I Timothy 6:18 says “Be rich in good works…be generous and ready to share.”

Hebrews 13:16 says “Do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Luke 3:11 says “Let the man who has two tunics share with him who has none; and let him who has food do likewise.”

Proverbs 22:9 says “He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 says that God loves a cheerful giver.

Psalm 41:1 says “How blessed is he who considers the helpless; the Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble.”

Matthew 19:21 says “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven.”

Acts 10:4 says “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.”

Matthew 25:40 says “…Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Proverbs 28:27 says “he who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.”

1 John 3:17 says “Whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

Galations 6—Honor the poor

1 Timothy 5—Provide for widows

James 1—Visit orphans in their distress.

So here’s my question.  How do you think God wants us to respond to those around us who are in need?

Have you ever heard someone use the term “Sellout?”  It’s usually not intended to be positive.  The dictionary defines a sellout as “A person who compromises his or her personal values, integrity or talent for money or personal advancement.”

Unfortunately, the Bible is full of sellouts.  Joseph’s brothers sold him to slave traders for 20 shekels of silver.  Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of stew.  Zacheus sold his integrity and relationships for the opportunity to collect taxes.  Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. 

You’ve probably never considered selling your sibling to slave traders (then again maybe you have), but there are plenty of modern day ways to compromise your values for personal gain.  Anymore in fact, doing whatever it takes to get ahead is more often seen as a virtue than a vice.  Not surprisingly, God has a bit of a higher standard.  Proverbs 10:2 says “Ill gotten gains do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.” 

In other words, selling out isn’t a very good long term strategy.  That is, unless you rearrange the words in the definition and sell out by compromising your money or advancement for the sake of your personal values and integrity.  As we see in Proverbs, that kind of sellout is rewarded with life.  Thankfully, the Bible has plenty of examples of those types of people too.  The disciples selling out to Jesus.  Paul selling out to the Gospel.  Jesus selling out for your salvation. 

So my question for you today is “What kind of sellout are you?”  We all have our proverbial “price.”  The question is, are we selling our eternal things to gain temporary things or are we selling our temporary things to gain eternal things?

Thanks for reading.  Have a great week.

Joe

Luke 12 tells us the story of the rich fool.  He apparently had quite a little farming operation going on and his land had just produced an abundant crop.  So abundant in fact, that he didn’t have any place to put it, because his barns were already full.  Good problem to have, right?

So as he ponders his dilemma, an idea hits him.  “I know,” he says.  “If my barns aren’t big enough, I’ll just tear them down and build bigger ones.  Then I’ll have ample goods laid up for many years and I can relax, eat, drink and be merry.”

God’s response to that?  “You fool!  This night your soul is required of you and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?”

So where did Richy Rich go wrong?  It wasn’t in building a business and having success.  The Bible doesn’t have a problem with that.  His problem was two fold.  First, he assumed that everything he had was his.  The Bible makes it pretty clear that our resources belong to God.  We’re to use them not only for our own needs, but also for the needs of others. 

Second, he was a fool because he spent so much time taking care of this current life without any regard for the next.  As Christians, we know this isn’t our permanent home.  Just like it would be pretty foolish to paint the walls in a house that is burning to the ground, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to invest all of our time, treasure and talents in things that won’t last. 

So as you survey your own treasures, what do you see?  Do you see barns that aren’t big enough or do you see some excess that can be invested for eternity? 

Thanks for reading.  Have a great week!

Joe

Proverbs 20:23 says “Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord, and false scales are not good.”

Today’s verse goes beyond simply talking about honesty.  The fact that the author used weights and scales to illustrate his point makes it pretty clear that he is talking about honesty in the workplace.  In other words, as followers of Christ, we are not to check our faith at the office door.  The same principles and beliefs that govern our private lives should govern our time at work as well.

There is sometimes a temptation to conform our speech and actions to fit in and get ahead in the workplace.  If your clients are talking a certain way on the golf course or your boss is asking you to do something you’re not on board with, there is pressure to bend your principles in the hopes of landing that big sale or coveted promotion. 

God makes it pretty clear that we should choose our principles over our pocketbooks.  True, this isn’t always popular.  Last year I lost a client with a million dollar account after she looked at our website and found out that I was a Christian.  She sat across from me at my desk and politely told me that she wasn’t comfortable doing business with a Christian.

Fair enough.  I’m glad she had the courage to tell me.  I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting a little bit, but at the end of the day, I’ll feel a lot better knowing that I didn’t try to hide my light under a bushel in order boost to my bank account. 

God promises to provide for us.  Our job is to live with integrity and consistency, and trust that he will be faithful.

Thanks for reading.  Touch base if I can ever help.

Joe

John 6:63 says “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” 

I’ve always been amazed at how relevant the information in the Bible is.  After all, it was written thousands of years ago to an audience that would be completely amazed and dumbfounded by our modern world and yet the wisdom, direction and guidance that it contains seems so fresh that it could just as easily have been written last week. 

I find this to be especially amazing with the Bible’s financial advice.  The audience for much of that advice literally had only their daily bread and the clothes on their backs.  How could that same advice speak to you and I in our great abundance and complex financial dealings?  After all, far from just having our daily bread, most of us have cars, houses, 401(k)s, credit cards, mortgages, wardrobes, computers, and savings accounts.

I read a book awhile back that helped me understand why this is the case.  In The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer he writes:

“God did not write a book and send it by messenger to be read at a distance by unaided minds.  He spoke a Book and lives in His spoken words, constantly speaking His words and causing the power of them to persist across the years.”

In other words, if it seems like God is talking specifically to you and your situation, it’s because God is talking specifically to you and your situation.  His word is alive and new each day.  Keep that in mind as you think about your finances.  The things that the Bible says about saving, giving, contentment, stewardship, and borrowing aren’t just words on a page spoken to an ancient audience.  They are God’s words spoken today to you.

Thanks for reading.  Touch base if I can ever help.

Joe

Proverbs 22:7 says “The rich rule over the poor and the borrower is slave to the lender.” 

Well, it’s that time of year again…when all the holiday credit card bills start arriving in the mail. If you went a little overboard on your Christmas shopping this year, today’s verse probably strikes a chord.  The post holiday debt hangover can certainly make you feel like a slave to the credit card company.

What’s done is done, but while that feeling is still fresh in your mind, it’s worth remembering two key things that the Bible says about debt.

First, it doesn’t forbid debt, but it does say that it should be used wisely.   Using your credit card can feel like freedom, but it actually commits your future time and resources which limits your ability to respond to God’s leading in your life.  Before reaching for our credit cards we should always ask the question “Is this purchase worth the limits that it is going to place on both me and God as I work to pay it back.”

Second, the Bible says that once we’re in debt we should get out as soon as possible.  Romans 13:8 says “Let no debt remain outstanding.”  The use of debt has become so prevalent in our society that it is almost a given that we would all have mortgage debt, credit card debt, student loans and the like.  As we saw in today’s verse, though, this is like being in perpetual bondage.  Wise use of debt means that we should do everything we can to pay off those debts as soon as possible.

By following these two key principles, you will not only minimize stress and uncertainty, but you will also free up your time, attention, and resources to be used by God.

Thanks for reading.  Touch base if I can ever help.

Joe

Psalm 119:105 says: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”  I’ve always had mixed feelings about today’s verse.  In one sense, it’s really encouraging because it reminds us that God, through his word, will guide us through life. 

In another sense, though, it’s a little discouraging.  How so?  God doesn’t promise to light our path with a spotlight or, better yet, the sun.  He promises to light our path with a lamp or lantern.  Have you ever tried to walk down a dark path using only a lantern to light your way?  At best you can only see a few steps in front of you.  That means if you want to see what is three or four steps in front of you, you need to take the next one or two.  If you don’t know your way, or aren’t familiar with the path, that can be a little disconcerting. 

There has been so much uncertainty in the financial world lately, that I am constantly meeting with people who want to be able to see down the path and know that everything is going to be ok.  Instinctively, we look to our job security, checking account balance or investment portfolio in hopes that they can light the path and give us peace of mind.  Unfortunately, as we have seen all too often, those things don’t offer very good visibility either. 

So what can we do?  The key is realizing that peace of mind with your finances isn’t dependent on how light or dark the path is.  The key is knowing who has you by the hand.  Keep that in mind as you take daily steps of faith.

 Have a great week and thanks for reading.

Joe

James 1:22 says: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.” 

As we see in this verse from James, God intends for us to take what we learn from scripture and put it into action.  The New Year is a great time for this, because many of us are already contemplating goals and resolutions anyway, and many of those deal with our finances.  With that in mind, what are some ways we can make meaningful resolutions that last? 

First, memorize.  Psalm 119:11 says: “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  Experts say that if you write down your goals, you’re more likely to achieve them.  While that’s true, Christians have a tool that’s even more helpful: Scripture memorization.  Whatever your financial goals for 2012, pick out a verse that speaks to it and commit it to memory (Here are 50 key verses to choose from).  Then no matter where you are or what you’re doing, the spirit will be able to speak to your heart on that issue.

Second, measure.  Be specific with your goals.  Don’t just say you want to give more or save more.  Pick a dollar amount or a percentage so you have something to shoot for.  Don’t just say you want to pay down credit card debt.  Add up everything you owe and write down a plan to pay it off.  If you make your goals specific and measurable, you’re much more likely to follow through.

Finally, make it a habit.  It’s much easier to do something once it becomes a habit.  Structure your goals so that you can work on them every week.  That means rather than waiting until December to give, put something in the offering plate each week, no matter the amount.  If your goal is to save, make sure that a portion of each paycheck is set aside.  This repetition will help turn your new behavior into a habit that you are likely to continue.

Thanks for reading!  Let me know if there’s any way that I can help you in the New Year.

Joe

Romans 12:2 says “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” 

Well, 2011 is drawing to a close.  One of the highlights of my year was getting the chance to talk to all of you each week about what the Bible has to say about money.  We looked at things like saving, stewardship, anxiety, giving, success, trust, contentment and living a fruitful life. 

I hope you enjoyed the spots each week and found them informative, but more than that, I hope God used them to bring some level of transformation to your life.  As we see in Romans, the ultimate purpose of God’s word is not simply to provide information, but to cause transformation.  Rather than just being smarter because of it, we are to be different and better. 

Without God we all struggle with things like honesty, ego, jealousy, greed, pride, giving, and stewardship.  The purpose of our walk, however, is to surrender our lives to him and allow him to work on us from the inside out. 

So as we finish up this year and head into next, I’d encourage you to think about some of the financial lessons you’ve learned, as well as those things that you still struggle with.  Then invite God to work on those areas in the coming year.  If you struggle with coveting, ask him to transform it to contentment.  If you struggle with greed, ask him to transform it to generosity.  If you struggle with spending, ask him to transform it to good stewardship.  Whatever the area, entrust it to God and know that he can make it into something that is “good and acceptable and perfect.”

Thanks for reading.  Have a great New Year.

Joe

12-26-11 Joe Hearn

John 10:10 says “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Well, it’s that time of year again.  The Thanksgiving tables across the country had hardly been cleared a few weeks ago when people started queuing up outside their favorite retailers to begin Christmas shopping in earnest.  The rush will continue, I’m sure, until the last store closes on December 24^th.

After an intro like that, you might expect me to talk about the evils of consumerism, so I apologize in advance for disappointing you.  True, elevating stuff to a position of God in your life is foolish, but that doesn’t mean I’m a fan of the new minimalism movement either.  In my opinion, both are too focused on stuff.

Materialism says “Look at how much I have.”  Minimalism says “Look how little I have.”  As Christians, our focus needs to be on Christ.  Today’s passage in John talks about Christ being the good shepherd who provides for his sheep.  What does he provide?  Protection.  Freedom.  Food.  Personal care.  In short, he provides everything.  Not only does he provide it, but he intends for it to be a good thing.  You might even say that, far from being a minimalist, Christ was a maximalist.  He came that we might have life and have it abundantly.

But his abundance is less about how many pairs of jeans you have or whether or not there’s an iPhone under the tree and more about your heart.  First and foremost he wants us to have a personal relationship with him that is over all else in our lives.  He wants us to love our neighbor. To serve others.  To live righteously.  And yes, to be good stewards of our time, talents, and resources.  Keep that in mind this Christmas season and beyond and you will be able to live the abundant life that God has planned for you.

Have a great Christmas and I’ll talk to you all next week.  Touch base if I can ever help.

Joe

12-19-11 Joe Hearn