Live and Give Like You Never Have Before.

Rivalries exist in all of our lives. It could be as simple as, “do I work out or eat Blue Bell ice cream”. We have football rivalries and political rivalries. Most of use have had rivalries over a girlfriend or boyfriend.

Jesus makes a unique statement found nowhere else in the New Testament. He lets us know what his chief competitor is by telling us “You can’t serve God and “mammon” in Matthew 6:24. So what is mammon?

Most Bibles use the word “money” but it’s much more than just that. Mammon is a false god that promises how you can trust money/resources to give you what only God can give you. Mammon is huge liar.

See, mammon falsely promises to give you security. You and I think, “If I just had $_____________.00, I’d be set for life.” It lies to us about our significance. “If I had enough money to buy a lot of stuff, people would listen to me and finally believe I’m important.” It gives us a false sense of an ideal marriage. We say, “If we had enough money, we wouldn’t fight anymore and she/he’d be happy.” It promises peace and joy in life.

But the truth is, the only person or thing that can give us security, significance, a great marriage, joy or peace is God Almighty. It’s only in and through him that you and I will ever have all those things.

Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 6:21, “Where your treasure is, there is your heart also.” In other words, your heart follows what you treasure. We end up spending our money on things we don’t need or spending too much money on someone we might need. We spend money on our kids as if that 8 year old needs the latest iPhone. Now, I’m not saying to tell your family no or to sell everything you have.

But God does put a biblical principle in place that will help you release the grip of mammon in your life. The principle of tithing reminds you where your heart belongs and it lets God know you recognize who supplies your daily needs.

The principle is simple: take whatever you bring home for your pay and give God the first ten percent. On your home budget, the first line item should be “giving”, and it’s 10% of what you make. God is the first check that you write. Then you learn to live on the other 90% of your income. God calls us to give sacrificially and in doing so you share your blessings with those around you.

Some of you don’t give at all and you’re wandering, “How could I give anything? Everything I bring home is spoken for.” If that’s you then just start giving something, even if it’s $10 a week. It may not be 10% initially but you’ll start instilling the principle a little at a time. If you've set your giving at some point in the past, my guess is, you’ve received a raise between then and now. It might be time to reevaluate how much you're giving.

Robin (my wife) and I made a commitment when we married to three things concerning giving to God. One, we are always going to give every week back to God. Two, we are going to work hard on becoming debt-free. Finally, we are going to help people whenever the opportunity arises. I challenge you to incorporate that way of thinking into your giving spirit.

I know God promises that he can and will do more with the 90% than you could ever do with the 100% on your own. It takes trust and a heart for God to move in this direction. Don’t you want to live and give like you’ve never done before? Trusting God will allow you to do exactly that. Blessings on the journey.

What is a Priority?

Growing up, I seemed to butt heads with my dad. He was trying to be a father who was guiding me and I was playing the role of the stubborn son. I remember saying one day, “I want to make my own mistakes. Thanks for sharing your life experience but I am not you.” I ignored wisdom and paid the price.

There’s no doubt you’ve had similar experiences. Someone tried to warn you…tell you…explain to you how to be better in life but you had your own plan, your own agenda. But what I have discovered in life is that what you put first in your life will determine where you end up.

Many of you have seen or read Alice in Wonderland. There is a point in the story where she’s in the woods and at a crossroads. This is where she meets the Cheshire Cat. Alice asks, “Which way should I go?” The cat asks, “Where do you want to go?” Alice replies, “I don’t know.” To which the cat says, “Then one way is as good as another if you don’t know where you are headed.”

Jesus reminds us as Christ-followers what’s a priority and which way we should be headed. It’s during his famous Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6 when Jesus says, “You can’t serve two. You’ll hate one and love the other. You cannot serve God and everything else.” You see our priorities will determine the path we take. And Jesus reveals a couple of things in Matthew 6:25-33 that are important as we better understand priorities.

First, he reminds you that God sees you. Not in a scary way but a comforting way. You have celebratory things and difficult things in your life everyday. You’re working in a career that doesn’t suit you anymore. You have a difficult marriage. Your parenting skills are being challenged. You have a gambit of emotions you work through with your friend group. But Jesus reminds us that worry doesn’t have to win. Jesus tells us when we choose worry, we are choosing the way of the world.

You see, God sees the birds and takes care of them. But God sees you too and aren’t you more valuable than birds? When we have faith in God to take care of us, we will be on the road of peace and not panic.

But equally, God cares about you too. Whatever brings tears to your eyes, know God sees that too. What Jesus tells us in this text in Matthew is that God is FOR YOU! We know this….Jesus changes everything!! The people who worry or have an anxious spirit are not living in Jesus. In fact, Jesus calls folks living like this pagans and unbelievers.

Right now is our chance to really shine for Jesus. We want to be different than the world recognizing God will provide all our needs. So, how ARE we different? Are you more focused on your new home rather than your new neighbors? Are you more concerned with the latest tech gear than being in God’s Word? Are you distracted by putting more stuff in your house and keeping up with the Joneses? Is your priority becoming Instagram famous? If Jesus is saying these things are not your purpose as a follower of him, then what is your purpose?

Jesus reveals that in Matthew 6:33. He says, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all things, live in such a way that it gives God glory, and everything else will be given to you.” Remember, God is our father and He knows what is the best wisdom for the best life we can live. Seek God’s will and desire first then live it out in your life and everything else will be given to you.

May you bring the kingdom to your home, your work place, your neighbors. May your light shine in traffic, at the grocery store and Wal-Mart. May you see your purpose in seeking Kingdom right where you are and living out how God has called you to live. Blessings on your journey.

Who's your two?

We’ve all had dreams from an early age of what marriage might be like. For the girls, their guy would be dashing, Prince Charming, sweep you off your feet, a solid job, lots of travel. The dream of a husband would be robust and full. For guys, it would be get married and be intimate with your wife twice a day. And how many of us on both sides are still dreaming?

I’ve counseled many before marriage and couples that have been in crisis and what I’ve found more times than not is their priorities are out of sync. We believe we must find the one who will be everything we are not and fulfill all my life hopes. The trouble is, there is no one in all creation who can or will do that for you. The only one who can do that is God and I don’t know anyone human by that name. So, creating the reality of how things should be in our marriages is…

God is your ONE and your spouse is your TWO. That’s what Jesus says in Mark 12:30-31. “Love God and love people.” As a Christ-follower, we say “I’ll seek the one while preparing for my two.”

In Genesis 2:24, we are reminded we grow up clinging to our parents. But once you’ve discovered your two, you leave your parents and start building a life with the person you’ve chosen to serve God with your whole life. Once you get the priorities in position you’ll discover life is so much easier. Now it’s not to say there aren’t hiccups along the way. Life does happen as they say and there are adjustments to living. But when you have God as your ONE then everything becomes so much clearer.

A second thing we must remember is to protect those priorities. If you’re having difficulty in your marriage right now, it’s more than likely you have your priorities out of whack. One way my wife, Robin, and I have discovered to make sure we keep priorities is to serve God together.

We were in youth ministry together for 20 years and she brought so much to the table helping me with those teens and parents. We have been on many short term mission trips together. It makes me so proud to know I’m married to a woman who wants to put God first.

If your married with kids, remember kids are a temporary assignment. Sure, you’ll be parents your whole life but you’ve really got them for 18-19 years before they graduate and move out. You launch them to go serve God and find their two. But marriage is until death do you part. Don’t ever put your kids as a priority above your marriage. If you do, once the kids leave home, you’ll be sitting at a dining room table wondering who the person is that is sitting across from you.

Can I speak to the men for a moment? You are called to lead in your home. Not be a dictator. Not use power to lord your decision making. You join with your wife and love her like Jesus loved the church (Eph. 5:25). But you as father and husband who is a believer in Jesus Christ, you decide you’re going to be a family who is plugged in at church, who is serving together, who creates the date night for you and your wife, who show your kids what it looks like to be affectionate toward your wife, to join in community and get involved in a connect or small group. You give yourself to Jesus then give yourself to your family.

Make sure God is your ONE and your spouse is your TWO. You’ll find life and the journey that much sweeter and easier. Blessings on that journey.