Finding Your Way...

Generous, Day 21 - True Life

2011-11-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Tim. 6:17-19

Love God. Live Simply. Live Generously.
This has been the challenge of every generation of believers since the time of Christ.

When God led the people of Israel into the Promised Land, Moses stopped outside the borders to have conversation. Over the last forty years, God had faithfully led the people through the desert, protecting and providing for them every step of the way. Their clothes had not worn out, their enemies were defeated and their future was secure. Everyone knew that they never would have made it a week without God.

And yet in his last sermon to the people of Israel, Moses expresses one concern: the Israelites tend to be a forgetful people. His concern was that once they settled in, they would forget who got them to where they were. His concern was that they would forget God in their wealth. (Deut. 8). Wealth tends to affect our memories as well as our priorities.

In Paul’s time, he gives the same type of warning in 1 Timothy 6. The church at Ephesus, where Timothy was ministering ( 1 Tim. 1:3) was a strong church, a vibrant church and a wealthy church. Timothy, who often struggled with boldness (2 Tim. 1:3, 2:1, 4:5), was given the task by Paul of challenging the rich to put their hope in God and not in their wealth.

According to Paul, they were to “do good”. I believe when Paul gives this command to “do good”, it was a command to do good in such a way that only a rich person can do good. He goes on and says “be rich in good deeds”. Again I think his is talking about the kind of good deeds that only rich people can do… “to be generous and willing to share”.

Today Americans own over half the worlds wealth even though we only number about 6% of the worlds population. By 2006, median family income in America reached $50,000, putting the average American in the top 1% of the richest people in the world. Even those individuals who live in poverty level in America ($11,000 per year) are in the top 13% of the wealthiest people in the world.

The question for us today is the same question that every generation of Christians should ask: Why do we have all this wealth? In this passage, Paul says that we have more than we need to help those in need. We are to help in a way that only rich people can help – with our finances. Financial investment in the kingdom is expected of every person who might be considered rich in this world. All of us will face God one day and give an account of everything we’ve done in this world whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:11). It is not a judgment of salvation, but a judgment of rewards (1 Cor. 3:10-15). In the end, God will accomplish his work, with or without us. You and I have the privilege of being invited into the work of God (2 Cor. 5:18-20), to live our lives for something bigger than ourselves, to use our worldly wealth as a tool (Lk. 16:9), and to use our lives to display God’s love (Mt. 5:14-16) to a lost and dying world. The determination of how we will live is shown by where we put our hope. Wealth is not our hope. God is our hope. (1 Tim. 6:17)

Possessions are not our life (Lk. 12;15), Jesus is (John 10:10, 14:6). So we are to Love God.
Earth is not our home, heaven is (Phil. 3:20). So we are to Live Simply.
Our treasure is not stored on earth, but in heaven (Mt. 6:19-21) . So we are to Give Generously.

Love God. Live Simply. Give Generously.
Take Hold of the Life that is Truly Life.

Generosity Challenge (Day 21) - Write a note of thanks to God for all he has provided for you. Acknowledge him as the owner of all things and commit to be more generous. Share your plan with your family – if single, with a friend.

Generous, Day 20 - Giving Your All

2011-11-05T08:52:00.000-07:00

A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Luke 18:18-24
As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4

For some of us, how we handle our money will become the story of our lives.

He had a question to ask. It’s plagued him for days as he thought about what the Master might say, but in his heart he was ready for the response. Walking briskly as he sees a break in the action, the rich young religious leader approaches Jesus and blurts out ““Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” His boldness startles the crowd, but not Jesus. He had come to expect such things from those seeking the answers to life’s questions. But this was a serious question…eternal life was in the balance. And yet Jesus without much fanfare simply replied, “Obey the commandments”. The disciples were stunned. After all, that was not the answer they expected. Wasn’t it Jesus who told them that in order to get to heaven, their righteousness had to surpass that of the Pharisees (Mt. 5:20)? Who could do that? And yet as the young man insisted that Jesus list off “Which ones?”, He insisted that he has indeed done so.

This response made the disciples indignant. What nerve. What arrogance. They couldn’t wait to see how Jesus would respond. But Jesus did not judge the young man. He looked at him and loved him (Mk. 10:21). Instead of judging him, he would let the young man’s actions be his judge. “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the hopes of this young man were dashed. It was an answer he did not expect. More prayers, more trips to the temple, more good deeds…he could handle all these. But Jesus had hit his soft spot. He had hit a nerve that drove him to his knees. If Jesus had challenged him in any other area, he would have willingly followed Jesus. But Jesus knew the one thing that rivaled God in this young man’s life. Money was his god and he could not part with this counterfeit god for the one true God. As the young man walked away, he thought he had kept the one thing that he needed. Instead he lost the one thing that mattered.
(Mt. 10:37-39)

Contrast that with the elderly woman who approached temple at a very slow pace. The pain of her frail body is only matched by the painful fear of her heart. She is about give God everything. It wasn’t much to anyone else, but it was all she had. We don’t know her story, but by Jesus’ reaction we can speculate that her husband had died and her children were gone. She had no family to speak of and, in her old age, society had forgotten her. Little did she know that as her two copper coins slipped from her hands, she had caught the eye and won the heart of the One who had all the resources of the world at His disposal.

As these two very different people walked away from Jesus, which one do you think had the more certain future?

Extravagant trust catches the eye of our Heavenly Father. The most fabled stories in the Bible are those of great trust in God with our finances. The widows’ oil (2 Kings 4), the woman with alabaster jar of perfume (Mk. 14:1-9), the good Samaritan (Lk. 10:25-37), the prodigal son (Lk. 15:11-24) , the boy with five loaves and two fish (Jn. 6:9), the Pentecost church (Acts 2:42-47), Barnabas (Acts 4:32-37) and the Macedonian church (2 Cor. 8-9). All gave generously and sacrificially to see the work of God advance. Extravagant trust results from extravagant love and results in extravagant giving.

When David was given the opportunity to select a place to build a temple for God, the owner, Araunah, offered to give David the site for free. David’s response was “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” (2 Sam. 24:24) He knew that honoring God and sacrifice were connected.

Jim Elliot, missionary martyr to South America, once was quoted, “He is no fool who should choose to lose the things he cannot keep to gain what he can never lose.” The young man did not understand this, but the old woman did. What is your story?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

Generosity Challenge (Day 20)– Go to Helping Hands and sponsor a child for $5 a month through Project Impact (www.helpinghandsinafrica.org). If you already do so, add another one! Challenge two friends to do the same.

Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

Generous, Day 19 - A Tool, A Test and a Trademark

2011-11-04T04:30:00.000-07:00

Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’ “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’ “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.’ “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ ” ‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’ “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Luke 16:1-14

This story begins with a manager who has cheated an owner. The owner finds out and gives the man a few days to pack up his things and leave. The deceitful manager knows that he has little time before he is out on his own with no support from the owner. But he also knows that with the little time he also has a little opportunity. So he takes advantage of his situation by going to those who owe his boss and makes deals to ensure his future.

“You are going to cut my bill in half?”
“Yep.”
“Do you have the authority to do that?”
(He looks at his watch) “Right now I do.”
And as the debtor leaves he looks back and says “Listen, you really helped me. If there is ever anything I can do for you, please let me know.”

The deceitful manager says “Thanks. Right now everything is good…but you never know what will happen tomorrow.” But the manager did. He had a little bit of time and a little bit of opportunity to sure up his future. And he did.

As the crowd is disgusted at this display of self-promotion at the expense of the owner, Jesus shocks the crowd by saying that the owner commends the deceitful manager. He then comments that “the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

We have a little bit of time and a little bit of opportunity in this world. We know that in the end we will be taken from here into eternity. But not everyone on this earth will go. Jesus speaks to the Christian (people of the light) and begs them to “Use worldly wealth” as a tool to help people gain eternal life. Our greatest investment, according to Jesus, is not in a college fund or in a 401K or in even in an inheritance or trust for our kids. Our greatest investment is in the eternal destiny of those around us.

He goes on to say that not only is money a tool for Kingdom growth, it is also a test.
Money is a test of our understanding of God as owner and ourselves as managers. To the one who passes the test, they will be given responsibility of true (eternal) riches. But the one who fails the money test will have little reward in heaven.

Finally, money is not only a tool and a test, but it is also a trademark. How we use our money is like brand on our clothing that declares our allegiance. If it is used to for God’s purposes, it declares that we belong to God and focus our lives on him. If the focus of our financial decisions excludes the things of God, we are sending a clear message to all around us that we serve a different master.

You have a little bit of time and a little opportunity. How are you using God’s money as a tool for ministry? Are you passing the test? What is the brand of your life? Money makes a terrible master but a great servant. It was meant to be a tool, not to rule.

Generosity Challenge (Day 19) – Involving your family in giving decisions is one of the wisest things we can do. Set up a family meeting to talk about your generosity as a family (if single, do this with a friend.) Ask for family input as to where you should give. If you have kids, figure out a way for them to be involved.

Generous, Day 18 - Under New Management

2011-11-03T21:44:00.000-07:00

And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ‘ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:16-21

When God blesses you with more, what is your first thought? That depends on your personality. For the spender, when the blessing is material (that is $$$), his first tendency is to invest it in himself without much thought as to the purpose or potential of such a fund. For the dreamer, the money was spent before she got it. She has a very developed “if only” list detailing the things she will buy when the money comes in. In that person’s life, as quickly as the income came in, it goes out. The saver feels that a more practical response is appropriate so she puts the money in a secure place in case she needs it in the future…her future. The entrepreneur, with all his business saavy, knows that the right thing is to reinvest it in the business.

The farmer in this story was very entrepreneurial. When this year’s harvest produced a bumper crop, he knew exactly what to do. He sold the crop, took the money and invested it back in the business. Anyone reading this story would have applauded the farmer for his prudent decision. Bigger barns would ensure room for this ever expanding enterprise of the wise farmer.

But as Jesus makes commentary on the story, he has two words to describe this kind of thinking– “You fool”. It seems really harsh to call this man a fool. After all, his story resembles a huge piece of the American dream – hard work plus wise investment leading to significant success.

However Jesus does not say that the foolishness of the man was not in the reinvestment back into the business. His foolishness was not with the first question “What shall I do?” His problem began with his first assumption “I have no place to store my crops.” My crops. And the delusion goes on. “My barns…My grain… My goods…” The foolishness of the farmer was to never realize that none of what he had was his. What he thought he owned was really just on loan. It all belonged to God.

Wrong assumptions always lead to wrong questions, which lead to wrong conclusions. Because it all belonged to God, perhaps the farmer should have asked a manager question rather than a owner question. Owners ask, “What should I do with my stuff?” Managers, on the other hand, ask a different question, “What does the owner want me to do with His stuff?” The distinction matters to God and therefore should matter to us.

After all, the Bible says we are not permanent residents in this place…we are aliens (1 Peter 1:1) and strangers (Heb. 11:13) who are just passing through. The Bible says that our life in this world is a mist (James 4:14)…like the grasses of the field that are here today and gone tomorrow (1 Peter 1:24). We are tenants that are here for a moment and then we go on to our permanent place in heaven (John 14:1). As such, we should not lean deeply in the comforts and riches of this world (1 John 2:15-17). Instead, Jesus encourages us to be “rich toward God”.

To be rich toward God means to put God and his Kingdom first in our lives (Mt. 6:33-34). To the person who does such things, God promises his attention (Mt. 6:4), his faithfulness (Phil. 4:19, 2 Cor. 9:8-11) and his blessing, both in this life and the life to come (Mk. 10:29-31, 1 Tim. 4:8).

God ends the discussion with a question for the person who stores up for themselves but is not rich toward God- “Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” In case you were wondering, the answer is: someone else.

Generosity Challenge (Day 18) – Figure out a way to sell something you own (garage sale, e-bay, craigslist) and give the proceeds to charity.

Generous, Day 17 - The Law of the Harvest

2011-11-02T02:30:00.000-07:00

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Cor. 9:6-8

At harvest time, a farmer goes out to look at his fields. The previous spring he was very concerned because he had limited amounts of grain in storage due to a drought. With no promise of good weather, the farmer had found himself wrestling with a question – what if there is a drought this year too? With the limited amount of seed, he was risking his future on the right amount of rain and sunshine. What should he do?

Regardless of the impact of outside forces such as rain or drought, the laws of the harvest stays intact. Those laws go as follows:

You reap what you sow,
You reap later than you sow and, in good seasons,
You reap more than you sow.

However, the most important laws of the harvest are as follows:

You cannot reap if you do not sow.
You will reap in proportion to what you sow.

How the farmer sows is really an issue of faith. If the farmer does not sow, he will not reap – there are no lottery winners in the harvest (Pr. 20:4). Also, if the farmer sows sparingly, he will reap sparingly and if he sows generously, he will reap generously.

In this process, there are certain things that are out of the farmer’s control. He cannot cause the rain or the sunshine, not can he cause the seed to germinate and grow. In a sense, all these things are in God’s hands. There are certain things that only God can do. On the other side, there are certain things that God expects from the farmer. He must till the land and plant the seed. A farmer who does not do his part should not expect God to do his part. The farmer cannot do what only God can do and he should not expect God to do what he wants the farmer to do. The farmer does what he does in faith.

The same principle applies in giving. Some of us are like the farmer who sees how little he has and wonders whether he should sow at all. After all, if he does sow his seed, he might be left with nothing. But the wise observer recognizes another fact – if he does not sow, eventually, he will definitely be left with nothing.

The Bible calls us to live as people of faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Without faith in any areas of life we are subject to instability in all areas of life (James 1:6-8). When we live in fear rather than in faith, we short circuit the power of God to do what He wants to do in our lives. We must not give up in doing what is right (Gal. 6:9). Our giving decisions are not impacted by God’s ability, but by our faith in God’s ability. They are not impacted by God’s character, but by our trust in God’s character. We will give cheerfully when we remember that God is the Lord of the Harvest. God is who He says He is and He can do what He says He can do. God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Generosity Challenge (Day 17) - Check out three of our partnerships. Go to Timber Bay www.timberbay.org, Youth Leadership www.youthleadership.org and Urban Homeworks www.urbanhomeworks.com. Also, go to Converge Worldwide, www.convergeworldwide.org. Take time to pray for each.

Generous, Day 16 - Give. Save. Live

2011-11-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Cor. 16:1-2
And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 2 Cor. 8:10-12

It’s impossible to be generous without a plan. Paul knew this when he talked with the church at Corinth. He knew there was a connection between cheerful and planned giving. The church at Corinth had a great heart, but had no plan. In many things in life, motivation without training is pretty much a waste of time. I know a lot of people who are motivated to exercise, lose weight, get an education, etc., but without a plan, it simply doesn’t get done. I believe people want to be generous. I also believe that they don’t know how to start. The journey of generosity begins with a plan.

In talking with the Corinthians, Paul suggests that they follow the pattern of the churches in Galatia (modern day Turkey). In Paul’s years of ministry and church involvement, I’m sure he had seen lots of motivated people who never got it done. So in this moment Paul suggests a pathway to generosity. He talks about prioritized percentage giving.

Paul begins by suggesting that giving should be prioritized. “On the first day of the week” In other words, before you do anything else, give first. That advice ties well with the rest of Scripture. All through the Old Testament you see the pattern of giving your first and your best (Pr. 3:9-10, Ex. 23:16,19) – in fact that is what God did (John 3:16). We see it in the life of Abraham before the laws of the Old Testament came into effect (Gen. 14:18-20), reminding us that tithing is not just a rule to be followed but a life priority to be lived.

Paul goes on to suggest that our giving should not only be prioritized but percentaged. He says each person should “set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income”. We see references to percentage giving in the Bible as a first step in generosity (2 Cor. 8:12-15), showing us that generosity is not measured in the size of gifts but the size of sacrifice (Luke 21:1-4). Again and again the Bible talks about giving God a “tithe” (Lv. 27:30, Dt. 12:5-7, 2 Chr. 31:5, Mt. 23:23, Lk. 11:42). “Tithe” means 10%…once again an example of percentage giving. Paul mentions that we should be “saving it up”, reminding us that Generosity begins with discipline. If you cannot be disciplined to save, you won’t be able to give.

At Cornerstone we call this progression Give. Save. Live. Give first, save second and live on the rest. As a starting point I would suggest a 10-10-80 plan. First give 10% to God in obedience to His word. Second, save at least 10% in savings and retirement. Finally, learn to live on the rest (80%). As your income increases, don’t assume that your lifestyle should also increase proportionately. Instead consider increasing your giving and saving. Learn to live on less for more.

In 2 Cor. 8:7, Paul challenges us to “excel in this grace of giving.” Giving should not only be prioritized and percentaged, it should also be progressive. A tithe is a starting point, not a finish line. Paul challenges us to continue to grow in generosity the same way we grow prayerfulness, evangelism, and study of God’s word. I would hate to think that my greatest days of faith in giving were the times when I made the least amount of money.

Prioritized. Percentage. Progressive.

Give. Save. Live.

Having motivation without a demonstration amounts to nothing in the mind of God (James 2:14-16, 1 John 3:17,18). If we fail to plan, we plan to fail. And although this can be very challenging to the person who has never done it, God promises to meet the giver where they are at and to provide for them as they learn to trust God (Phil. 4:19).

Generosity Challenge (Day 16) – As an exercise, take your income and multiply it by 10% (income x .10). Ask yourself, “What would I have to do to be able to give that amount away in 2011? (If you already tithe – that means give 10% – think about what you would have to do to increase your giving by 1-3% more.) Choose to become a percentage giver and make a plan to accomplish that step.

Generous, Day 15 - Counter Culture

2011-10-31T06:21:00.000-07:00

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you…Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:27-31,38

There is a counter-intuitive side to living for Christ. It goes against the flow of what we would think and feel. It defies logic and convention. Jesus was constantly challenging his followers to live life in ways that, left to themselves,would never have thought. Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you (Mt. 5:44). If you want to be great, serve (Luke 22:27). If you want to live, you must first die (Mt. 16:24). Counter-intuitive. And yet to the believer who follows these thoughts have transformed our lives and taken us to a whole new level of freedom, joy and power in life.

In these verses, Jesus gives us another counter-intuitive challenge – “Give and it will be given to you”. Jesus is not advocating becoming a doormat that others can manipulate and manage. He is insisting that there are certain things that simply are not important in life. There are some things in life that are of little or no value in keeping, but of great value in giving. First, Jesus says there is no value in holding onto an opinion but great freedom in treating all people with equal honor. Our judgment of people is irrelevant considering that there is only one judge (James 4:12). Second he says that is no value in holding a grudge but great power in forgiveness (Col. 3:13). In fact, it is in the context of this passage that Jesus cites the Golden Rule – “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” In doing so, Jesus say we fulfill all the requirements of God (Mt. 7:12).

In his third counter-intuitive challenge, he insists that there is no value in holding on to material things but great value in generosity. In fact he begins to talk about a “standard of measure”. Normally when some talk about measuring things the issue is equality or fairness. Not so with God. The return for our generosity is greater generosity from God. God has a tendency to overflow in his responses to us. He overflows in His favor (Ps. 23:5), His grace (Rm. 5:13), hope (Rm. 15:13), joy (2 Cor. 8:2) and love (1 Jn. 3:1). The Bible also say that he overflows in his return to us when we give.

Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Pr. 3:9,10

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. Mal. 3:10

Let’s face it. You can’t out-give God. As the owner of all things (Ps. 24:1), God has an endless supply to give. There is no need for us to be a people of fear when it comes to giving, for we are not a people of fear. We are a people of faith. We have a God that loves us, knows our needs and is able to immeasurably give more than we could ever ask, expect or even imagine (Eph. 3:20-21). Make the decision today to trust God and be generous.

Generosity Challenge (Day 15) –Go to www.generositysummit.com. Click on the media page and watch the Malawi Miracle, the Nelson Family and the single moms videos. Thank God for the generosity of His people. Ask Him what you should do.

Generous - Week #3

2011-10-31T06:14:00.000-07:00

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

In the first two weeks of this devotional we have begun a journey. In the first week we were reminded that God is the source of all things. Generosity originates with Him. In the second week we were reminded that the key to giving generously is living simply. If we never learn to save (to live within the means that God has given us), we will never love to give. Living simply means prioritizing God, creating margin and choosing life-change over lifestyle.

In this passage we realize that God is not only the source of our generosity, but should also be the focus of our generosity. The reason Jesus gives for focusing your giving on God is: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Mt. 6:21)

The terms “follow your heart” or “Go with what your heart says” is evidently really bad advice. According to Jesus, your heart is not a leader, but a follower. Jesus says that your heart follows your treasure. That means that you and I will always have affection for the things that we invest our resources in. Unfortunately, we live in a world that tells us that our greatest investment is in the “here and now”. According to Jesus, doing so will keep our focus on things that don’t last, or can be taken away. He reminds us that there will always be a diminishing return when we invest in things that will not last.

Jesus advises his listeners to invest in eternal things…the things of God. No investment in the kingdom of God is ever a waste. Not only does that kind of investment ripple into the future of many who may receive Christ or grow in their faith, but it also secures our heart on God. Jesus says our heart follows our treasure. When we invest in the things of God, we will develop a heart for God. The good news of this passage is this: if you don’t like the focus of your heart, simply move your treasure and eventually your heart will follow. Your affection determines your direction.

This week we are going to see that the Bible has not only challenged us to give, but to give generously. Generous giving takes more than just looking in your wallet during the weekend service, taking the leftovers and giving them to God. It involves intentional, thoughtful, heart-felt, sacrificial investment of God’s resources into God’s work for God’s honor and glory. And the two-fold payoff is advancement of God’s kingdom around you and a heart for God in you.

Generous, Day 14 - Reality Check

2011-10-30T04:30:00.000-07:00

And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. 2 Cor. 8:1-5

Giving is not only the responsibility of the rich; it is also the privilege of the poor. We see this in the writings of Paul as he tells of the amazing generosity of the Macedonian church. And yet to the Macedonians it was business as usual. In fact, the passage says that they “pleaded for the privilege” of giving. What do they know that we need to know? Here are a few thoughts:

The Macedonians knew that everything they had, they received as a gift from God (Psalm 24:1, 1 Chr. 29:11,14)
The Macedonians knew that their lives belong to God. God doesn’t want your 10%, he wants 100%. He wants you. We are challenged to give 10% in the Bible because it shows that we follow God and that we trust God.
The Macedonians realized how much God had done for them and they could not help but want to pay it forward to others. Generous givers understand grace on a level that the stingy person doesn’t.
The Macedonians knew that being involved in the ministry of giving was a privilege. They believed this so strongly that they gave “beyond their ability”– they sacrificed lifestyle for life-change!
The Macedonians knew that God’s supply was endless and that God’s character was unchanging. They believed they could trust him to take care of their needs. In fact Paul confirms that to them in Phil. 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

While most Americans live in an affluent poverty (having more than we need but not all that we want and therefore living a lifestyle that costs more than we make) which makes them slaves to debt, the Macedonians lived in simple liberty (living within your means so that you are free to do what God asks and what advances his work). The resulting freedom and joy of being involved in God’s work more than compensates for the lack of things.

The simple life lives on less to give more. In practical terms, people who live simply choose to 1) Be generous off the top 2) Increase savings 3) Decrease debt 4) Plan for emergencies 5) Pay with cash. If these are your practices, you are well on your way to building a foundation for a generous life.

Generosity Challenge (Day 13)- Invite someone over for Thanksgiving dinner (or just regular dinner) that you normally would not. If you have been invited to a friend’s house already, call them and ask them if you can bring a friend.

Generous, Day 13 - Synergy

2011-10-29T04:30:00.000-07:00

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Tim. 6:6-10

The simple life has figured out synergy. Synergy is the idea that when two things are brought together that they can do more together than they could ever do apart.

This passage reminds us that we brought nothing into this world and we will take nothing out. We are travelers who are here for a moment and then gone. Our lives are but a mist that comes and goes, a dot on the line, a drop on the pond of eternity.

We are told that living for the moment is a temptation and a trap that plunges people into ruin and destruction. Doing so will cause us to not only lose focus, but in many cases people lose their faith. In the end, we must all appear before God and give an account of how we lived our life. According to the Bible, our giving will have an impact on our experience in eternity (Phil. 4:17, Lk. 14:13-14). The person who lived for the moment (focusing on getting rich) will experience a total loss before God.

It takes the synergy of godliness and contentment to fight the love and lure of money (Matthew 6:24, Psalm 37:16, Psalm 119:36-37). We’ve already talked about contentment in this devotion (see day 3). Godliness is the pursuit of being like God in our character, actions and priorities. The Bible says that godliness does not come naturally; it is something we train to do (1 Tim. 4:7,8). The Bible says that as we discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness, it not only adds value to this life, but also the life to come (Mt. 6:19-21, Luke 16:9).

The simple life is a disciplined life (Prov. 1:1-4). To be a success the athlete makes choices to train daily, consistently and sacrificially (1 Cor. 9:25). Christians need the same level of discipline. We need to have the discipline to live within our means, to stay out of debt or get out of debt (Pr. 22:7, 26,27, Rom. 13:8).

We need the discipline to Give first, Save second then Live on the rest. When we give first, we show that God is the priority in our lives (Deut. 14:22,23, Pr. 3:9,10). When we save, we demonstrate discipline and wisdom (Pr. 6:6-8). When we live within our means, we show self control (Gal. 5:23) and that we understand God’s principles and priorities in our lives.

Generosity Challenge (Day 12)- If you have ever taken a financial training class, find your notes or notebook and go through your notes today. If you haven’t gone through training, go to www.mint.com or some other program and create a beginner budget. Evaluate your plan.

Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

Generous, Day 12 - The Mirage

2011-10-28T03:30:00.000-07:00

Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him. Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand. Eccl. 5:10-15

Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived (note: even his wisdom was a gift from God). In Ecclesiastes, he makes these observations about money:

The more you have, the more you want. (vs. 10) No one ever reaches “enough” because money is an appetite – the more you feed it, the bigger it gets.
The more you have, the more people come after it. (vs. 11) People with money have a hard time telling who is a friend and who is a leach!
The more you have, the more you worry about it. (vs. 12) (Although some of us worry about what we don’t have too!)
The more you have, the more you can harm yourself by hoarding/holding it. (vs. 13) The longer we hold onto things, the more power they have over us. The wise person holds loosely to what they have. (James 5:1-3)
The more you have, the more you have to lose. (vs. 14) The more you have, the more you will leave behind. (vs.15) So it makes sense to do your giving while you are living so you’ll be knowing where it’s going!

The simple life is a life of clarity. We must see money from God’s perspective and not from the world’s. If the wisest man in the world thought this way, then it would be unwise for us to think any differently.

Generosity Challenge (Day 11) – Carry cash in your left pocket (Between $5-$50) and look for an opportunity to give it away. Keep trying everyday until you can.

Generous, Day 11 - Contentment

2011-10-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Phil. 4:10-13

Contentment is a choice. The Apostle Paul writes this letter to the Philippian church as he sits in jail awaiting trial for his faith. He is not waxing eloquent when he says, “whatever your situation is, I understand.” In fact, if we were to look into the life of Paul, none of us would want to trade places with him! (2 Cor. 4:7-10, 6:3-12, 11:23-29).

In this passage, Paul reminds us of a few things:

Contentment is based in thankfulness. Thankfulness focuses us on what we do have, not what we don’t (Psalm 136:1, 1 Thes. 5:18).
Contentment is not connected to circumstances but the character of God (Psalm 7:17, Pr. 3:5,6). You can have lots of things or few things and be discontent and you can have lots of things or few things and be content.
Contentment is learned. Paul learned it in good times and he learned it in hard times. Under both circumstances, Paul chose not to lean too deeply into his circumstances – he wasn’t prideful when he had much or complaining when he had little. He chose in both cases to trust God. (1 Tim. 6:8, Pr.19:23, Hebrews 13:5)
Contentment is sustained by our recognition of God’s Presence, Power and Provision. God gives us the strength to be content. God has always been generous. He gives us what we need for salvation (John 3:16), defeating sin (1 Cor. 10:13), enduring life’s difficult times (2 Cor. 1:3-5), fighting spiritual battles (Eph 6:10-18) and living a godly life (2 Pet. 1:3). God gives us what we need to be content.

Philippians 4:13 is one of the most often quoted verses of the New Testament “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” It is interesting that this verse is rarely quoted in the context of contentment. It is best interpreted as “I can learn to be content in any circumstance because God will give me the unfailing strength to do so.”

The simple life is a content life. God wants you and I to be content with what we have. He does not want us to continually strive after things that don’t matter and won’t last. Rather he wants us to find our trust in Him.

Generosity Challenge (Day 10) – Figure out how much money you have given away in 2010 (if this is too hard, look at your tax records for 2009 and use that number). Calculate your percentage giving by taking that number and dividing it by your income for the year.

Generous, Day 10 - No Worries

2011-10-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?… But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Mt. 6:25-27, 33-34

Worry is the opposite of faith. Worry is dependence on self instead of God. All of us worry at times. But the Bible says we need not worry. Instead we should cast our cares on God because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). The worried person gets so caught up in their circumstances that they can’t function – they can’t eat, sleep, work or concentrate; they can’t see that God is at work (Psalm 121:4).

Worry is negative mediation. It is dwelling on the worst possible result of a scenario. It is a focus on what might be or could be rather than what is. It focuses on circumstances rather than God. It wastes time and energy. How many times have you worried about something that never came to be? Not one bit of worry can add any value to our situation. It is a complete waste of time. It also dishonors God because worry is the opposite of trust.

Trust is a choice to focus. It’s a hard choice (if it was easy, everyone would do it) because trust means that we don’t have all the facts or answers (Hebrews 11:1). And yet because we know the character of God, we know that our trust is well founded. Trust is only as good as the object of trust. Trust in God could not be in a better object. God is who He says He is and He can do what he says He can do.

Jesus told his followers not to worry for several reasons. First, Jesus says not to worry because the things we tend to worry about rarely matter in life. Our lives are not defined by what we eat, or drink or drive. Second, Jesus says not to worry because we have a Heavenly Father who loves us, values us and knows our needs better than we know them ourselves (Matt. 6:32). Third, he says not to worry because worry can’t change anything. It can only distract us from the most important things.

Jesus answer to worry is focus. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” If we focus on God’s priorities, God’s eye will be on our needs.

We fix our eyes on what is most important to us. Our tendency is to glance at Jesus and have a fixed gaze at our circumstances. Many of us are staring right now at our employment, our bank account, our budget or our bills. Others are lost in our worries about the future. Our gaze is to be on Christ, not on our circumstances. We are to seek FIRST God’s Kingdom and God’s Righteousness. To seek Him first includes prioritizing the giving of our time, talent and treasure to the work of God. We have no reason to fear. Our Heavenly Father knows what we need and promises to provide.

The simple life is a focused life. As we focus on God’s Priorities, we will experience God Provision.

Generosity Challenge (Day 9) - Check out www.generouschurch.com/videos. Go to the video section and watch at least 4 videos. (You can also go to the Author section on the right)

Generous, Day 9 - Do Less for More

2011-10-25T04:56:00.000-07:00

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Mark 4:18-19

Few things really matter in life. Jesus taught us that. When Martha engaged Jesus in a sibling rivalry asking him to command her sister to join her in preparations for a party, Jesus’ response was “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42). Martha was upset and worried about many things, but only one thing is needed…one thing matters.

In the parable of the soils (Mark 4:1-20), Jesus talks about four kinds of soil representing four conditions of the heart. The first was fallow ground like the path that represented those whose hearts were hard and unprepared to receive God’s word. A second soil was rocky ground, where the earth was shallow and so potential to dig deep roots in faith is compromised. A third type, the good soil, had what seemed to be exponential potential under the care of the Wise Farmer (Is. 55:10-11). I find the fourth kind of soil very interesting. As we dissect the story we realize that this soil has the same potential as the good soil. The only difference between the two soils is that something else already exists in this soil that rivals the seed – thorns. As the seed was sown, the soil’s previous tenant grows side by side with this new plant until it eventually overtakes it, literally choking it out until it is dead, killing of any potential harvest.

In this parable, the seed is the Word of God (Mark 4:14). The thorns don’t affect the hearing of the word, only the application of it. Jesus identifies the thorns that ruin the work of God’s word in our lives as well – “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things”. These issues have a tendency to choke out God’s word in our lives. They choke our time in God’s Word, our receptivity to God’s Word and, as a result the effectiveness of God’s Word. In order to become fruitful, the believer must rid him/herself of these thorns so that God’s Word can take full effect on our lives.

The simple life begins with repentance. The Bible teaches that there is a direct link between wealth and stuff and our walk with God. (Luke 3:7-14, Luke 19:1-10) We cannot follow God and pursue worldly pleasures (1 John 2:15-17). There is only room for one at the top. We must make room for what God’s Word says about the connection between faith and finances. We must repent – acknowledge that we have allowed other things to crowd out God’s desire for us in this area, ask for God’s forgiveness and renew our commitment to live according to His word.

Generosity Challenge (Day 8) – Go into your closet and collect the nice clothes you don’t wear anymore and give them to PRISM, Goodwill or some other organization that helps people with clothing. If you would rather, give the kids’ clothes as hand-me-downs to a neighbor or friend.

Generous Week #2

2011-10-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

Live Simply

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Cor. 11:3

There is simplicity to devotion to Christ. It doesn’t take years in church or a degree from a seminary to figure out the love of God. God’s love is so real, so visible and so tangible that if we only stop and think about what we have, we would see His generosity in a thousand forms and we would devote our lives completely to Him.

The two qualities of devotion mentioned in this verse are “sincere” and “pure”. The Greek word literally means, “uncompounded, singleness, simplicity.” The culprit in this story, the one who keeps us from keeping it simple, is “the serpent”. Satan has a cunning cleverness about him that seduces and deludes us into thinking we are on the right track when, in reality, we are on his track. No matter how it feels, Satan does not want what is best for you (1 Peter 4:8). He is a deceiver and the father of lies (John 8). He knows no bounds and has even tried to tempt Jesus with riches. We have a vulnerability about us. For our part, evidently we are easily “led astray” – easily distracted, corrupted and fooled because of the complex way we approach life and faith. This lethal combination of Satan’s power to deceive and our vulnerability to believe has been the downfall of many well-intentioned believers.

The solution to our problem is to get back to simplicity. During this week we will look at many thoughts about simple devotion to Christ and how to achieve that in our lives. Each day we will look at simplicity from a different angle in hopes that God will lead us down His path for our lives.

During this week, I would like to ask you to take notice of how you live and begin a process of elimination and prioritization. Eliminate the things that keep you from following God and prioritize the things that add to the strength of your faith. My prayer is that God will lead all of us back to the strength of a faith that is pure and sincere.

Sun Valley Church, Used by permission

Generous, Day 8

2011-10-23T02:30:00.000-07:00

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Mark 4:18-19
Few things really matter in life. Jesus taught us that. When Martha engaged Jesus in a sibling rivalry asking him to command her sister to join her in preparations for a party, Jesus’ response was “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42). Martha was upset and worried about many things, but only one thing is needed…one thing matters. In the parable of the soils (Mark 4:1-20), Jesus talks about four kinds of soil representing four conditions of the heart. The first was fallow ground like the path that represented those whose hearts were hard and unprepared to receive God’s word. A second soil was rocky ground, where the earth was shallow and so potential to dig deep roots in faith is compromised. A third type, the good soil, had what seemed to be exponential potential under the care of the Wise Farmer (Is. 55:10-11). I find the fourth kind of soil very interesting. As we dissect the story we realize that this soil has the same potential as the good soil. The only difference between the two soils is that something else already exists in this soil that rivals the seed – thorns. As the seed was sown, the soil’s previous tenant grows side by side with this new plant until it eventually overtakes it, literally choking it out until it is dead, killing of any potential harvest.

In this parable, the seed is the Word of God (Mark 4:14). The thorns don’t affect the hearing of the word, only the application of it. Jesus identifies the thorns that ruin the work of God’s word in our lives as well – “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things”. These issues have a tendency to choke out God’s word in our lives. They choke our time in God’s Word, our receptivity to God’s Word and, as a result the effectiveness of God’s Word. In order to become fruitful, the believer must rid him/herself of these thorns so that God’s Word can take full effect on our lives.

The simple life begins with repentance. The Bible teaches that there is a direct link between wealth and stuff and our walk with God. (Luke 3:7-14, Luke 19:1-10) We cannot follow God and pursue worldly pleasures (1 John 2:15-17). There is only room for one at the top. We must make room for what God’s Word says about the connection between faith and finances. We must repent – acknowledge that we have allowed other things to crowd out God’s desire for us in this area, ask for God’s forgiveness and renew our commitment to live according to His word.

Generosity Challenge (Day 8) – Go into your closet and collect the nice clothes you don’t wear anymore and give them to Open Arms Care Center, Goodwill or some other organization that helps people with clothing. If you would rather, give the kids’ clothes as hand-me-downs to a neighbor or friend.

Generous, Day 7 - Given to Give

2011-10-22T02:00:00.000-07:00

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:5

The Holy Spirit is the gift that keeps on giving. After Jesus resurrected from the dead, He displayed himself to the disciples for forty days. At the end of that time, Jesus told his disciples that the Father was going to send them a gift (Luke 24:49).

Little did they know that the gift of God would be God in them (1 Cor 3:16)!

The coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost changed everything. Not only did the Spirit come as a sign of adoption (Gal. 4:6), a source of counsel (John 14:26, conviction (John 16:8), comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-5) and power (Acts 1:8) as well as a deposit guaranteeing what was to come (Eph 1:13-14), but the Spirit also came bearing gifts (Eph. 4:7-13, Heb 2:4). These gifts were to be used to build up the body (1 Cor. 12:7), to bear witness of Christ (Acts 1:8) and to serve others (1 Peter 4:10). They were to be used as a demonstration of faith in love (1 Cor. 13).

God poured out his love into our hearts and He expects that love to overflow into the lives of those around us. He is the Source (1 Chr. 29:14) who has given us the never-failing Resource (John 4:13-14), who lives in our hearts and who give us the ability to pay His love forward. All believers are indwelled by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9-11), but not all believers live a life consistently submitted to God’s Spirit (Eph. 5:15-18). As we live and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, we are reminded that our gifts are a gift from Him to be used for His purposes. Those who are led by the Spirit will not carry out the desires of the flesh (Gal. 5:16) but the desires of God. The evidence of the Holy Spirit’s leading will include godly character (Gal. 5:22-23), evangelistic fervor (John 15:16) and unity (Eph.4:3-6). Most of all, it will demonstrate generosity. From the Spirit comes our ability to serve, teach, preach, encourage, give lead and show mercy (Rom 12:6-8). The Spirit is God in us, accomplishing his extraordinary work through ordinary people. When we give, we are most like God.

Generosity Challenge – Go to the website www.kiva.org. Read some of the life-change stories from around the world because of this micro-loan program. Share the site with a friend. (Perhaps your small group would like to work together to sponsor a loan for one of these people.)

Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

Generous, Day 6 - Generous Attitude

2011-10-21T02:00:00.000-07:00

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil. 2:3-11

Attitude is everything. I heard one person say “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.” Another said, “You can’t control anything in life except that attitude you have about it.” The Bible says that God looks at the thoughts and intentions of the heart (1 Sam 16:7) and that the Word of God judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb

4:12). If that is the case, then our attitude is huge.

Let’s face it…life can be very hard. There are times when we feel like giving up and giving in. That’s why Paul reminds us to adopt the attitude of the one who adopted us. He says your attitude should be “the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

Jesus didn’t demand his rights…he demonstrated his sense of responsibility. He knew why He was sent (Is. 61:1-3) and to whom He was sent (Luke 19:10, Mt. 11:28-30). He didn’t come to be served, but to serve and to give (Mark 10:45). His attitude was humble, His posture was obedient and His ambition was pure. He knew that there was more at stake than what anyone else thought in the moment, and He willingly (Lk. 22:42) and joyfully (Heb. 12:2) endured hardship, humiliation and shame to finish the work God gave him to do (John 17:4). This attitude glorified God and the response of the Father was to exalt Jesus. He lifted Him up and gave Him a great name.

Jesus modeled humble, obedient generosity. No sacrifice was too great to accomplish the work of God. The Bible says that we are being conformed into His image (Rom 8:29) and to follow in His footsteps. The night before he died, Jesus told his disciples “I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15.

The life of giving has Christ as its model. Giving begins with the recognition that there is something bigger going on in this world than me and that God has positioned me to accomplish His purposes in this world. The one who follows in the footsteps of Jesus will not demand rights but looks at responsibilities. He will be others-focused (Phil 2:4) and give willingly, joyfully and sacrificially. True followers of Christ, like Christ himself, strive to be humble from the beginning and obedient to the end. They choose to have the attitude of Christ in order to develop the character of Christ. They give freely and serve willingly. They choose to live a life of faith that surrenders, trusts and seeks Him, knowing that God is the one who rewards (Heb. 11:6) and exalts. The Bible says that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble and at just the right time He lifts them up (1 Peter5:5-6) and gives them great names.

We have been given a great name of “Christ-ian”. It means “follower of Christ”. No one can follow Christ and remain selfish. The believer’s life cannot be filled with pride, greed and selfish ambition. We must live for something bigger than ourselves. We should give and serve with a humble attitude, an obedient posture and a pure ambition. Those who bear the name of Christ should bear the attitude of Christ.

Generosity Challenge – The next time you go out to eat change your tip – 1) if you go to a restaurant that doesn’t receive tips, give a tip to the person cleaning tables. 2) if they do receive tips, double your tip (or double the bill as a tip!) Watch their reactions and thank God for the ability to do so!

Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

Generous, Day 5 - A Model Of Sincerity

2011-10-20T02:29:00.000-07:00

I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Cor. 8:8-9

Generosity is a test of our sincere devotion to Christ and our understanding of grace.

Sincerity is the goal of teaching (1 Tim 1:5), a requirement for leadership (1 Tim 3:8) and a characteristic of the wisdom (James 3:17), devotion to Christ (2 Cor 11:3) and love (Rom. 12:9). Most of all, sincerity is necessary to drawing near to God (Heb 10:22) and to love people (1 Peter 1:22). In observing all these things we also see that sincerity breeds generosity.

What fuels sincerity is grace. Jesus was full of grace (John 1:14)…so full it was able to overflow into our lives (John 1:17). Whenever the grace of God is understood, the gospel is advanced and lives are changed (Col. 1:6). When we truly understand what Christ has done for us, any request he might have from us would not be too great. Our tendency, however, is not to look at Christ, but to look at our circumstances (Matt 13:22, Heb. 12:2). When time is short or money is tight we tend to turn inward and fear takes over our decision-making. Paul challenges us not to look inward, but upward at the example of Christ. In the words of Gordon McDonald, Jesus “went from wealth to poverty in order that we might go from poverty to wealth. The central act of our faith was an act of generosity.”

Understanding grace is crucial to the Christian walk. We are saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8) and Paul challenges us here to “know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Understanding grace changes everything. In the Bible, grace and generosity are almost synonymous. Both stem from the same word (greek: charis). Other significant words also stem from grace - gifts, charity and winsomeness (charisma). The connection of these words is not random…when a believer grasps grace he will be generous. Understanding God’s grace on his life, he will use his gifts, abilities and resources to invest in the lives of others. He will open his heart to those who are less fortunate and help those in need. He can’t help it because grace, by nature, overflows, from Christ to us to others. When we practice such things, there is a winsomeness to our lives. When people experience grace, they experience Christ. Grace and generosity cannot be separated. Those who understand grace will live a generous life.

Generosity Challenge - Invite someone who has invested in your life and growth out to lunch or over to dinner. Plan it in the next two weeks and thank them for their investment in you!
Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

Generous Day 4 - Love and Giving

2011-10-19T02:30:00.000-07:00

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

It is impossible to love without giving. Impossible. By definition, love says “I will do what is best for you, even when it is hard for me, no matter what I get in return.” Love takes the initiative and acts sacrificially to meet real needs. It takes little account of its own needs, wants or desires and puts that other person first. Love will always require the selfless action of generosity…it is the nature of love.

God’s greatest demonstration of love was through the sacrificial gift of his son. Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Note that God took the initiative – He didn’t wait to be asked nor did He delay until we were worthy. God gift was also sacrificial – it was His only Son. The true sign of a generous heart is when you choose to give even when it hurts or costs you something (2 Sam 24:24). And unlike humans, God did not give us his leftovers. He did not wait until He had accomplished everything else He desired to do before He thought to give. He gave his first and best. And finally, note that His gift met real needs. None of us could die for our own sins (Romans 3:10) nor would we be willing, but God spared no expense to rescue us.

You can give without loving (1 Cor. 13:3), but you cannot love without giving. Our ability to give flows out of our understanding of the gifts we have received (1 Cor 4:2). We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19) and we give because He first gave to us. Reflect on God’s generosity to you today and let it overflow into the lives of others.

Generosity Challenge – This week go out and buy/bring cans (maybe a case) of food to give away to The PRISIM food center. Take a moment and thank God for that ministry. You can drop off the cans here at Cornerstone this weekend.

Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

Generous, Day 3 - A Great Dad

2011-10-18T04:37:00.000-07:00

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 6:7-12

God is our heavenly father. He loves you. He has not only adopted you (Eph. 1:5), but by His grace, He has forgiven, rescued (Col 1:13-14), redeemed (Eph. 1:7), blessed (Eph. 1:3) and He’s even given you an inheritance (1 Peter 1:3-5)! He’s not mad with you, He’s mad about you. We all know that our own fathers did not have it all together (and neither do we!) and yet they were able at times to give generously. How much more our Father in heaven who never changes (Mal. 3:6). He not only promises to provide our daily bread (Luke 11: 3) but so much more than we could ever ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20-21). Our Heavenly Father is generous.

All that being said, the generosity of God is not supposed to end with us. His generosity is so overwhelming that it cannot help but overflow from our lives to the lives of those around us. And when we do so, he promises to meet our needs (Luke 6:38, Phil 4:19). As we choose to live daily in His power, grace and love, our natural response will be to look for the opportunity
to spread the wealth of His love in our lives to others. How will you do that today?

Generosity Challenge – Get on a computer and go to www.globalrichlist.com. Input your income and see where you stand in comparison with the rest of the world. Challenge two friends to go to the website and have a conversation about it. Ask God what you should do with that information.
Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

Generous, Day 2 - Thank God

2011-10-17T02:30:00.000-07:00

David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” 1 Chronicles 29:10-14

David loved God. The Bible describes him as a “man after God’s own heart”(1 Samuel 13:14). David wasn’t perfect. In fact, if you know his story, you know that he made tremendous mistakes all through his life, including adultery and murder! Yet in his imperfection, he knew something perfectly well – He knew that everything worthy that he did, everything he had and everything he was came from God.

The moment of worship we see in this passage was the completion of a “capital campaign to build a temple for God”. As the leader, David led the way with his personal, sacrificial generosity and then challenged the people by asking “Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the LORD ?” (1 Chr. 29:9), implying that generosity and consecration (being set apart for God’s purposes) are linked.

The response of the people was overwhelming and David thanks God for this response. In his praise he acknowledges several things. First he says that everything belongs to God in heaven and earth (Psalm 24:1). I don’t think anyone would argue with that…after all, He is God! But then he reminds us that God is not only the owner of all things, he is the originator and source of all things. All things come from God, whether it be wealth,power,wisdom or influence. He says that even our generosity comes from Him.

When James says that “every good and perfect gift comes from above” (James 1:17), he is repeating the thoughts of David. So is Paul when he says “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Rom. 11:36). Moses warned the Israelites not to forget God when they moved into the promised land (Deut 8). His concern was that the accumulation of stuff would blind them to the fact that blessings are received not earned…they are also the gift of God.

Today as you think about all that you have…your health, your wealth, your life, your breath, your hope, your joy, your peace, your family, your friends, your home, your job and your future…would you take a moment to thank the owner and originator of all those things? Thank God for his generosity to you!

Generosity Challenge – Help in an area that you normally would not – for example, do someone else’s chore at home, assist a coworker in their responsibility at work, take a neighbors trash can back from the curb – and try to do it secretly if possible!

Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

Generous, Day 1 - God Is The First And Greatest Giver

2011-10-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

“In the beginning God…” Genesis 1:1

Generosity begins with God. Generosity is at the very core of his nature. It is evident in His thoughts, words and actions. From all eternity, our Heavenly Father had a plan to create you and me so that we could experience Him. He created all that we see and know for our enjoyment (1 Tim 6:17). The Bible says that He has lavished us with His grace (Eph. 1:8) and His love (1 John 3:1). It says that He has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) and that He withholds nothing from us (Psalm 84:11). Even when it talks about our beginning, it says that He carefully knit us together in our mothers’ wombs and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14). God is generous.

It also says that you and I were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-7) and that we are being conformed into His likeness (2 Cor. 3:18) and into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). If at the very core, God is generous, that means that there is no way for us to become like Him without reflecting that same trait. It is impossible for us to reflect His image without becoming generous from the core. Perhaps today is the day we choose to embrace the generosity of God as the path of His desire for our lives. We cannot grow in godliness without becoming generous.

Generosity Challenge – Buy a candy bar or some other small item for a friend/coworker/neighbor. Hand it to them or place it on their desk with a note. (Don’t make a big deal of it or expect anything in return)

Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

21 Days of Generosity

2011-10-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

Series Introduction

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving - 2 Corinthians 8:7

What if you could live a life without fear?What if you practiced real faith? What if you really believed in the promisesof God? Real faith collides with God's faithfulness through one powerfulpractice...GENEROSITY.

My challenge to you is to join me on this 21-day journey of generosity. Each day you will be given two tools to help you in your pursuit of the generous life. The first is a short devotion from God’s word that speaks to Biblical generosity. Read, reflect and react to the passages. The second is a giving challenge that will require you to give something…time, talent, treasure, touch or thought…to another person in the name of Jesus Christ. You will also be able to blog your experience with many others who are on the journey!

The goal of this journey is three fold. It is that all of us would:

Love God.
Live Simply.
Give Generously.

Each week we will focus on one of those three topics to see what the word of God has to say about each. Each day we ask that you do four things:

1) Read the passage and the devotion (if you have time look up the additional verses).

2) Reflect on what you have read and apply it to your thinking actions and relationships.

3) Remember to pass it on to someone else who may need an encouraging word!

4) Take the Generosity Challenge each day.

(Each day you will be given a task to accomplish as you walk in this journey with us. Don’t fight it – just do it! Then report it to friends or to the church through blog or e-mail.)

I believe this journey could be the transformation you are looking for in your walk with God. It will refresh your perspective and rejuvenate your life. I can’t wait to see what God does in you!

Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

McChurch...

2011-10-12T16:41:00.000-07:00

I was talking with a friend yesterday when they let me know they were looking for a "good church" and wondered if Cornerstone might be a fit. My response was a simple but tentative, "well that depends on what you're looking for..." To which they responded with a well thought out, strategic list, "We're looking for a church with a solid youth ministry. A children's ministry that focuses on the Bible and scripture memory. We'd also like an excellent worship experience with a Pastor who preaches "the word."

It's funny but in some ways I want all that too. Don't get me wrong. Cornerstone does have great people and programs but Cornerstone is also a place where broken people come for hope and healing. At Cornerstone we make mistakes - I know I certainly do... and when we do... we do our best to own up while seeking forgiveness and reconciliation. At Cornerstone we're messy...knowing we all have issues that God is helping us / challenging us to work through and change.

Yes, I do want excellence in the sense that I want to minimize any "glitches" that might get in the way of people experiencing God. The irony is that at times, God uses those "mistakes" to do the incredible...

Keep Making A Difference

2011-10-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

What an amazing week! On Sunday we concluded our series The Bucket List as we focused on overcoming regret. We had 16 people make decisions to say "yes" to Jesus. On Wednesday night a packed house celebrated as 10 students took the next step in their faith journey as they were baptized! That's as good as it gets!

Please be in prayer over the next few weeks as we continue out focus on connecting people to Christ and His community. If you haven't signed up for a lifeGroup...just take that step. To find our more contact Kary Cornerstone's Director of Community Life!

Is God Extinct?

2011-10-11T07:08:00.000-07:00

You're Invited to Is God Extinct? A discussion sponsored by Bethel University. The event will include a 30-minute showing of a portion of the documentary film, "Test of Faith," which explores challenges relating to the intersection of scientific discovery and Christian ministry/theology.

The focus of the evening (and of the panel discussion to follow the film) is on the implications for ministry and theology of contemporary research into the human brain. Questions like: Is the human brain "hard-wired" for religious belief? Is there a distinction between brain, mind and soul? Where does human spirituality come from? Are we really free to choose our behaviors? And what does all this have to do with pastoral ministry?

Join us on Thursday, October 13 at 7 pm in The Underground on the Campus of Bethel University. For more info click here.

A Salute To Courage And Heart!

2011-09-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

At times I am reminded that simple acts of kindness make a huge difference. Check out Josh Ripley a Junior on Andover's Cross Country Team, as he chooses to help an injured competitor...

Click Here For The CNN Video

Weekly Focus

2011-09-22T11:38:00.000-07:00

The staff at Cornerstone is doing something new...at least for us. Each Tuesday we are selecting a verse(s)of scripture and a couple of questions to focus on during the upcoming week. Our goal is to come together at our next staff meeting and discuss how that verse(s) is impacting our lives. If you'd like to join us on the journey here are this weeks verse and questions:

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” - Matthew 16:24

Question #1: Where is God asking you to deny yourself? Be specific. What does that look like?
Question #2: What cross do you need to take up? How do we do that?

Top 10 Apps...

2011-09-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

Here are 10 Apps that are making a difference on my iPhone, iPad and in life.

1. Dropbox afree service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere andshare them easily. Never email yourself a file again!

2. Goodreader is the PDF reader I useon my iPad. Great for presentations! Mashable describes it as “aSwiss Army knife of awesome!” Reviews worldwide hail it as “essential,”“the best,” “magnificent” and “the killer app”.

3. Zite is a personalized magazinefor your iPad that automatically learns what you like and gets smarter as youuse it. Zite gives you personalized news, articles, blogs, videos and othercontent from a variety of both mainstream and niche publications and sites.

4. Maxjournal is a simple way tomake a daily diary or journal, with extensive photo features. Designed to beeasy to use and easy to navigate.

5. Knotwars. If you likefishing but need some help on knots this is the app for you. Easyinstructions, great video. Specific recommendations geared to your styleof fishing.

6. Hipstamatic. I am surprised athow often I use this camera app. It mirrors the feel of an "oldschool" plastic camera (simple to use)...with creative elements that willleave you amazed.

7. Urbanspoon. Just choose a cityand Urbanspoon will give you everything you need to know about the localrestaurant scene. You get menus, reviews / recommendations and commentsfrom others passionate about the food and restaurant scene. I just wishthey would add a reservation feature (Open Table).

8. Mealboard. Manages your mealplanning, recipes and shopping list. Great app especially when you'reheading home and you get that urge for "The Loon Cafe Chili" butcan't remember the recipe.

9. Photosync enables me to share photosbetween my computer and my iPad, iPhone without a cable or wire. Easy touse...will also transfer photos to facebook, Dropbox, Picasa...

10. Evernote. Have you ever had agreat idea you couldn't remember? For me Evernote has been a lifesaversyncing everything from notes, photos or recordings between my computer, phoneand tablet

Bonus: Dragon Dictation. I just speakand dragon dictation converts "the conversation" to text. Youthen easily save, text or email your message.

These are 10 Apps that I am working with...so giveme one or two that seem to be making a difference in your world...

Hearing From God...Maybe?

2011-09-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

This weekend a couple of you asked, "Howdo I know if this 'voice' this push or desire is coming from God?" Great question. I believe hearing from God get's easier over timeas you grow in your relationship with him. You learn to recognize Hisvoice - the way he communicates with you. It's kind of like hearing astrange voice when you answer the phone - you have to ask, "Who is this?" Compare that to picking up the phone and hearing someone you've known for10-15 years as they ask, "How's it going?" You don't have towonder who - you just know their voice.

That being said, here are five questions weshould all ask when it comes to hearing from God.*

1. God is this really you? Wehave a lot of voices speaking into our lives and most of them are not God's. So ask God, "Does this prompting / idea come from you?" Does it line up with God's character - who He is?

2. Does it line up with the Bible? The Bible gives us a number of examples of how God would respond tocertain situations in life. Those examples are seen through His sonJesus. Check every voice, push or whisper you think might be coming fromGod with the thematic teaching of Scripture.

3. Is it wise? When God speaks, itrarely (notice I didn't say never) goes against wisdom and common sense. Throughout Scripture God encourages us to be wise and warns us againstthe dangers of foolishness. The problem is we often bypass wise lookingfor a quick or easy decision.

4. Does it connect with my character - who I am? Iget nervous when people jump at a voice that is encouraging them to go againstthe way they are wired, expertise and life experience. I'm not sayingthat God doesn't ask us to take a 180...but most often when he does, it get'sconfirmed in multiple ways. So look for the confirmation.

5. What do the people I love and trust think? This is the concept of wise counsel. When you sense God moving,talk to 2-3 people. Choose people thathave more life...more Jesus experience than you do. Describe thesituation...give them the story and then ask, "Could God be speaking hereor do you think I'm missing something?" Then listen. Justasking this question has kept me from making some huge mistakes in my life.

*Taken in part from Bill Hybel's book, The Power Of A Whisper:Hearing God, Having The Guts To Respond.

Thank You!

2011-09-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

Huge thanks to all our volunteers for making this weekend at Cornerstone amazing. Nothing happens without you!

Cornerstone, you continue to inspire and encourage. Thank you for making a difference in our community.

Scott

The Bucket List

2011-09-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you heard, really heard the voice of God? What would you do differently? How would your priorities...your life change? Join us on September 11-12 as we kickoff our series The Bucket List and discover the difference the voice of God can make!

Nothing Happens Without A Leader

2011-08-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

On August 31st Cornerstone hosted Leadership Night featuring Youth Leadership's Tiger McLuen. Tiger's focus is to educate, equip and encourage youth workers both in and out of the world of higher education.

A former youth pastor, Tiger currently serves as adjunct faculty at Bethel Seminary and is the author of two books, Equipped to serve and The Student Leadership Training Manual. In addition to teaching Youth Leadership’s intensive classes, Tiger is a popular speaker, author, consultant and mime. Tiger loves his wife Sue, his motorcycle and Chipotle burrito bowls.

We agree with Tiger - Nothing Happens Without A Leader - To Listen Click Here

Three Questions from our God, Love & Sex Series

2011-08-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

This set of posts comes are in response to a few common questions that came out of our recent series God, Love & Sex

Question #1: How far is to far (sexually) for unmarried people go?

Answer: As we take a look at scripture the Bible does not encourage any type of sexual contact prior to marriage (Eph 5:3, 1 Cor 7:1). The issue is more one of timing as a sexual relationship is reserved for the right person, at the right time, in a healthy way within the covenant of marriage. As followers of Jesus single men and women are encouraged to treat each other as brothers and sisters (1 Timothy 5:1-2). That being said there are other ways Christian men and women can build and grow in their relationship as they consider marriage. In some way's the question itself is an issue...asking in a sense, "how close can I get to sin" instead of asking, "how can I honor God and care for the other person."

On the pragmatic side, Nate made the comment, "If you're considering doing something you would be ashamed to tell your future spouse...you're going too far."

Question #2: What are some of the resources on that your staff recommends?

Answer: God, Marriage and Family by Kostenbberger covers virtually every subject. Mark Driscoll, out of Mars Hill, considers this "The theological book" to read when it comes to issues related to marriage. In pre-marital counseling we have utilized Love That Lasts (Gary & Betsy Ricucci), Sacred Marriage (Gary Thomas).

Regarding issues with addictions and pornography: Addictions by Edward Welsh is a solid, biblically based introduction and overview. We also highly recommend Mind Armor (www.mind_armor.com)

Question #2 How can Christians decide what they should and should not do sexually?

Answer: I found the following post by Mars Hill and Mark Driscoll extremely helpful: In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul lays out three criteria for Christians to consider when making sexual decisions, All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved by anything.

Is it lawful?

In Genesis we see that our Trinitarian God made everything good. The only thing that is called not good is that our first father, Adam, was alone. So, God made a woman, our first mother, Eve, to be Adam’s helper and bride. God then essentially walked her down the aisle and officiated the first wedding between the first man and first woman. Thus, God set the precedent that, though different, men and women are equal as his image-bearers, and that marriage is a gift for one man and one woman to enjoy, and as a result called all of this very good.

Furthermore, God created their bodies for sexual pleasure to be enjoyed in marriage without shame, saying in Genesis 2:24-25, Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Therefore, God’s intent is that men and women would marry and enjoy sexual pleasure without shame.

Simply, according to God, marriage and sex are related, connected, and exclusive. Sex as God intends it is for one man and one woman in marriage with the overarching purpose of oneness. Subsequently, by definition anything that contradicts God’s intent is sinful. Thus, sinful acts include homosexuality, bestiality, bisexuality, fornication, friends with benefits, adultery, swinging, prostitution, masturbating a person who is not your spouse, oral sex with anyone other than your spouse, anal sex with anyone other than your spouse, heavy petting outside of marriage, dry humping outside of marriage, rape, polygamy, sinful lust, pornography, phone sex with someone other than your spouse, sexual chatting online with someone other than your spouse, prostitution, pedophilia, incest, and anything else invented next to try and escape the clear teachings of Scripture.

In the New Testament, porneia (from which we get the word pornography) is translated as sexual immorality and encompasses all sorts of sexual sins; it is frequently used as a junk drawer in which every sort of perversion is thrown. This is because God in his wisdom knew that if he only listed certain sexual sins as off-limits, someone would find a loophole by which to keep the letter of the law while denying the spirit, and write yet another book explaining how to sin against God in a way that is biblical.

Lastly, it is vital to remember that your standard for beauty is your spouse. God did not give Adam and Eve a standard of beauty, but rather a spouse. This is because our spouse is to be our standard of beauty. Great trouble comes to a marriage when this principle is violated.

Is it helpful for me and others?

To determine whether or not to engage in a sexual act that is lawful or permissible (meaning that Scripture does not forbid it), we must also consider whether or not it is helpful. To do that we must ask what the Bible says about the functions, and freedoms of sex.

Regarding the functions of sex, the Bible gives the following purposes for marital sex, and each is beneficial to the marriage:

Pleasure (Song of Songs)
Children (Gen. 1:28)
Oneness (Gen. 2:24)
Knowledge (Gen. 4:1)
Protection (1 Cor. 7:2-5)
Comfort (2 Sam. 12:24)

Great problems occur when any one of these purposes is elevated as the sole or primary purpose of sex. When that occurs, couples will love sex and hate children, for example. Or, love children but only have sex when the woman is fertile, which biblically is not frequent enough.

Key Resource Mars Hill Church