Eagerly Study the Word

A few reminders
I came to the realization today, that I did not send out my weekly email last week. Oops! My apologies. It was one of those weeks.

Since we all need reminders sometimes just a couple of quick reminders for you. This weekend we have a work day at Lord of Life on Saturday. Also a coffee house with special music by Jared Olson and his fiancee Melissa. Should be a great time. On Sunday we wrap up our current message series called the Journey to Financial Freedom. After, the 11am worship is a voter's assembly with the purpose of extending me the call to officially become Senior Pastor at Lord of Life. So a busy weekend ahead of us. Looking forward to some good times.

God has been really good to Lord of Life Church the last few weeks. I am incredibly excited for the possibilities. Each of us plays an important role. Each of us has a unique contribution we make to the work and to the mission of the church. However, summer is a time when many of us back down. But I am believing that this will not be a summer in which we back down in any such way, but will be a summer where we continue to move forward like never before. I am believing God for new individuals and families to walk through our doors and to be touched with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am believing God for an incredible VBS at the end of July. I am believing God for relationships to be restored, families to be reunited, and our church to be re-energized. Please join me in praying for all these things and more. And even more than pray I want to invite you this coming Sunday, to commit to not backing down, but going forward. Many of you received commitment cards in the mail. I want to encourage you to bring these with you as we offer our time, treasure, and talent to the Lord of all Life.
Eagerly Study the Word
Over the next couple of weeks I am going explore some characteristics we ought to bring with us when we seek to study God's Word. This is a list that was originally developed by Charles Stanley that I though was very good. The first characteristic we out to bring to our study of God's Word is to study it eagerly.

When I think of eagerness I think of excitement and enthusiasm. I know being at VBS as a child and it was so much fun to play the games, do the craft, eat the snack, but then we came to the Bible Study part of VBS. I can say that I was not as excited about this part as the other things. Maybe I still approach the study of the Bible in the same way. Sometimes I am so much eager to turn on the Cubs game or surf the Internet than I am to crack open the Word. It is too easy to distracted by busyness and less important things in life.

We are going to pray that we will not be distracted. But that that we will study the word with eagerness, with enthusiasm, with excitement. That we would open the Word as an opportunity and not an obligation.

I think of my daughter, Abby. Every night at bedtime she is eager to read as many books as we will allow. Her children's Bible is always one of her favorites. I pray that we all would have that same eagerness.

How does the saying go, "Sin will keep you from your Bible, and the Bible will keep you from Sin." I like that. Let's get in the Word. Maybe you have fallen off a little in your reading. Don't worry pick it up today. Remember that our goal is not to read through the Bible, but to be in the Word.

April 27
Judges 7:1-8:17
Luke 23:13-43
Psalm 97:1-98:9
Proverbs 14:7-8

April 28
Judges 8:18-9:21
Luke 23:44-24:12
Psalm 99:1-9
Proverbs 14:9-10

April 29
Judges 9:22-10:18
Luke 24:13-53
Psalm 100:1-5
Proverbs 14:11-12

April 30
Judges 11:1-12:15
John 1:1-28
Psalm 101:1-8
Proverbs 14:13-14

May 01
Judges 13:1-14:20
John 1:29-51
Psalm 102:1-28
Proverbs 14:15-16

May 02
Judges 15:1-16:31
John 2:1-25
Psalm 103:1-22
Proverbs 14:17-19

May 03
Judges 17:1-18:31
John 3:1-21
Psalm 104:1-23
Proverbs 14:20-21

Missions Needs

Below is a list of the various Missions that Lord of Life supports along with some of their needs. A big thank you to the new Missions Team at Lord of Life for compiling this list.

Lord of Life Missions’ Current Needs 4-19-08

Apple of His Eye: prayers for the faithful volunteers, prayers and financial support for our missionaries, that God will provide more missionaries to present the Good News of Y’shua to unsaved Jewish people world-wide.

Children of Faith Ministries, India: construction of a new driveway and new bathrooms for the orphanage, prayers and financial support for the new COF Public School which will be built in the near future, a motorcycle for Anand, prayers for good health for the 50 children who live at the orphanage.

Christ for India: two new school buses, prayers and financial support for constructing new churches in villages, funds to build a Media Outreach Center, prayer for students, teachers, workers on CFI campus, prayer for persecution of Christians to end in India.

Church Doctor: prayer for ministry workers as they coach pastors and churches to be more effective as they deal with worldviews that block the growth of the Kingdom, funds to train more consultants.

Crossways International: prayer for workers around the world using Crossways resources, extra funds for training more people, prayer for church partnership (LOL?) with a native pastor in Ghana who uses the Crossways graphic materials to spread the Good News,

Cuban Lutheran Fellowship: funds for seminars each year to aid in discipleship of pastors and lay leaders, prayer for the Youth Bible Camp this summer, supplies and materials for Sunday School and VBS, funds for more books and materials in the pastoral library.

Faithlife Ministries: prayer and financial support for the ministry, prayer for Barry’s health and strength for work and travel, prayer for people to join the Philippines mission team in the Nov., prayers for peace and calm in Kenya in order to continue ministry there.

Frontiers, Heather Berlin: plane ticket to attend 5 day conference in the UAE-$1000, plane tickets to Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey to teach and equip local believers-$2100, plane ticket to USA, Detroit, for global outreach conference-$1500, prayer for Heather and her teammates as they minister to Muslims.

Gilgal Gospel Missions, India: prayer and financial help for construction of new Children’s Home, scholarships for seminary students, funds for more missionaries to serve in remote villages, sponsors for children in orphanage, prayers for the students, teachers and workers in the ministry.

Gospel Ministries, Romania: blankets for the elderly, Bibles for national missionaries to distribute, food and clothing for orphans, school supplies for children, an artificial leg for Andrei, an artificial arm for Cristina, prayers for ministry work in Moldova and Romania.

Grace Lutheran School: funds and workers for upkeep and renovation of school building, prayer for a bilingual preschool teacher and kindergarten teacher, office supplies, cleaning supplies and equipment, school supplies for children, prayers for the children and their families, also for the teachers/workers.

H.E.L.P.S. Ministries: volunteer workers to rebuild the old Salvation Army building and Chapel in Valley View, St. Charles, donation of supplies for the project: paint, light bulbs, tile, cleaning supplies, etc., food and clothing for the homeless, paper supplies, Bibles, prayers for strength, endurance, perseverance.

Jews for Jesus, Craig Savitt: prayer that the Jewish people would be open to receiving the Messiah as Savior and Lord, that God will provide more workers and volunteers, more funds to be affective witnesses to Jewish friends.

Koinonia House: funds to remodel the Wheaton Koinonia House, funds for the caretaker’s salary who lives at KHW, prayers for him and his family and the post-prison men who will be living there,

Lazarus House: willing volunteers and workers, personal care items, kitchen and bathroom supplies, clothing--L or XL sweatpants and T-shirts, sweat socks, daily food needs--help provide dinner for evening meals, provide sack lunches, prayers for the ongoing work with homeless.

Liberian Children’s Ministry: school supplies and funds for shipping, funds for new school buildings and renovating the old ones, prayers for the many children and teachers, financial support and prayer for Joe’s mission trips to Liberia.

Love in Action: need for families or small groups to adopt a family who are dealing with HIV-AIDS, transportation for trips to doctor appointments, etc., help provide lunch for a monthly Bible Study, gas gift cards, grocery gift cards, meals for families, prayer for people to come along side the Bergs to assure future leadership.

Lutheran Bible Translators: more funds for training missionaries to translate God’s Word, prayer for the translators and their families around the world, prayer for the people in Togo, Sierra Leone, Papua New Guinea, Namibia as they begin to use the New Testaments near completion in their heart language.

Lutheran Church Charities: clothing and toys for children in Iraq, vehicles needed for immigrant famiy, single mom, and widow who has 3 children, quilts for Katrina survivors, supplies or financial gifts to help homeless teenaged mothers and babies, support and financial aid for disaster victims.

Mighty God Christian Academy: scholarships for students Pre-school-12, computers, school supplies, prayers for teachers, prayers for kids to put Christ first in their lives, prayers and financial support for the new school building program.

Mission Assembly Chrietienne, Haiti: new beds and mattresses for orphanage, a couch, pots and pans, sponsors for orphans, clothes, shoes, t-shirts for children, sponsors for school children, school supplies, more funds to pay faithful staff workers, prayers for children’s programs.

Northern Illinois District: prayer for new churches starting in N IL, perhaps partnering with one in Sugar Grove or W Chicago area, funds for these new churches so that more and more people can come to faith in Jesus.

New Life Missions, India: 60 bicycles for village pastors, Bibles, financial help for eye exams and glasses for the poor, funds to complete construction of Pastor Honoch’s New Life Church, prayers for outreach programs and two new staff people, prayers for workers and their families.

Progressive Faith Ministries, India: prayers for Dr. Rao’s health, financial help for village pastors, clothing for poor widows, Bibles, sponsors for seminary students, prayers for the 600 million in India who have never heard of Jesus Christ.

St. Matthew’s Lutheran Soup Kitchen: groceries for the food pantry, food for meals and volunteers to serve the homeless, prayers and financial help for faithful servant, Maria, who has cancer and no insurance prayers for Pastor Loza who has begun two missions in Jalisco, Mexico.

Young Life, IYC: prayer for Gary Camp’s work with the boys in Young Life Club and Bible Study, prayers on Wednesdays when he takes different boys to breakfast and to lunch, financial support for the ministry, pray for Joshua who has suffered a setback.

Portions

God’s Portion
April 13, 2008
At Lord of Life we believe that tithing is a critical component of living obediently. It is a mark of discipleship that separates the pretenders from the contenders. It is the evidence of a life that has been touched by the gospel of Jesus and truly trusts in God’s provision.
At the heart of Christian giving and tithing is principle of proportional giving. What proportional giving is, is giving in accordance with the Lord’s blessing. When the Lord’s blessing is much, we return much. When the Lord’s blessing is less, we return less.
Just as an example. Lord of Life’s mission tithe is 12%. Our tithe is measured according to the Lord blessing. If the Lord should give us $100, our tithe would be $12. If the Lord should give us $1000, our tithe would be $120. If the Lord should give us $1,000,000, our tithe would be $120,000.
The principle is that we give back to the Lord in proportion to the way that he has blessed us. And it is important to keep in mind it is in proportion to what the Lord blesses us with. Not a portion of what we have left over at the end of the week or the month.
I know that I have practiced that form of giving before. I would get my checkbook out at the end of the week. After I had went shopping for groceries, after I had filled my car with gas a few times, after I had paid my utility bills, after I had spent a few bucks on a night out on the town, I would look to see what I had left, and determine if I could afford to give God a portion of that left over.
Proportionate giving is the exact opposite of that. Proportionate is taking a portion right off the top, not the left-overs, but the first-fruit - whether it be 10%, 12%, 15%, or even 20%, and turn it over to the Lord.
Proportionate giving is not determining if I can afford to give back, but rather trusting in God to be faithful to his promise.
Proportionate giving is described for us in a couple of different places in the Old Testament. One place is in the reading from today in Genesis 12:20-22 where Jacob says, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s house, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”

Who here has ever worried about money? We have all worried about money! If you have never worried about money then you are superhuman and you should really be up here giving the message.
No matter how much money you have or don’t have. No matter how you control your spending there has certainly come a time when you have worried about money in your lifetime.
You worried about having enough to pay the bills and the debt you have accumulated. The student loans, the mortgage, the utility bills. You worried about having enough to live the life you envisioned. You’ve worried about money for your children and that they would have enough. Not to mention paying for college.
Maybe you have worried about money for your business or your employer. Maybe you have worried about money for your church. I know that every Monday morning, I check my mailbox to see the returns for Sunday. I confess I worry if there will be enough there to pay the staff, the mortgage, and the fulfill our mission tithe. Some of you, every week you look there on the back of the bulletin how did we do the week before. Are we ahead or behind?
If are on my email distribution list and joining me in reading through the Scriptures – we read last week in Luke 12:22-31. By the way, you can sign up to receive my weekly emails on our website: www.lolchurch.net
22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Seek first his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. All of these other things. This is God’s promise.
If you are like most people reading this section of Scripture you are thinking that this is a lot easier said than done. You can tell me not to worry, but everything I see around me is screaming at me to worry and worry and then worry some more. Do not worry. You have got to be kidding me.
One of the biggest reasons that we don’t give back to the Lord his 10%, is because of a lack of faith. We live in fear that we are not going to have enough. We fear that we are going to run out of money at the end of the week or at the end of the month.
Withholding our tithe is a way of saying, “God I don’t trust that what you have given me is enough. So what I am going to do is to take part of your portion, so that I can make sure that I have enough.”
This message series is called “The Journey to Financial Freedom.” The lack of ability to tithe is a sign financial slavery. As we move towards tithing and proportional giving we are moving towards financial freedom and I am confident we will never look back.
Financial Freedom results from trusting God. Our mindset will determine our actions. If our mindset is a lack of trust – it will result in the action of worry and holding on tightly to whatever we can get our hands on. Yet, if our mindset is one of trust it will result in actions fueled with confident, living obediently to God’s commands.
My daughter has a knack for picking out McDonald’s. She can spot one from a mile away. I like to surprise and stop sometimes. I will get her an order of French Fries. It makes her so happy. But then I will reach to take on for myself and she will quickly pull them to herself and say: “mine! No Daddy, you can’t have any. These are Abby’s.” Little does she realize that I have the ability to get her more. But she hold on so tightly, because from her perspective that is all that is available. How much are we like that. We say, “No God, mine, you can’t have any.” When all the time he is able to give us so much more than we have.
Let’s believe today. Let’s trust that God will meet all of our needs. Not just some needs, but every need. Just as Jacob believed that God would provide for his every need and that he would deliver him from every trial and tribulation. And his promise was, Lord because you are so good to me, I am going to give back to you my the first 10% of every blessing you pour out.
There may be a few of you who are familiar with the Brooklyn Tabernacle. The Brooklyn Tabernacle is a large, large church. A mega church in the heart of Brooklyn, NY.
But the Brooklyn Tabernacle did not start out as a large church. It started out as a very small church. In fact it was a dying church. When Pastor Jim Cymbla took over this church it worshipped less 20 people.
In his book Fresh Wind and Fresh Fire, Pastor Cymbla recounts the offering his first week at the church. $85. The mortgage of the church was $232 not including utilities and other expenses. He shared that the first time the mortgage payment came due there was $160 dollars in the checking account. This was $72 short of what was needed.
But he believed God to provide. He could not believe that God was going to shut him down so soon. So he waited for an unexpected check to arrive in the mail. But when the postal carrier arrived all there was in the mail was bills and junk mail. He says he went to his office depressed until he remembered that across the street at the post office the church had a PO Box. He went over there and opened the box, and guess what. Nothing. It was empty.
Maybe this time God had let him down. He walked back across the street to the church and opened the door. There laying on the floor, dropped in the mail slot was a blank white envelop. No name, no address. It had not been there three minutes before, but inside was two $50 bills. Enough to pay the mortgage with $28 left to spare.
God was faithful. And God came through. It is further assurance that we are not the ones who pay the bills for our church, for our families, or for anything, but it is God who pays the bills. He is the one who comes up with the cash and finances what he promises and orders.
It is time we stop worry about getting by, but start believing God for abundance. Rather than worrying about paying the bills obligations, it is time to start believing for God’s blessing that we can be a blessing to others.
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinithians 9:11
Here is the promise – you will be made rich. God desires to make you rich. Sometimes that richness comes in love, sometimes in faith, sometime in something very practical and that is money. But always, God desires to make you rich in the Holy Spirit. But here is the premise – so that you can be generous.
God is not going to make you rich so that you can say, hey look at all this money I’ve got. Look at my car, look at my clothes, look at my house. But God will make you rich, so that through you, others can say, hey look at Jesus.
Today, I am going to declare us to be a believing church. For the last two years we have fretted and worried about the finances. We have worried about the ability to pay our mortgage and to pay our staff. We have often come around towards the end of the month and we have wondered where is the money going to come from.
I even look at the offering from the first week this month. I wonder where we will be at the end of the month. We are going to stop worrying about where we are going to get the money from, and start trusting in God’s provision.
Time, and time, and time again, God comes through. I really wish he would stop coming through at the last minute – but I know he does that so that we know it is him – and nothing on our part.
God is the one who pays the bills. He pays the bills for our church. He pays the bills for our families. If we are committed to living holy lives that honor him, there is nothing that we shall fear.
And more than that, we are going to start believing God for more. We are going to believe God not only to maintain the ministry here in this place, but we are going to believe God to expand the ministry in this place and to take it to a new level. We are going to believe that God is going to use our tithes, he is going to use us to build his kingdom in an unprecedented way.
Call me young, call me stupid, call me ignorant, call me nieve – but I am going to believe that God is going to use the ministry of Lord of Life Church in an unprecedented way, to do things that have never been done before. To reach people in our community with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I want to invite you to join me in believing God for this. There is no greater privilege or honor in all the world than to be servant of God.
We have come through the desert, maybe we are still in the desert, but God brought us to the brink of the promise land that we are about to enter. A land that is flowing with milk and honey. There have been so many lessons we have learned in the desert. But when we enter the promise land we will be all the better for those lessons that we have learned.
When the people entered the promise land there was a place that was assigned to each of them. You have a place in the land flowing with milk and honey.
Today, I am aware that there is a number of you who are out of work. The income is not flowing in like you need or like you would want. There are others of you who may be employed but business has been slow. Maybe you are a realtor or you are in construction and the market just is not moving.
You find yourself worrying and fretting about the future and about provision. But we are going to rebuke the demon of unemployment and underemployment. We are going to rebuke the demon of fear and worry about finances.
No longer will we be enslaved to the worry and fear of finances. I am going to invite you to come forward this morning. We will boldly pray and rebuke that fear. And at the same time we want to pray that God will abundantly provide gainful employment for all his people so that they can be generous on all occasions and advance the work of the kingdom like never before.
Maybe God has moved you out one job to give you a better job.
Maybe you were working in a job situation where you faced great temptation. And God’s Word promises us that he will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. Maybe God took you out of that situation so that he can put you in a better situation where you will be surrounded with godly people and not face the overbearing temptations you had once faced.
Maybe the provision is not there because you are not honoring the Lord with your wealth in the way that you ought. And maybe the Lord is not interested in allowing you to maintain the lifestyle that you are pursuing.
Maybe the provision is not there just because you have not cried out to God. You have thought to yourself, “I can make it on my own.” I don’t need anyone else.
But I want to tell you something. God is attracted to weakness. He cannot withhold himself from those who cry out to him in desperation.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

God comes through. We can be confident that when we have God’s desires and interests at heart that he will fit the bill.
As the praise team comes on the stage I want to invite our elders, staff, and others to come forward. We want to pray for you this morning. If you are unemployed, under-employed. If you are worried about God’s provision. The bills are piling up and you don’t know how to pay them.
As we sing this next song come forward. We are going to pray for you that God will give you enough. No ushers to direct you. As the spirit moves in your heart just listen to that voice and come forward. Come forward.

An illustration I am not going to use

I am working on an upcoming message. This was a video I came across. I don't think I will use it. What do you think?

Continuing in Financial Freedom

Here is an article from today's Chicago Tribune. It is an interesting article in relation to our current message series. The summary of the article is that the more and more money we make, the more money we will perceive to be necessary to maintain a middle-class lifestyle.

The last paragraph of this article was the most telling:


"In the long term, we have rising prosperity and rising inequality," said Paul Taylor,
the Pew Center's project director. "I think that has set the table for
a set of economic behaviors that has led to more spending and more
borrowing to support that spending. There's no question that the
important things in life have become more expensive, and that Americans
need and want more things than they used to have."


It is spending to keep up with the Jonses. The problem is that the Jonses keep getting richer and we don't have enough money to keep up with them, so we have less and less money for the things that are truly essential and keep going further and further into debt.

The things that we often perceive as necessary are not always necessary. Would I like a new 50 inch high definition TV? Sure! But do I need that TV? Not really. In fact, I probably need it less today than ever as I find myself watching less and less TV.

Here is a good rule of thumb. Live below your means. The problem with that is that most of us don't believe we can afford to. We just cannot say no to our desires. We end up convincing ourselves that our wants are really our needs.

That is why this all starts with Jesus Christ. Because if Jesus is not our heart's first desire, we will fill that void with whatever else we can find and there is not enough money in the world to fill that void.

This coming Sunday, we are going to focus in on the other aspect of our finances. That is our income. I believe God wants to provide you with gainful employment and a good income. I believe this because I believe God wants to pour out blessing on his people so that they can in turn be a blessing to others.

I pray this Sunday will minister especially to those who are unemployed or underemployed. I pray that they will hear a wonderful message of hope in a time of crisis and that they will walk away with full confidence that God will provide.

I pray you are having a blessed week. Next weeks readings are:

April 13
Joshua 7:16-9:2
Luke 16:1-18
Psalm 82:1-8
Proverbs 13:2-3

April 14
Joshua 9:3-10:43
Luke 16:19-17:10
Psalm 83:1-18
Proverbs 13:4

April 15
Joshua 11:1-12:24
Luke 17:11-37
Psalm 84:1-12
Proverbs 13:5-6

April 16
Joshua 13:1-14:15
Luke 18:1-17
Psalm 85:1-13
Proverbs 13:7-8

April 17
Joshua 15:1-63
Luke 18:18-43
Psalm 86:1-17
Proverbs 13:9-10

April 18
Joshua 16:1-18:28
Luke 19:1-27
Psalm 87:1-7
Proverbs 13:11

April 19
Joshua 19:1-20:9
Luke 19:28-48
Psalm 88:1-18
Proverbs 13:12-14

Oprah on You Tube

A couple of days ago I received a link to a video about Oprah on You Tube. I noticed that it had a half a million hits. Over the last few days, I have continued to receive emails about this video. Today, I went on to You Tube and notice that there are more than 2 million hits and quickly approaching 2.5 million.



It says something about the power of the Internet and how quickly a message can spread. I have had three separate requests from church members about what I thought about this video. So here you go.

Oprah is incredibly powerful and influential, but as with most celebrities her influence probably goes too far. Because of their fame and success celebrities are often seen as people to look towards for the answers. They are living the American dream so the natural assumption is that they must have it all figured out. But the reality is that while so many of them have achieved the American dream, it is not all they thought it would be. They have all the money in the world, but they have discovered that there must be something more.

I have watched Oprah just a handful of times. She is a great humanitarian and has a wonderful heart. Oprah makes the claim to be a Christian, but with her own words she has consistently denied Jesus as the Savior. Neither does her lifestyle reflect her professed faith as she lives with her boyfriend outside the context of marriage.

Oprah has sought to recreate her Christian faith according to her own personal feelings and opinions. She has sought to meld the Bible with postmodern and New Age teaching. And maybe the most amazing thing is that she doesn't even realize she is doing this. She has consistently balked at accusations that she teaches New Age religion. But she continues to promote New Age teaching through the books she promotes and the guests she hosts on her show.

When someone gains the power and the influence that Oprah has achieved, we must test the spirits all the more (see 1 John 4:1). This is also true of pastors. But usually, the larger a persons stature, celebrity, and influence grows (with the exception of politicians) - the less and less their agendas are questioned.

Oprah has taken on the mantle of a spiritual authority, but she has overstepped her boundaries. Her celebrity status does not make her a spiritual authority. I see Oprah as more of a seeker than as an authority. The problem is that her seeking is much more public and there are a lot of people who follow her on her journey as she seeks the truth. She has helped a lot of people with her money and with her show, but we cannot allow that to cloud subtle and dangerous doctrine that she espouses.

I am always a little cautious to make judgments on a short video clip, but it goes beyond just this video clip. The video clip is just a catalyst to examine something that has been out there for a long time now.

As Christians, the message here is to be discerning and not to always drink the cool aide. Just because something sounds good does not always mean that it is good. I can't tell you how many forwarded emails I have received from well meaning Christians that contain untruths. But the emails were thoughtlessly forwarded to all their friends "as truth" without ever testing the veracity of the emails. So Christians - let's test the spirits and be discerning!

Can we learn from Oprah? Yes. Absolutely! But are we going to whole heartedly take in everything she says as gospel. No!

Braggin Rights!!!

I'm not a Kansas fan (especially after they beat VT in the Orange Bowl). But I've got braggin rights tonight. I picked Kansas to win the tourney. If you don't believe me, check out my picks:

http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/entry?entryID=3404128&groupIdView=0&entryIDFrom=3404128

This is only the second time in my life that I have picked the eventual champion in the tourney. It is a very good reason not to go to Vegas. You will loose more than you win.

The Journey to Financial Freedom: Banking on God

When I was growing up, I learned that the first 10% of your money went to God, the second 10% went to savings, and the remaining 80% was yours to do with what you wanted to.

It is a very simplistic view of money. And one that I am not exactly sure lines up with what God has to say about our money.

We are going to start this message series with a given. The first 10% goes to God. The first ten percent of our income, the first 10% of our tax return, the first 10% of our rebate check, the first 10% of that birthday gift.

We are going work with that assumption. That given. The first 10% is God’s.
But what about that other 90%. I think many of us, make the assumption that God is only concerned about that first 10% and beyond that he is silent.

God has a lot to say about money. And not just that first 10%, but all of it. There are some 2,350 verses in the Bible concerning money. This is twice as much as is said about faith and prayer combined. 15% of everything Jesus said related to money and possessions. Jesus talked more about money and possessions than he did about heaven and hell.

I think that God has so much to say about money, because we are really good at messing it up. Money is a catalyst for many our problems. Did you know that 56% of all divorces are the result of financial pressure and struggles between husbands and wives.

Too many of us are controlled by our finances, rather than us controlling them. We are enslaved to debt. We just don’t have enough money to live financially free. We end up working more and more. We take on a second job to pay our mortgage and car payment.
And because of that we are not free to spend the time to do the things we want to do. We want to spend with our children, or serving our church, but the demand to gain more incomes weighs on us and draws away from our desired priorities.

This message series is about discovering financial freedom. That we are not controlled by our money or lack thereof. Galatians 5:1 says, that is it for freedom that Christ has set us free. He has set us free from sin. He has set us free from guilt. He has set us free from Satan and the temptations of this world. And he has set us free financially. But it is up to us to claim that freedom and to not submit again to the yoke of that slavery.

It is time to shift our view of how we look at money and to see money from God’s perspective rather than from our perspective. Because it is only when we see our money from God’s perspective, not just the first 10%, but the remaining 90% as well, will we walk in the true financial freedom that God has called us to.

Let’s understand what money is from God’s perspective. In many was, money is the practical application of God’s Word. Money is the acid test of our discipleship, our maturity, and our faith. We will talk more about that in the coming weeks.

Money is a gift from God.
We must understand what money is. Money is a gift from God. God gives us money for provision. God gives money so that we can feed ourselves, so that we can have a place to live, so that we can cloth our families.

We are given this gift so that we can help others and extend God’s love to our neighbor. This is supporting our church. This is offering a gift of love or encouragement to someone else. This is to go on a mission trip.

You are blessed so that you can be a blessing to others. Gen 12:3 All people will be blessed through you.

At the same time money is given for enjoyment. To take that vacation together so that we might grow as a family. Maybe you enjoy fishing, or scrapbooking, or sports – God gives us money for our pleasure and enjoyment. We will talk more about this.
Maybe you are sitting there and thinking well, I don’t really see money as a gift. I worked hard to earn my money. I broke my back at the old salt mine. I burned the candle at both ends. What are you telling me that my money that I earned and worked hard for is a gift from God?

But who gives you the ability to work? Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” It is God who gives you your skill and ability. It is God who gives you your muscle, your talent, and your determination that enables you to succeed in whatever it is you do for a living. So your ability to earn an income is a gift from God as much as your money is a gift from him.

Too often we go around believing we don’t have enough money. That the world is crashing down upon us. But that is because we are working on our economy rather than God’s. If we are the stewards that called us to be, that we are using our finances in a way that is honoring of him there will always (and I mean it, always!) be more than enough.

Money is neutral.
True or False: Money is the root of all evil. How many of you say true? How many of you say false? How many of you don’t know? How many of you are sleeping?

The answer is false. The verse is not money is the root of all evil. The verse actually says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.”

Money is neutral. Money in itself is neither good or evil.

There is great good that is accomplished in this world with money. Think of times of disaster and tragedy that wealth that pours in to assist people in their time of need. I shared with you last week about how the money from Lord of Life’s mission tithe was used in an orphanage in Eastern Europe to purchase food for the children for the remainder of the year when their food had run out.

Money is also used for great evil. It is used to commit acts of violence and terror. It is used to suppress and hold down those who have been marginalized.

But money in itself is neutral. It is neither good or bad. Not one verse in the entire Bible condemns a person for being wealthy. But it is the intent, the desire, and the motivation that lies within our human hearts that is marked for good or for evil. How do you value your money? Do you value it in a godly way or do you value it in a worldly way?

You have a choice, this day and every day. You can use money for great good, following after the heart of God’s desire. Or you can use money not only to your detriment and downfall, but also to the detriment and downfall of others.

Money will not make you happy.
Along with understanding what money is, we must also recognize some misconceptions about money.

Money will not make you happy. If money would make us happy then you would imagine that the wealthiest people would the happiest people around, but usually the exact opposite is true.

The problem is that there is never enough. We desire for more money, but there is always more. What is more? More is more than I have now. I get a little more money, I will want a little bit more.

Those who love money will never have enough. How absurd to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it . . . (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11)

Your financial freedom is not determined by how much you make.

This might be the most important concept of the day. Your financial freedom is not determined by how much you make. There are people who make $30,000 in a year that are more financially free than others who make $300,000 a year. We live in one of the wealthiest communities in the world. Yes, you heard me right. We live in one of the wealthiest communities in the world. And yet there are so many that are walking around enslaved to their finances.

Most of us don’t have a money problem we have a management problem. Proverbs 21:20 says: “stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it.” (TEV)

An alarming statistic. 75% of Americans spend more, than they will earn in a given year. Do you see a problem with that? It is a big reason that the bubble of our economy is being burst. Our spending habits are catching up with us.

Why do you think the government is sending out rebate checks in the mail? Because they are banking on you spending that rebate check as soon as you get it. And you know what. It is likely going to work. There are a lot of people who have got it figured out where that check is going to go, and it is not going to go to the Lord’s house, it’s not going to go towards paying off debt, it’s not going to go towards savings, but it is going to go to Best Buy, and to Walmart, and to Macys, and Cabela’s . . . or maybe it will go to pay off that credit card debt, but we will end up quickly bringing on that debt again.

A few years back we did a message series on the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23

With all this being said, there are three points of application to take away from this message today.

1) Dedicate / Commit 100% of your finances to God. The first point of application is to dedicate and commit all of your finances to God. Not just the first ten percent. But the whole 100%. I’m not saying to put your entire paycheck into the offering plate.

Rather tell God, “thank you for entrusting me with this money. I realize that this money is not mine. But it is yours, it is a gift that is given to me by you. Lord I desire to use all of this money is a way that would honor you and the intention for me to use this gift.”
It is similar to the way the church seeks to manage its finances. The leadership here knows that so many of you give sacrificially. It would not be right for the church to take that money and to spend it frivolously. To do so, would not be honoring of the sacrifice that so many of you make.

It is no different with the money that God entrust individually to us. To frivolously spend it is a slap in the face to a God who so graciously and undeservedly provides for our daily needs.

2) Check your yearning capacity with your earning capacity.

To put it bluntly, curb your spending. All of those things you think you need, ask yourself, do I really need them.

Last month, Barbara and I went to the Chicago auto show. I heard some ridiculous statistic that something like 75% of the people who attend the auto show will buy a new car in 3 months. I can see why?

As I walk through the show room I was thinking of my 8 year old GMC Jimmy with 120,000 miles. Then I saw that new shinny 2008 jeep. How it would be nice to cruise around this coming summer with the top down. The wind in my hair. Cranking up the Chris Tomlin or the David Crowder Band on the CD.

But to buy that new jeep would mean taking on a car payment, taking one debt, and ultimately spending more than what I would be earning.

The funny thing was that the day we went to the auto show was typical winter day for 2008 in Chicago. In the show room all those cars looked so nice and shinny. Desirous to take home. But as we drove home on the Eisenhower expressway, I noticed that many of the cars that we had seen in the showroom were the same exact cars that we were now stop and go with in traffic. And on this cold and snowy day, salt on the roads, salt on the cars, that those cars looked no better than my 8 year old car I was driving home. And I would imagine that the people in many of those cars were no more happier because the car that they drove.

My prayer in that moment was thank you Jesus for this vehicle for transportation. Thank you Jesus that it still runs well and that it is fully 100% paid off.

3) The third application, and as I speak about the third application, I want to invite the ushers to begin distributing our Crown Money Maps. If you could do that now, it would be great. The third application is to go beyond this message series in examining your finances from God’s perspective. Next Sunday, we will begin a new Bible Study during the 9:30 and 11am worship services.

These Bible Studies will be hosted in the Fellowship Center. My encouragement for you is to set aside an extra hour for the next seven weeks. Give God two hours for the next 7 Sunday mornings. Allow him to more fully speak to you about your finances and help you discover how you can walk in true financial freedom.

The reality is that a four week message series is only going to touch the surface of this tremendously huge and important topic. The Sunday morning message mostly deals with large concepts and it is difficult to get down into to deep into some very practical questions. You might be asking yourself some very practical questions this morning.

I think about this morning’s message. Probably the most common question is: “How exactly can I specifically cut my expenses? I don’t really see how that is possible.”

This seven week Bible Study will get very practical. It will walk you through this money map that is being handed out and give you insights on how to really make this happen. And don’t worry, you are not going to be asked to share about your finances with others. It is not a plug for you to give more money to the church.

It is designed so that you can discover from God’s perspective and from God’s Word so that you can live in such a way that you are not controlled by your finances, but walk in true (and I say true) financial freedom.

Financial Freedom

New Message Series
This weekend we begin a new message series at Lord of Life. It is called "The Road to Financial Freedom." It is a timely message series in more ways than one. Most recent news headlines paint a grim picture for our nation's economy. From foreclosures to bankruptcies to loss of jobs the news about finances always seems to be negative. If you are like me, your investments and savings have not faired as well as you would like. Beyond that it is not news that Lord of Life has had it's recent struggles with finances. But we praise the Lord that he has continued to give us his daily provision.

No doubt the subject of finances often occupy our minds. For many of us, our finances are a burden that we carry around with us. We worry about having enough to pay the bills, paying for college, and saving for retirement. Wouldn't it be great to be freed from the burden of finances? To live financially free?

The reality is that financial freedom is more than just a possibility, but a reality within God's economy. We will be spending the next four weeks on this journey of discovering how God's economy trumps the economy of this world. It ought to be a wonderful trip.

Also, please note that there will be a new Bible Class beginning on April 13 at 9:30am to compliment this new message series. You can sign up next Sunday in the Lord of Life lobby.

The Call
On another note, some of you have been asking about when I will be officially be receiving my call at Lord of Life. I want to assure you that the process is moving along and you will find out soon. I have met with the call committee and elders while they are sorting out some administrative details and making sure all the "t's" are crossed and the "i's" are dotted. Everything in due process!

Bible Reading
I pray that those of you who are joining me in reading through the Bible are staying on task. No doubt some of you have fallen behind. That's ok. Don't fret it. Feel free to skip ahead. Remember that what is important here is not reading through the whole Bible, but spending time in his word.

It is always an encouragement for me to hear how you are doing. Feel free to drop me a note at anytime.

I am always amazed how my readings are so timely. God always knows what I need to hear as long as I give him the opportunity to speak. So make sure you are spending time in the word. Put God to the test to see if he will not bless your time in the word.

Your readings for next week:

April 06
Deut 29:1-30:20
Luke 11:37-12:7
Psalm 78:1-31
Proverbs 12:19-20

April 07
Deut 31:1- 32:27
Luke 12:8-34
Psalm 78:32-55
Proverbs 12:21-23

April 08
Deut 32:28-52
Luke 12:35-59
Psalm 78:56-64
Proverbs 12:24

April 09
Deuteronomy 33:1-29
Luke 13:1-21
Psalm 78:65-72
Proverbs 12:25

April 10
Deut 34:1-Josh 2:24
Luke 13:22-14:6
Psalm 79:1-13
Proverbs 12:26

April 11
Joshua 3:1-4:24
Luke 14:7-35
Psalm 80:1-19
Proverbs 12:27-28

April 12
Joshua 5:1-7:15
Luke 15:1-32
Psalm 81:1-16
Proverbs 13:1