcoming. The Lord has been helping me be more honest over the past month. It's hard, because I have to overcome that gut feeling that I'm going to regret it. But I never have. It has actually been freeing to live more responsibly, like walking in the light, with our eyes open, financially.

3. Am I false or speaking truth to my friends about what we have and can afford? This again is hard. My pride gets in the way of saying, "I'm sorry, but I (or we) can't do that right now. It wouldn't be responsible." Sometimes I go along and spend the money we don't have. Other times I bow out quietly trying to avoid the issue. Now I'm not saying living truthfully means I have to broadcast our budget and bank balance all the time, but rather, not being false about this area. The shame and embarrassment I feel do not strike me as rooted in the reality of the Kingdom. As a child of the King I should be free to be honest about what we have or don't have, without fear of what others may think. Lord, give us that freedom!

4. As workers in the Kingdom who raise funds from others, am I false or speaking the truth to our community of donors and supporters, and others who care about our work? This is similar to number 3 above, but more specific. I asked a couple men, two of my mentors at church, to pray for me last week. I shared three financial needs, one being our funding status. They urged me to trust the Lord, and not to try to take matters into my own hands, but to let our friends and supporters know our situation! I have been loathe to do this for many years. It feels like begging to me. Or like it's a lack of faith that God will provide. 

But the message of Ephesians is that we ARE the body of Christ, members of one another. We are to grow up into maturity together, and to maintain the unity of the body in the bond of peace. Ideally, all the members of the body are open and honest with each other. When one part hurts, we all hurt. When one part rejoices, we all rejoice together. So when we have a need, as one part of the body, we should be open without shame with the rest of the body. When we have surplus, we should also be honest, without self-protection or hesitation. In both cases we know Jesus will take care of us. Usually he does so through the body--so if we make our need known, the body can respond. If we make our surplus known, the body can let us know where those resources are most needed. 

Lord, this takes great faith! Shape and change me so that I can live much more this way. This sounds incredibly freeing and life-giving. And scary, unless you change me. Purify me from whatever self-protection and fears lie in the way of me living freely as a member of your body, as one who has a share in the inheritance of the glorious riches you have lavished upon us freely. 

A Divine Life

Today's lesson, (#13 on finances) is from Eph. 4:22-27, one of the most exciting passages I know. I had started on this before my excursion into Psalm 37, and I left some important application questions unanswered, which I'll work on today.

A refresher: 

Passage: Eph. 4:20-24

20 That is not the way you learned Christ! 21 For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. 22 You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 

Paul gives us this three-fold pattern:

1. Put off your old self.

2. Be renewed in your minds.

3. Put on the new self.

This excites me so much because Paul tells us how to put on the divine nature, practically,  here and now! The apostles of Jesus literally did do greater works than he did, like he promised (John 14:12). They enfleshed the invisible God so he could be seen here on earth, like Jesus did. But I have been hopeless that God worked in this way anymore, because frankly, I just haven't seen it. I have heard of a few people who seemed to be this God-filled, such as John Wimber or historical saints, but the norm seems to be that most of us bumble along, trying to think and live as Christians, but honestly we only live slightly differently than those around us. Not very inspiring.

This passage (and similar ones I now see throughout the New Testament), along with my experience doing the Setting Captives Free courses have opened my eyes and given me explosive new hope! The problem is not:

(1) God doesn't work this way anymore;

(2) Because we won't reach perfection this side of heaven, we're doomed to mediocrity; or

(3) We struggle with worse sins and faults than people did 2000 years ago.

The problem is: We have not learned Christ (Eph. 4:20). We have not been taught, as he says in verse 21--"surely  you have heard about him and were taught in him . . ." No, I wasn't. Not much at least. 

I was taught to put on Christ in a few, select areas of my life, but those who taught me had not learned this pattern themselves! They didn't know any better. So for generations we have struggled and toiled to be obedient to all that Jesus commanded us, through will power or whatever means we could find. We were trapped in legalism or plagued with despair that we would ever walk as Jesus walked, as John taught (1 John 2:6), living without sinning (1 John 2:1). We thought we would always stumble our way through this life, contrary to what Peter believed--that we could find a way of divine life in which we would never stumble (2 Peter 1:3-10).

Paul, Peter, John--they all believed we could live without sin! (Not perfect, but without being in constant bondage and habitual sin.) I didn't, and neither did any of my teachers or forebears in the faith.

Paul tells us how here: put on Christ by putting off our old self and being renewed in the spirit of our minds. I say Christ, but Paul says the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. That sounds like Jesus to me.

So I've seen God do that for me, as I've given myself to putting off a specific sin and putting on Christ, for a 4-6 month period. God's applied the power of Jesus cross, which broke the power of sin, directly to my life. And now I am seeking that in this area of money.

Application: 

I have already listed out many ways I need to put off the old self in regards to money. I still need to grapple with the renewing of my mind and what the new self (Christ) will look like.

How does my mind need renewing regarding money?

I need to study and soak in the teaching of Jesus and the scriptures regarding money and material possessions, such as:

-be on your guard against all forms of greed, for life does not consist in the abundance of possessions

-it is more blessed to give than to receive

-a wise person counts the cost of building a tower before starting

 . . . and many more. After completing this Ephesians study I plan to continue in this way with many of those passages.

What will my new self look like once I've put on Christ?

Well, that's what I'm trying to understand and imagine. Can I imagine myself:

-Honestly assessing what I have currently

-Completely content and thankful with that

-Freely giving to everyone who has need, submitting to the wisdom the Father gives

-Peaceful and relaxed about our needs and where our sustenance will come from

-Working hard, happy to have work and not shirking it

I'm sure there's much more that characterized Jesus which I will come to see as I continue this study, but that sounds pretty appealing to me! Lord, make it so according to your will. Amen.

Permanent Property (Real Estate part 2)

Yesterday I talked about real estate, real property, and gave some reasons why Jen and I would like to own a house. I have more reasons:

1) We would be located permanently until we decided to move--we couldn't be kicked out by a landlord. Jen's parents have lived in one house since she was little, and there's something about stability that's good for our souls, I think.

2) Our kids would be locked in for their school district. Again, the stability of their social worlds and education would be great.

3) We wouldn't be dependent upon a landlord to act. We waited a whole year for this present landlord to install a damper in our chimney, so we covered the fireplace with blankets to slow down the constant draft in cold weather. We could make repairs and changes in our home without needing permission. 

Yesterday I started looking at Psalm 37, where God promises us real estate--the meek and righteous shall live in the land and inherit it. The psalmist draws a sharp contrast between the righteous and the wicked. God gives the righteous many glorious promises, which we'll delve into in a minute, and warns the wicked of terrible disasters which will befall them.

In light of that, let's list the characteristics of the wicked and of the righteous in Psalm 37, and we'll start by picking up where I left off in verse 21. 

   21 The wicked borrow, and do not pay back, but the righteous are generous and keep giving; 22 for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off. 23 Our steps are made firm by the LORD, when he delights in our way; 24 though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the LORD holds us by the hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. 26 They are ever giving liberally and lending, and their children become a blessing. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; so you shall abide forever. 28 For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his faithful ones. The righteous shall be kept safe forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever. 30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak justice. 31 The law of their God is in their hearts; their steps do not slip. 32 The wicked watch for the righteous, and seek to kill them. 33 The LORD will not abandon them to their power, or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.

We sure don't want to be caught in the situation of the wicked! So how do we know if we are wicked or righteous? The Psalm helps us by listing many characteristics.

Starting in verse 12, the wicked:

-Plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them (v. 12)

-Use their resources as weapons to bring down the poor and needy ("Claw your way to the top!") (v. 14)

-May be very rich (v. 16)

-Borrow and don't pay back (v. 21)

-Watch for the righteous and aim to kill them (v. 32)

-Have power and bring the righteous to trial (v. 33)

But the righteous:

-May have little (v. 16)

-Are generous and keep giving (v. 21)

-May stumble (v. 24)

-Always give liberally (v. 26)

-Lend (v. 26)

-Even their children are a blessing (v. 26)

-Depart from evil (v. 27)

-Do good (v. 27)

-Utter wisdom (v. 30)

-Speak justice (v. 30)

-Have the law of God in their hearts (v. 31)

-Wait for the Lord (vv. 7, 9, 34, 40)

In a moment we'll have to list out all the results for both the wicked and righteous, but we need to read the end of the Psalm. The poet keeps giving us more of this glorious picture.

   34 Wait for the LORD, and keep to his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on the destruction of the wicked. 35 I have seen the wicked oppressing, and towering like a cedar of Lebanon. 36 Again I passed by, and they were no more; though I sought them, they could not be found. 37 Mark the blameless, and behold the upright, for there is posterity for the peaceable. 38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their refuge in the time of trouble. 40 The LORD helps them and rescues them; he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

The results for the wicked? They will:

1. fade and wither like grass and herbs

2. be cut off (i.e., get no inheritance)

3. be no more--they will be gone, perish, vanish like smoke

5. the Lord will laugh at them

4. be killed by their own sword entering their heart

5. have their weapons smashed and their arms broken

6. be cursed by the Lord

7. will be altogether destroyed

8. their children and their posterity will be cut off (from any inheritance)

This gives us the way to be meek. If we really knew that was coming, we would either laugh at them or maybe have compassion on them in their ignorance and lost state, instead of fretting over them, plotting against them, and gnashing our teeth at them. Many times I gnash my teeth at them--Lord, help me apply today's study by seeing them through your eyes, through remembering their sure end if they don't repent.

On the other hand, the righteous will:

1. live in the land

2. enjoy security

3. receive the desires of their hearts from the Lord

4. have God act on their behalf

5. be vindicated so the justice of their cause is as bright as the sun at noon

6. inherit the land

7. not see the wicked or be troubled by them anymore

8. delight themselves in abundant prosperity 

9. be upheld by the Lord

10. be known by the Lord

11. have their heritage last eternally

12. not be put to shame

13. have abundance even in times of famine

14. have their steps made firm by God and have him hold their hand so they won't fall headlong when they stumble

15. not be forsaken

16. not need their children to beg for food

17. be kept safe forever

18. not be abandoned to the power of the wicked or condemned

19. be exalted by God

20. have posterity

21. be saved, rescued, and helped by the Lord

Wow! That is an incredible list. Clearly, I want to be righteous and not wicked--that's the way to own real property, eternal real estate.

For the ancient Jews, the land was not only a home as I think of when I desire to own land, but it was a family business, a farm, a source of livelihood and income, of good work, of self-determination and self-sufficiency for the family, a source of food and nourishment, a homestead. It was a center of hospitality and of well-being. That's what God is promising us when he promises us eternal land. 

And Jesus took this language quite seriously. I don't believe it's symbolic for some vague, ethereal niceness in heaven. Jesus said he went to prepare dwellings or mansions for us, if we were shrewd with our possessions we would be welcomed into eternal habitations, if we gave up families and homes and lands and our own lives we would receive 100 times as many including houses and lands, in the age to come. 

The next age includes not only a new heaven but also a new earth! And the righteous will be inheritors, landowners, and have eternal property. Now that sounds good!

So that's why the psalmist can make this stunning comment: "Better is a little that the righteous person has than the abundance of many wicked."

Will I be content with little? Will I pour my best efforts, make my on-going investment strategy, to wait on the Lord? To trust in him and delight in him? To do good? To turn from evil? To be generous and to lend?

Ahh, there's the rub. It does involve my money and possessions here and now. I can invest my wealth in a home--either here, one that could burn and be gone in thirty minutes, or in an eternal piece of property. 

Lord, help me become shrewd and aggressively generous. Help me not hedge my bets but put it all on the one sure thing, the kind of property that will last forever.

Real Estate

Jen and I have thought and talked a lot about buying a house. I don't really have a deep desire to own one, and I'm not eager for the hassles that come along with it, but many people have urged us to do so because it makes so much financial sense. And it really does:

1) In renting, we're "throwing our money away," whereas by owning we would build up equity. 

2) The house would be very likely to appreciate in value. So the money we're now giving someone else would be working for us, earning us a high rate of return. 

3) Of course the tax savings would help us a great deal, and in our case we could qualify for the clergy housing allowance which would save us all the money we now pay as tax on our rent.

4) We would own something tangible, permanent and sure to be of value in the future--land. Real property. (Thus it's called "real estate.") Gold may be an extremely secure asset but I think the future value of land is even more secure.

5) It would leave our children with an inheritance in the future, and could also help put them through college and so on.

So the only reason we haven't bought is . . . we haven't had the money, either down payment or income.

But what does God think about real estate? Today I'm deviating from Ephesians because I am excited by a Psalm I was praying a while ago. It excited me because I saw the Psalmist talking about these issues: real property, land ownership, inheritance, future security, and so on.

Passage: Psalm 37

37:1 Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, 2 for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will make your vindication shine like the light, and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

God promises that those who trust in him will live in the land and enjoy security. A secure future should motivate us. God holds it out as a reward, and specifically living in the land. Everyone should want this. 

The question is, How do we get this security in the land? We are taught the obvious way: "Save up your money and invest wisely in a choice piece of property." But God teaches: "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."

What does this trusting look like, and in what kinds of situations?

   7 Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret--it leads only to evil. 9 For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. 10 Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there. 11 But the meek shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity. 

So this is where Jesus got his beatitude. He literally believes this is true: the meek will inherit the land. I always heard his teaching as "the earth" meaning some nebulous kind of part in the new heaven and the new earth. But in the context of this whole passage, which Jesus quotes, I think it's more tangible: real land. A real inheritance. Any Jewish person praying this Psalm would have thought of their family's land. So the new heaven and the new earth are that real--in fact more real, since this earth is destined to be destroyed by fire. Talk about Real Estate! That's Real property with a capital R.

Of course land always brings with it prosperity, and God promises that. We fear the traps of the prosperity gospel, which seems to grow more popular every day. And rightly so. This passage is set in the future, when the wicked have passed away. You will not find them or their place, no matter how hard you look. They may have a multi-million dollar mansion in Malibu today, but soon they will be gone. (The Malibu fires as I write this remind us of how temporary this "real" estate is.)

In that day, the meek will have land and abundant prosperity--and they will delight in it! My fear of the lies of the prosperity gospel cause me to downplay or completely miss this truth. God wants me to delight in prosperity! He promises it to us.

Now again, we ask, "How do we get land and abundant prosperity from the Lord?"

Well, it's the meek who will inherit it. Meek. That's a misunderstood word--it sounds like you have to be a milquetoast doormat. But this passage paints a clear picture of the "meek":

Verse 7: "Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their [evil] way . . . Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret . . . those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land." 

So meek parallels "those who wait for the Lord." Those who don't get angry. Who don't fret. In fact, not fretting is so important he repeats it twice, along with waiting. We are meek if we see injustice--the evil getting the goods--and we don't fret, we don't let our anger overtake us, but we wait patiently for the end that God has promised. That's meekness. Leaving the consequences in God's hands.

That is hard for me! I hate injustice. It galls me and riles me up. It seems so unfair that people who oppress others live it up in luxury at the expense of the poor, exploiting the weak for their own pleasure.

Aren't you glad to see the psalmist and God himself care about that, too? Look:

12 The wicked plot against the righteous, and gnash their teeth at them; 13 but the LORD laughs at the wicked, for he sees that their day is coming. 14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to kill those who walk uprightly; 15 their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16 Better is a little that the righteous person has than the abundance of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. 18 The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will abide forever; 19 they are not put to shame in evil times, in the days of famine they have abundance. 20 But the wicked perish, and the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish--like smoke they vanish away.

Wow. Let's pray and work hard not to be wicked! 

Tomorrow I'll keep working on this Psalm--there's so much here. But for today, here's my 

Application: 

1. I'm going to meditate on the goodness of owning land, having future security, enjoying abundant prosperity. And then remember that God promises all of that to us, in the future.

2. To be thankful for what I've already received in those ways, since those are blessings from God.

3. Those who get land, security and abundance are the meek and righteous. How can I ask God to make me more meek and righteous? Waiting on the Lord. Not fretting. Not being angry or full of wrath. Delighting in the Lord. Trusting myself to God. Doing good.

This is a great picture. Lord, with my finances, help me to do good. Help me not to get impatient and try to get things for myself or my family, but to wait on you. Help me to delight in you with my money and possessions: to delight in what you've already blessed us with, and to see that as from you. And to use it in ways that really put my trust in you, not in the power of the dollars I have. Amen.

A Sharp New Suit

Here's my finances study #10.

Now we're getting to the meat of Paul's application. I love the first lesson here, because it is so practical and helps me see how all these amazing promises of the Kingdom of God really come to us. 

Passage: Eph. 4:22-27

 22 You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not make room for the devil.

Paul gives us this three-fold pattern:

1. Put off your old self.

2. Be renewed in your minds.

3. Put on the new self.

The image is changing our clothes. 

We need to take off the old clothes of our old self. Our old self is our former way of life. It's hard for me to toss old clothes. Old clothes are familiar. They are comfortable. But our old self is corrupt. My old self is corrupt, and yours is, too. We are deluded, deceived, fooled, living in our old self. What deceives us? Our lusts. As Paul said in chapter 2, we were like zombies enslaved to the way of this world, the devil, and the passions of our flesh. 

The snazzy new outfit we're to put on is our new self. Isn't it great to have new clothes? I bought a new suit last month to officiate a wedding. I loved it! When you wear new clothes you feel like a million bucks. You feel like a changed person. Unfortunately, in that case the change isn't even skin deep. And new clothes quickly become old clothes.

But in this case, the change takes hold all the way to the roots of our person. We are completely changed. They say clothes makes the man. God makes the new man, the new woman. When Paul talks about the new self, he is talking about Christ (ch. 2). We are to put on Christ like we would put on a new suit of clothes. When we look in the mirror, we see Christ. When walk around, people see Jesus himself. Clothes may make the man, but Jesus makes a new person.

But this happens as a process: take off the old, be renewed in your minds, put on the new.

Application: 

1. What old self do I need to take off in regards to dealing with money?

-Not facing financial problems. If I feel a vague sense something's wrong, I sometimes hope it will go away.

-Avoiding conflict. If I think it will make my wife or someone else unhappy that we don't have enough money to do something, I try to make it work anyway, ignoring consequences.

-Indulgence. I think happiness and a good life come from doing the things we think are good to do, and hope that God will give us the money after the fact, rather than making the tough choice up front.

Tomorrow I will come back to this because this passage requires a lot of good reflection, and answer these questions:

How does my mind need renewing regarding money?

What will my new self look like once I've put on Christ?

Gift-giving and Receiving

Here's my 9th study on financial freedom. I did this study the week before Christmas, but my posting went awry, so I'm posting it now.

Eph. 4:1-16: This section doesn't pertain strongly to money, although there are a few relevant points. 

(1) "Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit": Money and financial matters often create strife and division in the community of believers, and we need to work hard to maintain unity. Money should never divide us. I don't think I've let it do that in any relationships I'm aware of, though I see the potential.

(2) Jesus is the great gift-giver. So again, my use of money should reflect his character of overwhelming generosity.

(3) His goal for us is maturity, "the measure of the full stature of Christ." I want to become mature in my handling of finances and all my resources. I have been giving myself to this for the past 5 months, and I already can see some progress, though I have a long way to go.

Passage: Eph. 4:17-24

17 Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. 19 They have lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 That is not the way you learned Christ! 21 For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. 22 You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Lessons: Our way of life as disciples who have been brought to life from the dead (Eph. 2) must be remarkably different than those of the people surrounding us, who are alienated from God and hardened in their hearts. How we use our money and possessions (as well as time and relationships) displays our spiritual state--dead or alive. As Christians our ways will seem alien and bizarre to those around us who have not yet been redeemed in this area. 

Principles: We must not be shaped by the standards, practices, and assumptions of those around us. Jesus urges us to learn from the shrewdness of the children of this age in their use of money. So worldly wisdom in terms of investments, interest rates and financial management has a lot to teach us. But fundamentally, their motives are licentiousness, greed, impurity, and so on--alien to the life of the Kingdom.

Application: I guess I feel this press me right now in Christmas shopping. I feel lots of pressure to buy gifts that won't be shameful to give, because they clearly don't cost as much as the gifts family members or friends will certainly for us. But Jesus did nothing to be ostentatious or prove himself. Why should I be ashamed that we have less money? We have budgeted for Christmas but this year is particularly tight, and on our income we've never been able to match them any year. 

I am ashamed because I still care too much for people's approval and respect. Having less, in this world, is shameful, but not in the Kingdom. In the Kingdom being unloving is shameful, and giving sacrificially is admirable and mature. Being ashamed could drive us to spend outside our means and go into debt, clearly serving people rather than God.

So my goal should be to be loving in gift-giving: we can do this by being thoughtful, sacrificial, and personal. Making some gifts; being creative; putting in time and energy--these are sacrifices of love which won't drive us into further debt. 

And I will work hard not to be ruled by shame, but to give those feelings to Jesus as we're at these gatherings over the next few days. Whenever I have turned to him in such moments I find the grace I need to bear it--enough for the present moment.

Money, Power and Love

Money and Financial Freedom study #8

This passage has a very exciting message for anyone concerned with money. Paul addresses the very roots of why we need money, what money can do for us, and what it cannot do.

Passage: Ephesians 3:14-21

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Why do we want money? What is its purpose and value? Obviously, no one wants money just to have a pile of fancy bills with watermarks, except a collector. No one needs a bunch of numbers stored on a bank's computer hard drives. We want money because it gives us power. Money gives us power to buy a powerful new laptop computer or a fast new car. With enough money we can hire architects and builders with earth moving machines, raze a building, clear and level land, and build a new house to live in or even a cathedral to worship God in. With money we can establish a school in a poor village in Ghana, hire teachers, and begin to break the cycles of poverty in hundreds of families through a program of education, nutrition, health, and spiritual care (www.AdomPartnership.org).

What can money not do? In the words of the Beatles, "I don't care too much for money, money can't buy me love!" You can buy a diamond ring with money, but not a person's heart. You can pay for a wedding ceremony, but not someone who will be committed to you and cherish you for life. You can hire people to clean and cook and drive for you, but not someone to love you with a mother's unconditional love.

We can imagine many things money can do. God, however, has power to accomplish abundantly far more than anything we can ask or imagine.

How will you fulfill your dreams? One path: to amass as much wealth as possible; vision, plan and strategize; and see if you can bring your dreams into reality. The other path differs radically: allow Christ to dwell in your heart through faith. You will be rooted and grounded in God's vast--incomprehensibly vast--love, unconditional acceptance, being treasured, which money could never buy. Your dreams will change. You will be filled with more and more of God until finally you are filled with all God's fullness--a mind-blowing possibility! You will have all power to accomplish all the good works God has prepared beforehand for you to do.

Follow the first path, and I hope you will find contentment, though many have tried and many have failed. I hope you will find meaning. I hope you will find love. But I doubt you will. Follow the second path and you will received unconditional love, contentment, meaning and purpose--all the fullness of God! And all his power will undoubtedly accomplish everything he intends to do.

Principle in a nutshell: God can do anything money can, and far more. Money cannot provide love, security, faith, or meaning.

Applying this to my life practically:

I have been doing better at thinking of Jesus during each transaction: remembering I'm stewarding Kingdom money, checking in with Jesus, paying attention to whether it's offering a true or false consolation. I want to keep doing that. I need to keep meditating on the truth that God can do far more than money can--I think I know that deeply, but it would be good to keep doing that to get it rooted in my heart much, much deeper.

Overwhelming Wealth

Here's lesson #7 on finances:

Passage: Eph. 3:1-13

1 This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- 2 for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, 3 and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, 4 a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. 5 In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6 that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power. 8 Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 10 so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him. 13 I pray therefore that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory.

Lessons (especially related to God & Money): At first blush this section looks unrelated to finances, but as I read it I am struck by the vast grace of the gospel and God's commission to Paul. The Kingdom overwhelms anything else which claims to have value--it's like a silver dollar in the Grand Canyon. While the coin has some value and worth, you would never trade it--really, you would not even pay attention to it while standing breathless overlooking the awe-inspiring vista of beauty.

In the same way it strikes me that the news of the boundless riches of Christ and the wisdom of God in its rich variety fill Paul's mind, soul, and imagination to the degree that he forgets all about personal wealth. His concerns about finances and daily need get swallowed up: all his resources, passion, and energy go towards this great commission.

Of course, we know that Paul paid attention to money in at least 4 contexts:

(1) tentmaking, in order to provide the gospel free of charge and not to be a burden on anyone;

(2) collecting money to send to the church in Jerusalem suffering under famine and persecution;

(3) often urging the communities to support various workers financially

(4) teaching people to stop worshipping money, to begin working hard and become liberal givers.

Each of these four underscores the same point: for Paul all monetary thoughts were subsumed completely to the overarching and overwhelming wealth of the Kingdom of God.

Principles: My money should serve the greater wealth of God's Kingdom. Deal with money thoughtfully, but always relate it to the big picture of that mountain of wealth.

How are you going to apply today's lesson to your life practically? Think of every financial transaction in light of the Kingdom of God. I have been doing better in this: today I bought a suit, last week a cell phone charger, and went grocery shopping several times, and each time I did have the thought of how that related to God's Kingdom and if God was pleased with the expenditure, but always after the fact. I think I shop along the lines of principles I set long ago to try to live within a Kingdom framework--no debt, simplicity rather than extravagance and comfort, need vs. want, durability for wise stewardship rather than the cheapest option, and so on. So in a deep sense my spending is already subordinated to the Kingdom of God.

Yet I would like to think consciously, before I make my purchase, about it (1) in light of the great treasure of the Kingdom and (2) submitting it to Jesus for approval. How can I do these practically?

(1) Years of training have inculcated in me a practice of rigorous evaluation and research before I buy any item--from a Palm Pilot or camera to a can of tomato sauce. I do comparison shopping for both price and quality before making my purchases, as well as a serious check of whether we need it or merely want it. I will work to include a third value in that process: price, quality, need, and the Kingdom of God.

(2) Jen and I have an agreement to check any purchase of a certain amount with each other (excepting grocery shopping and general houseware needs, like a Target or Costco run). When I do that I will also try to remember to submit it to Jesus for his approval, too. This is not a new practice for me, but I would like to do it consciously with every purchase so that it becomes a much more relational and interactive habit.

Being God's Flesh

Here's lesson 6.

 

Passage(s): Eph. 2:11-22

11 So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called "the uncircumcision" by those who are called "the circumcision" --a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands-- 12 remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

   14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. 15 He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. 17 So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; 18 for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

Lessons (especially related to God & Money):

I see 2 things in this passage which strike me as applicable to finances. (1) Jesus, through the cross, set aside (made worthless) the law with its commandments and ordinances. The Old Testament laws regarding tithing, giving one tenth of all produce, and the first-fruits of crops and animals as sacrifices to God, to feed the poor and the Levites and priests, are nullified. We have freedom in Christ to give anything. Of course, the law of Christ is "Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself." So I think tithing may be a good spiritual discipline, but really, as my father-in-law put it, in the New Testament much more than a tithe is required of us: everything. We are to yield our bodies as living sacrifices. Jesus, of course, is our example. So no longer is 90% mine to do with as I please. It is all to be sacrificed to God, and all to be used in loving God and loving my neighbor. Imagine if Jesus had just given 10%!

(2) We are growing together into a holy temple, a dwelling place for God. God lives and dwells in us corporately. Thus every action of ours should become an action of worship. Every act we participate in, God participates in (as Paul points out in 1 Corinthians, if a believer sleeps with a prostitute that person has joined Christ with the prostitute)! This is sobering. A temple is a place people come to meet God, and we, the church, ought to be a place where people meet God, including in our usage of finances.

Principles:

All our money belongs to God and every nickel is to be used to love God and to love my neighbor. Every action of spending should be an act of worship. God participates in every way that we use our money, whether for good or for bad, because he dwells in us.

How are you going to apply today's lesson to your life practically? This week I will not only see my giving into the offering plate as an act of worship, but every time I take some cash or my debit/ATM card out of my wallet, I will try to remember it is an act of worship, an opportunity to sacrifice and love God and my neighbor, and that God is participating in that transaction.

Lord, give me grace! Holy Spirit, remind me to think of Jesus every time I pull out my wallet. Guide me to sacrificial worship with every financial transaction. Help me to use my money to love you and my neighbors as myself. Help me to stop thinking of 10% as yours and 90% as mine in some sense, though I "know" it's all yours. Help me instead to see every cent that comes through my hands as belonging to you, as holy, as a resource of your holy temple available for loving you and others.

God's Rich

Whoops! I have been posting regularly via email for the past several months, but I just found out they were going to the wrong place (some black hole in cyberspace, I guess). So I will post all my lessons over the next couple weeks until I catch you all up!

Financial Study #5

Passage: Eph. 2:4-10

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God-- 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Lessons (especially related to God & Money): Four things strike me in this section relating to wealth:

(1) God is rich, and particularly Paul things it's a big deal that he's rich in mercy, and loves us with a great love. This means I have freedom to fail--in one sense an infinite freedom to fail--in dealings with my finances, because God is rich in mercy. This doesn't mean failure in terms of idolatry (although repenting of idolatry always takes me back to a gracious and merciful Father with wide open arms), but any failure in accounting, managing, even foolish choices, can be covered by his mercy--he's rich in it! God's mercy dwarfs my gaffs; errors that feel enormous to me are truly microscopic in the scope of eternity.

Principle: All my dealings with money, to be oriented rightly, should be rooted in the knowledge of God's great love for me. And I need not fear failure or mistakes because there is plenty of mercy to cover them.

(2) God has made me alive with Christ, so that I'm no longer driven by impulses of my flesh, the ways of this world, and the accuser. Instead I am truly free to operate as I want to. Clearly I need to go through a process of transformation so that all of the "old humanity"--the dead flesh--that clings to me can take on the "new humanity's" ways of dealing with money and resources. But this freedom sounds glorious, doesn't it?

Application: If there are ways I don't feel free to do what I really want with money, I need to cry out to God and pursue the process of transformation he has for me in that area, until I am no longer enslaved to death but living as alive with Christ.

Where do I feel enslaved to urges rather than free to do what I truly want to? I do not spend the time managing my finances that I really would like to. Somehow my time is not going where I would really like it to go. I want freedom from whatever keeps me thinking that it's unimportant or distasteful to sit down and balance our checkbook or plan for our financial needs.

(3) God is generous. For me to grow up into maturity as a true child of my heavenly Father means I will become more and more generous with all that I have--mercy, certainly, and material possessions as well.

How am I doing in generosity? I think God did a huge work in me a number of years ago to free me from anxiety that kept me from being open-handed with money and possessions. I would still like to grow in this, being truly free to pass on whatever I have rather than worrying too much about whether I'll ever need a particular possession in the future.

(4) God created us for good works, which he has prepared for us to walk in. My money and possessions are part of what I have access to in order to do good works. Money is not an end in itself: that is idolatry. Money is intended to be used to do good in this world. Eating and being clothed and housed in a way that makes us capable and ready to do those good works requires money. And the supplies and transportation needed to accomplish our sense of calling takes finances as well. Certain good works inherently involve money often--caring for the poor, for example.

Application: As Jen and I get more and more of a sense of what the good works are that we are created for, our resources should be used more and more to finance those good works.