“Sacrificial giving of Self”

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2



Just about anyone would agree that growing is a good thing, but relatively few people actually dedicate themselves to the process. Why? Because growth requires change, and change is hard for most people. But the truth is that without change, growth is impossible.

Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. 2 Cor 8:1-5

Lately I have noticed that I may need to experience a “rewrite”. I’m talking about my personal relationship focused “rewrite” with God. Often I ask myself,” Ron is this a cliché or temporary behavior modification you are having or will it be a permanent and inspirational change that really begins with a sacrificial focus that embraces on what God wants not me”.

Most people fight against this rewrite or change, especially when it affects them personally. As novelist Leo Tolstoy said, "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." The ironic thing is that change is inevitable. Everybody has to deal with it in his or her lives. On the other hand, growth is optional. You can choose to grow, change or to fight it. But know this: people unwilling to grow will never reach their potential.

This rewrite of my thoughts came during Prime timers Bible study as we were studying 2 Corithians 8. I was touched by the words presented by pastor Ross leading our discussion “sacrificial giving of self” my mind thought about change, gifts and the whole process of Ministers of change for me as part of the body of Christ. My question, why so many congregations/people have problems with change? Is it because they expect the ministers/leaders to do all of the work, not themselves?

In Corinthians 8:1-5 Paul begins with an example of sacrificial giving. He speaks about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Paul seeks to motivate the Corinthians by making reference to a longstanding competitor, the Greece and Macedonia. These churches were experiencing the most severe trial, this sort of trial that left them in a condition of extreme poverty. Even more, just as persecution did not take away from their joyfulness, neither did the change of poverty lessen their ability to be generous. Paul says that their poverty surged up in rich generosity and what they gave; they gave entirely on their own by a free choice. Finally, the Macedonian generosity was possible because they gave themselves first to the Lord and only then to Paul. I thought to myself, what a great example, it is not just a financial obligation. It is a ministry mind set, opportunity of change to the saints, those set apart to be God’s possession daily.

Congregations always have many projects going on (seminars, outreach programs, maintenance projects, mission trips, etc.) but must realize that none of these programs would do much good if this change wasn't made first, because without more members making their faith their lives - these things won't be possible.

You see the thing necessary to accomplish is not money. Simply creating a line item for something in the budget process doesn't automatically make that thing possible. We need to understand that the most important thing necessary to accomplish these and all other plans and dreams that we may have as a congregation is changing from part-time faith to a full-time sacrificial faith because we cannot serve a full-time God with a part-time faith. Brothers and sisters if we accept the challenge of living full-time by faith, money, giving of time or dealing with change will not be an issue because God promises to provide all we need if we believe all the time.

Back to that rewrite of thought, before we can experience a rewrite, we must ask ourselves these Faith questions:

Do I believe in change? (Guided by the word of God)

Do I believe people can change? (Trust in God by the Holy Spirit)

Do I believe I can change? (Putting it into Action)

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”  But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”  And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”  Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”  He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.”  Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 15:1-6

From this scripture, we can find 3 keys to letting God rewrite our story:

1. Fear (Admitting it)

Abraham was afraid that he wouldn’t get what he really wanted. Instead of stuffing this inside and pretending he didn’t really want a kid, he was honest with God. What fears do you need to express to God?

2. Flexibility

Abraham made a shift in how he thought about God. It wasn’t just about what he could get from God anymore, but decided to trust God and serve him even if it meant not having kids on his timeline.

3. Faith

After he admitted his fears and changed his thinking, Abraham made a decision to believe God’s promise about his destiny for him. Do you believe your emotions more than what God says in the Bible?

So, how will we know if the faith challenge has been accepted?

In the book of Malachi, God speaks to His people through the voice of the prophet Malachi. The Jewish people had been slacking in their service to the Lord, holding back on their sacrifices, offering Him sick and injured animals instead of giving their best and trusting Him to provide. God challenges them to change this practice and lays out the reward for those who, by faith, would make the necessary changes. In Malachi 3:10 He tells the people:

... test Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.

So I ask, what rewrite needs to take place in your life in order to make God the priority, and not just "part" of your life?

God Bless You and This Ministry!

Drive by Thought’s

“Tune your ears to wisdom and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures”. Proverbs 2:2-4

As we continue our bible study on Job during Life Light.  Some of us, myself included, wonder with questions, “why God allows such suffering? Is our first reaction an attempt to get out of the pain and trouble or to learn what God wants to teach us through it”? We all love stories that have a “happily ever after” ending. But real life doesn’t always work out that way, does it? For most of us, it’s only a matter of time before our happy days are met with a crisis or tragedy or illness and we feel life has been changed forever and I know time heals, but the heart never forgets. This often makes me wonder if my faith was real strong. Like the faithful men and women of the reformation, many of whom died terrible, painful deaths, would I choice between serving God or facing death, that I would choose God?

The origin of suffering is not always obvious. It could be sent by God for His purposes, but Satan also tries to thwart us with trouble and pain. Sometimes we’re simply reaping the consequences of our own foolish choices or suffering as a result of someone else’s actions. At other times, the difficulty appears to happen accidentally, and no one is responsible.
No matter what the source, the Lord is always sensitive to our pain. Furthermore, we are surrounded by his awesome, divine protection. As God’s children, nothing touches us unless it passes through His sovereign and loving hands. Everything He allows in our lives has the potential of being beneficial to us. His goal is not to harm but to bless.

I love the picture that proverbs 2:2-4 gives us about how wisdom beginning to work in our lives and helps us with our trials. You notice the pictures, tune your ears, cry out, search and fix your ears eagerly. Imagine trying to tune into a radio station that’s a little fuzzy you slowly click, turn the knob one way until you get the station just right and it finally comes in. These verses remind us that wisdom is just like that especially during difficult times. The moment you get it, clearly you get it, there’s a spiritual thrill to that it’s worth it to keep tuning in!

 But there are times, I just don’t have it yet, but through prayer I’m reminded the wisdom that comes from God does not come immediately or quickly. It takes time to tune the heart and takes energy to connect the mind by searching God’s word with a persistence of deep love. 

There will be times in this life when questions will go unanswered, prayers will not receive the answer we were looking for, and our days will not look like the ideal picture we had in mind and we will get that fuzzy radio station. God will bring to light those things we don’t understand in His perfect time so keep searching the scriptures to see what God says about trials and rejoice in what the Lord is doing in you through hard times. Despite our uncertainty, we can trust that God has a plan and that in the end, all things will work together for good. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

God Bless You and This Ministry!

“That's What The World Is Today”

In recent occasions, I have been speaking and thinking about the word diversity. Diversity is, basically, variety. To me it has taken on the specific connotation of “variety of people within a group”—the differences among the people being racial, cultural, gender-based, etc. Diversity was God’s idea. Even a cursory study of science reveals an amazing variety of plant and animal life. People, God’s final creation, are diverse, too. He did not create us as clones or robots. He created two different genders Mark 10:6. The creation of male and female is diversity at its most basic—the sexes are very different, yet complementary.

Diversity is part of being human. God delights in the plethora of differences His human creatures possess. The book of Revelation describes the final gathering of God’s people from “every nation, tribe, and tongue” Revelation 7:9. The angels and elders around God’s throne adore Jesus with the words “with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation”) Revelation 5:9. So God enjoys the diversity within the human race. We are each created in His image for His pleasure and glory Revelation 4:11; Colossians 1:16. He designed us the way we are and delights in His handiwork Psalm 139:13-16.

I remember as a youth listening to the song “Ball of Confusion” by the Temptations. I must say my ears were less experienced and not with a Godly ear. The song attacked a multitude of problems that were tearing apart the United States in 1970 the Vietnam War, Nixon’s government, drug addiction, white flight, crooked politicians and segregation, making it one of the few protest records that came from Motown. Despite its strong political themes, the record consciously avoids a pro liberal or pro-conservative theme, instead implying a subjective point-of view and defiant stance. Take a look at some of the lyrics:

People movin' out, people movin' in.
Why, because of the color of their skin.
Run, run, run, but you sho' can't hide
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
Vote for me and I'll set you free
Rap on, brother, rap on.
Well, the only person talkin' 'bout love thy brother is the preacher
And it seems nobody's interested in learning but the teacher
Segregation, determination, demonstration, integration, aggravation,
humiliation, obligation to our nation
Ball Of Confusion that's what the world is today (yeah, yeah)
The sale of pills is at an all time high
young folks walkin' 'round with their heads in the sky
Cities aflame in the summer time, and oh the beat goes on
Eve of destruction, tax deduction,
City inspectors, bill collectors,
Evolution, revolution,…

Almost all the lines in this song talks about today but with added voices on ‘MeTo’, ‘Diversity’, ‘Dreamers’, and LGBT etc. America is a pretty confusing place right now for me as a Christian. The worst part about it is that the real issues seem to be taking a back seat to all the emotional things that distract everybody. Especially when you hear and echo, “The Russians are coming”!

We are having racial debates, "Police abuse/Police being shot" problems with border security, and discussions about religious freedom. We have thousands of troops in foreign countries. There are talk show hosts/media telling Americans that they are losing their freedom more and more every day although I haven’t seen anyone doing anything differently than they were before. They shout mean and disrespectful things about the former and present presidents at the top of their lungs. I find myself watching the news with a puzzled look on my face. I keep trying to figure out why there is so much bias both liberal and conservative, sides with no ears only thoughts of who is ‘RIGHT’. The Band plays ON not as one! But as being Self-Centered.

So, what does it mean to be “one”? When we are born again John 3:3, we are created anew in Christ Jesus. Our fleshly differences become secondary to our new nature in Christ. We are unified around the centrality of God’s Word. We have “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” Ephesians 4:5 Regardless of racial, cultural, or gender differences, God’s children hold to His Word as their final authority on all matters, including cultural and social issues. Some try to use “diversity” as an excuse to justify immorality or what's sinfully popular today (1 Corinthians 6:9). While we all have different sin strongholds, we cannot allow unrepentant sin to continue under the guise of diversity. The diversity God created is good; sin can indeed be diverse, but God has nothing to do with it.

Human differences such as race, temperament, and culture are to be celebrated, tolerated, and incorporated in our goal of being “one” in Christ John 17:20-23. Not with pride by it’s self. Pride is a sin. John taught that the pride of life “is not from the Father but is from the world” 1 John 2:16 in pride we become the objects of our own love; in humility we learn to love others. A person with godly love is not concerned with benefiting himself. The only thing love sees is the need.

However, when diversity is made into an idol, we become self-centered and divisive. When every difference is treated as sacred, selfishness rules and oneness is sacrificed in favor of individual preference. When we exalt our preferences over unity, we become demanding and proud, rather than selfless and forgiving Ephesians 4:32;Philippians 2:4.John 17:23 encapsulates the desire of Jesus for all His children. In this last, long, recorded prayer before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed, “I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” While we can and should appreciate the value of the various nuances of being human, our goal must always be to become more like Jesus. Romans 8:29

God Bless You and This Ministry!

Justified Through Faith

So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

 Isaiah 41:10

Have you ever been surrounded by people, yet you felt left out, different, like something was wrong with you? Especially when you get older you have lost a spouse, it’s hard for you physically, less friends at church and you get that uncomfortable feeling that there’s a youth movement going on and you don’t know a single person but you really wish you did? A desire to connect, communicate and enter into a ‘Happy Birthday phone call once in a while relationship!’

No one felt loneliness more keenly than David. In a series of earnest, heartfelt appeals to God, David cried out in his loneliness and despair. His own son was risen up against him, the men of Israel went after him, and he was forced to flee from the city, and leave his house and family. Lonely and afflicted (Psalm 25:16), his only recourse was to turn to God and plead for mercy and God’s intervention (Psalm 25:21) because his only hope was in God. It is interesting to note that the word “lonely” is never used in the New Testament to describe people. In the New Testament, the word “lonely” only occurs twice and both times refers to desolate places (Mark 1:45; Luke 5:16), where Jesus moved off into the wilderness to be alone. 

Now I know as Christians we desire to have a relationship with Christ and that we belong to God’s family but how do we begin to experience authentic love and real connection in the body of Christ?

Speaking out loud to others, I would say,” the church needs to create a Mentoring program between Senior Adults and Teens. The response often would be,” we tried that before”. To break out of this thinking means taking several steps forward:

Realize your need, move toward others, be vulnerable, change your thinking, take risks, be empathetic and most of all Pray, pray, pray and Trust God

Loneliness can be an embarrassing topic we don’t like to talk about or admit to. Yet all of us are familiar with it, to some degree, because loneliness is an inescapable consequence of the fall. I believe senior adults and teenagers in the 21^st century have some amazing similarities, interests, needs, and characteristics. When I listen to both groups as they are attaining a new status in life I hear three basic questions:

Who am I?

Why am I here?

Where am I going?

I often wondered why both groups don’t visit the others’ bible study class to dialogue about struggles, victories, and how scripture supplies answers to the three life questions of identity, purpose, and direction. To me this would be a start. Why not have a Senior Prom to celebrate significant milestones in life. Whether the milestone be physical reality or a spiritual symbol.

In Philippians 3:10, Paul uses the phrase, ‘the fellowship of his sufferings.’ So many of us love to enter into the fellowship of God’s joy, but Scripture also calls us into the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. And sometimes, we don’t need to avoid the pain or numb the pain; we need to look at that pain and ask God for a deeper joy.”

Whatever the cause of loneliness, for the Christian the cure is always the same—the comforting fellowship of Christ. That loving relationship with our Master has reassured and encouraged countless thousands who languished in prisons and even went to their deaths for His sake. He is the friend who “sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24), who lays down His life for His friends (John 15:13-15), and who has promised never to leave us or forsake us but to be with us until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). We can take comfort in the words of the old hymn that says it best: “Friends may fail me, foes assail me, He is with me to the end. Hallelujah, what a Savior!”

To provide for the mentoring needs of your local community of faith, speak to the leaders. Embrace with your words how we must be intentional, continually expanding the circle of mentors by “equipping others” to mentor within the Body of Christ!

God Bless You and This Ministry!