May 01, 2008

Expelled

We went to see Expelled last night.  Very thought-provoking and worth seeing. 

April 30, 2008

Christian Home

After the dedication of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car.  His father asked him three times what was wrong.  Finally, the boy replied, “That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you guys.”

April 29, 2008

Bible Reading Marathon

This event reminds me of the Bible Reading Marathon we did during the last week of 1999 as a way to bring in Y2K. It’s cool that this is taking place in our nation’s capital. 

Remember, this Thursday is the National Day of Prayer.  If you live in the area, a group of people will gather at the Livingston County Courthouse at noon.

April 28, 2008

Feedback from Malaysia

“Thank you for this timely GREAT COMMISSION sermon which we are instructed by our Lord & Redeemer Jesus Christ to obey without any excuses and procrastination.”

Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA

I love the part about no excuses and no procrastination!  What is God prompting you to do today?

April 27, 2008

Scattered Strangers

Here’s the closing video for today called “Scattered Strangers” by Michael Card. 

April 27, 2008

Think of Me

Here’s the video we’ll play today for the sermon introduction. 

“As you choose what to wear, remember I try to stay warm…as you decide where to eat, hear my children who mourn…choose true religion because words don’t relieve…your actions they heal me…show what you believe…let me live in your mind…keep loving me…will others play blind…THINK OF ME.”

April 26, 2008

San Juan Del Rio

We’re having a spaghetti fundraiser tomorrow for our Mexico trips.  Alan McManus has just posted an update on the need for the Community Center, which our two teams will be working on.  Alan is Beth Hanna’s son-in-law. 

April 26, 2008

PCS

Pontiac Christian School is doing a great job teaching, training and discipling students.  I love watching how Dean Ridder leads the school and am constantly amazed at how much the faculty and staff do as they go way beyond normal expectations.  Our children have benefited greatly from their sacrifice.

Here’s the purpose of PCS: “To assist parents in guiding their children towards academic, spiritual, physical, social and emotional maturity. We strive to graduate students who are prepared for the academic rigors of higher education and who have the Christian character and faith to live their lives for Jesus Christ. The heart of our school is the teachers who serve as the “Living Curriculum.” Our dedicated and experienced staff is devoted to the success of each student and they provide their students with a daily example of Christian love and faith.”

Please pray for the school as they continue to live out their purpose.  They are trusting the Lord to meet a projected defecit of $29,000.  If you’d like to partner with them, click here.

April 25, 2008

Web Feedback

I read your blog entry “web world” and thought I would share a few thoughts.  Though I am pretty close to your own backyard, I take great interest in reading the blog and listening to the sermon for the week. Living in this fast pace society, where though the Internet we have the world at our fingertips, it is easy to become distracted and miss that all God has for us.

PBC’s web presence makes it easy keep an eternal perspective. To have a daily blog to turn to, and the ability to access hundreds of relevant messages with the click of a mouse, it is easy to bring God’s perspective on life’s issues into view, and too keep them on hand as I go about my day.  Though the blog, and the captivating illustrations that are woven throughout your messages I find encouragement, insight, food for thought, and at times even a dose of wholesome humor to keep me energized as I make my way down this rough and winding path of life toward a glorious eternity.

Having been given the privilege of going global with my faith in Europe where in many places the web is widely used. I believe that PBC’s website is something that you can point people to, and leave them with once you are gone.

Thanks for all that you as a church do to find relevant ways to share the gospel both here at home, and abroad. We have a global God what a privilege it is to serve Him on a global scale.

April 25, 2008

Facing Your Foe

Here’s another sermon from my “Rockford Files,” when I pastored at River Valley Community Church.  This one is 14 years old.

Facing Your Foe
Brian Bill
6/5/94

This is the time of the year for Family Reunions.  They’ve always been big in my family—my mom just sent us an invitation for one this summer.  It’s all planned—we just have to show up.  Family Reunions were always a highlight for me when I was growing up—I’d get to see my cousins, we’d play softball, wait for Uncle Butch to finally show up…and laugh a lot.

Reunions are not always a good time.  In fact, for some of you, you have no desire to be reunited with your family.  There are some people you would just rather avoid.

I read about another kind of reunion that took place recently.  Almost 20 years ago an 11-year old boy named Timothy Jordon stole some cassettes from a 17-year old named Lawrenz Pillow.  Instead of calling the police, Pillow took Jordon home to his parents.  Jordon was so ticked off that, 8 years later, he tracked Pillow down and shot him in the face, leaving him with a glass eye and a bullet lodged in his left eye socket.  Jordon served 18 months for assault.

Just last year, at a chance reunion in a Detroit barbershop, Lawrenz Pillow returned the favor by shooting Timothy Jordon in the head.  Jordon is now dead and Pillow is serving time in prison.  When Pillow’s wife was asked for her reaction, she said, “The boy never forgave him.”

This feud lasted almost 20 years and had a tragic ending.  This morning we’re going to wrap up our series on Joseph by taking a look at a family feud that lasted about the same length of time—but had a slightly different ending.

A Family Reunion

Joseph had 20 years to think about all that his brothers had done to him.  He probably relived that day many times when his brothers sold him into slavery.  He remembered the loneliness, the fear, being falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, being thrown in prison.  He had 20 years to come up with a plot of revenge.  And, now that he was the governor of Egypt, he had the power to make it happen.

He actually had several options.  He could have repaid them for all they had done to him.  He could have made them slaves right then and there—never to see their father again or taste freedom the rest of their lives.  He could have ordered them to prison where they would be forgotten.  He could have arranged things so that his brothers would pay with their lives for all that they had done to him.

He also could have sought revenge.  Just as word was sent back to his father 20 years ago that he had died, he could have sent word that his brothers were now dead.  In addition, he could have allowed himself to be filled with hatred and bitterness.  His feelings had 20 years to incubate—he could have been one angry young governor!

Actually, when you think about it, Joseph had every right to try to repay his brothers, to seek revenge and to hate them.  Let’s admit it—if we were in his shoes, we’d probably be feeling some of these same things.  When we’re wronged, it’s natural to feel this way.

List-keepers

Did you hear about the guy from Maryland who went on vacation a couple weeks ago?  While he was gone, his burglar alarm malfunctioned and shrieked incessantly for 6 days and 5 nights!  His neighbors were furious.  When he finally came home from vacation, one reporter asked him, “How does it feel to be the most hated man in America?”  The embarrassed man shrugged his shoulders and said, “All I can say is I’m sorry”.

I have a feeling that “I’m sorry” won’t be enough for some of his neighbors.  I suspect that some will never forgive him for his offense—he probably won’t be invited to the next block party!

Do you remember the anger that Bulls’ fans had toward Scottie Pippen a couple weeks ago when he refused to go back on the court for the final play of the game?  People were calling for his head.  I listened to a sports talk show the next day—callers were telling coach Phil Jackson to fine him.  Bench him.  Suspend him.  Trade him.  Cane him.  Or make him watch the Cubs.

Phil Jackson’s response was similar to Joseph’s.  When asked about the situation, Jackson said, “It was not a time for anger.  It was a time for understanding and forgiveness.”

Like Joseph, Phil Jackson had every right to take out his anger—to seek repayment and revenge.  But, he chose to forgive. 

It’s not easy to forgive, is it?  Especially when most of us are “list keepers.”  We keep a secret list of everyone who’s wronged us, taken advantage of us, embarrassed us, hurt us, and demeaned us.  And, when someone makes our repayment list, it’s only a matter of time before we avoid them completely, plot our revenge, or become angry and bitter.

There’s been someone on my list for a long time.  In fact, I just took him off the list yesterday when I was preparing this message—I couldn’t take the conviction!  When I was a senior in college, a friend of mine asked to borrow my car to pick someone up at O’Hare.  I nervously said, “Sure, no problem.”  It really wasn’t much of a car—it was a green 1976 Buick Skylark.  When he brought it back, he threw me the keys and said thanks.  I said, “No problem.  I’m glad I could be of some help—thanks for giving me the opportunity to serve you.”  I then ran out to the car to see if he had filled up the gas—the gauge was on empty!  That jerk—who does he think he is taking advantage of me like that? 

I’m embarrassed to admit it but he has been on my list for 10 years—all because he didn’t fill my car up with gas!

I know that many of you have people on your list as well—some have been on your list much longer than 10 years.  No doubt there are people on your list who’ve done more than just not fill your car up with gas…

Maybe it’s a parent who did something wrong…
An employer who took advantage of you…
Or an employee who ripped you off…
Or a friend who bailed on you…
A spouse who’s been mistreating you…
Or a spouse who left you…
A family member who gossiped about you…
Or a family that sold you into slavery..

1 - Express Your Emotions

That brings us back to Joseph.  I’m going to walk you through the process Joseph went through in forgiving his brothers.

During this unannounced and unexpected family reunion, Joseph first of all expresses his emotions.  The Bible says that when Joseph saw his brothers for the first time in over 20 years he was overcome with emotion.  I’m reading from Genesis chapter 45: “Then Joseph could no longer control himself…He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him!” (Genesis 45:2).

Joseph let his emotions fly!  He didn’t try to hold back.  After 20 years of pain, he unleashed his feelings.  Can you imagine what this must have been like?  This display of raw emotion probably terrified the brothers who at this point, did not know that Joseph was their brother.  It was important for Joseph to let his emotions out—to ignore them would short-circuit the forgiveness process.

Friends, don’t be afraid to express the hurt, the pain the anger that you feel.  It’s unhealthy to act like things are OK when you’re really hurting inside.  If you’re angry, admit it.  If you’re hurt, express it. 

2 - Meet Face to Face

The second thing we learn from Joseph is that he met his brothers face-to-face.  After Joseph expresses his emotions, he says to his brothers: “Come close to me.” (45:4). Joseph knew that he had to meet his brothers face-to-face in order to fully forgive them.

This step may even be harder than expressing our emotions.  Most of us would rather just avoid the person who has hurt us.  When we see them coming, we want to run the other way.

Jesus reinforces the importance of meeting face-to-face—whether we’ve offended someone or someone has offended us.  We’re covered both ways.  Listen to what he says:

“If your brother has something against you…go and be reconciled to your
brother.”  (Matthew 5:24)

That means that if you have wronged someone, you are to go and talk to the person, asking him or her for forgiveness. 

Later, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says this:

“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between
the two of you.  If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.”
(Matthew 18:15)

What this means is that if someone has wronged you, you have the responsibility to go and talk to the person about it.

We’re really covered either way:  If you’ve messed up and hurt someone, Jesus says to you:  “Go, meet face-to-face, and ask for forgiveness.”  If someone has wronged you, Jesus says, “Go, meet face-to-face, and extend forgiveness.”  The goal, in either case is reconciliation.

If you take what Jesus says to heart, you can’t just wait for the other person to make the first move.  It’s up to all of us to meet face-to-face when a wrong has been done—whether it’s a wrong done by us, or one that is inflicted upon us.

A couple months ago, I went and talked to someone in our neighborhood about something that was really bothering me.  It was hard to do but I went over, rang the door bell, and talked to them about it.  They were happy that I came over and talked.  I’m glad I met face-to-face with them because my anger was starting to turn into rage and bitterness.  The problem has now been solved.

A couple weeks ago, Beth and I realized that we had allowed something to happen that could have offended our neighbors.  Actually, it involved two of our neighbors.  We made several attempts to talk with both of our neighbors face-to-face about the situation.  In fact, our whole family went to their doors to talk about.  When we finally were able to meet them face-to-face, we apologized and asked for their forgiveness.  They both extended their forgiveness.

Friends, no matter how hard it is to do, it is imperative that you meet face-to-face with people who have harmed you—and with those you’ve offended.  Don’t ignore it, thinking that it will just go away.  It won’t.  Contrary to popular opinion, time doesn’t heal all wounds—only forgiveness does.  And forgiveness is not just an attitude—it’s an action.

I don’t know if you’ve seen some of the ads for the musical about Joseph’s life in the paper.  One I saw recently was a full-page ad that showed a picture of Donny Osmond as Joseph.  On the top of the page were the words, “Go, Go Joseph!”  Joseph did exactly that.  He went and met face-to-face with his foes.  It might be helpful to insert your name in the ad:  Go, go, Jerry meet your foe face-to-face.  Go, go, Susan, meet your foe face-to-face. 

Don’t leave this step out.  Don’t underestimate its importance.  First, express your emotions.  Second, meet face-to-face.

3 - State the Offense

That leads to the third step:  State the offense.  In working toward reconciliation with someone, it is important to verbalize the offense.  Joseph didn’t beat around the bush when he met with his brothers: “I am your brother Joseph who you sold into slavery!” (45:4).

When I met with my neighbors I told them exactly what was bothering me.  When we went back to ask them for forgiveness for our offense, we stated exactly what had happened.

In order to fully forgive, its important to verbalize what the offense is.  If you have something against your employer, meet with him or her face-to-face and state the offense.  If your friend has hurt you, tell him exactly what he did that offended you.  If your spouse has made you angry, put it into words.

If you don’t verbalize it, it will go underground.  Everything may look OK on the surface, but the wound has not healed.  A friend of mine was telling me one time about an accident he had that gouged his leg.  The injury went right down to the bone.  He said it formed a scab and seemed to be getting better. When he went to the Doctor, the doctor tore the scab away so that he could treat the infection underneath.  He had to do this several times before his wound healed completely.  As painful as it was, the wound would not have healed properly if the scab had not been removed.

That’s exactly what can happen to you if you do not verbalize the offense.  You need to remove the scab by getting it out into the open.  It doesn’t go away by itself.  It’s not easy to do—in fact, it’s painful.  The purpose of verbalizing is to get things out in the open. Remember the words of Jesus?  The goal is reconciliation, not a verbal assault.  Once you state the offense, you’re ready for the final step.

4 - Release the Debt

After expressing your emotions, meeting face-to-face, and stating the offense, step 4 is to release the debt.  Let’s pick up Joseph’s story again.  Joseph has just revealed himself to his brothers and reminded them what they did to him.  He now releases them from the debt by telling them:  “Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here.”  (45:5).

This is Joseph’s way of saying the past is over.  This is now the present.  I forgive you.  We are now reconciled.  Don’t worry or be angry with yourselves.  I release you from the debt.

That’s exactly what the word “Forgive” means.  It literally means “To give” to someone by releasing or setting them free.  You see, to not forgive means to hold someone in debt to us—we expect repayment and if we can’t get it, we either shut down or explode.  We keep our list and add people to it everyday.

The act of forgiveness means that we forgive the debt that someone owes us by taking them off our repayment list.  It’s like saying, “You did something that really hurt me.  I care enough about you to meet you face-to-face to verbalize the offense.  And now, I release you from all obligation to ever pay me back.  I forgive you.”

My wife Beth practices forgiveness all the time with me.  About a week ago, I said something to her that was totally inappropriate and insensitive.  As soon as I said it, I knew I should have kept my big mouth shut.  I apologized and asked her for forgiveness.  She said she forgave me.  As soon as I got to the office, I called and apologized again.  She said she forgave me.  On my way home, I stopped and bought flowers and apologized again.  She said she forgave me.  Later that night, after apologizing again, she said, “Brian, what you said really hurt, but I forgive you.  I’m not trying to punish you…just forget about it!”

Wow!  That’s true forgiveness—I’m fortunate to be on the receiving end of that pretty often—I give Beth plenty of opportunities to forgive me!  Even though she had the right to try to repay me for the way I had treated her, she released me from the debt.  She set me free!

It doesn’t always work this way in relationships.  It’s like the cranky old man who was on his death bed.  As he was laying there, he felt really bad about the hatred that he had harbored for years toward one of his former friends.  He called his old buddy and asked him to stop by.  They talked and got everything out in the open.  They shook hands in friendship.  As the visitor left the room, the cranky old man sat up in bed and said, “Remember, if I get better, the old quarrel still stands!”

When we refuse to forgive others, we are in essence holding them hostage.  That’s what Susan did in the drama earlier—she had no problem expressing her emotions, facing her foe, and stating the offense.  She was unwilling, however, to release her husband.  We do this all the time, don’t we?  It’s as if we’re saying, “Until I feel you have repaid me for the wrong you did to me, I will not set you free.”  To forgive is the process of giving up.  In forgiving we give up demands for perfect behavior, perfect justice, perfect resolution, and perfect retribution… and we begin to experience the truth that we are all fallible people in need of being forgiven. 

Someone has said, “He who cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself.”

Joseph’s Secret

Back to Joseph.  How do you explain him?  How could he walk away from an Indecent Proposal, wait patiently while he was in prison, and now forgive his brothers for all that they did to him?

We get a clue from something that happened later in his life.  After their father dies, the brothers start to get nervous.  They’re afraid that maybe Joseph will change his mind.  Maybe he just forgave them because of their father.  With the father gone, maybe now Joseph will get his revenge.  The brothers come up to Joseph and ask again for his forgiveness—secretly hoping that he really had released them from the debt.  They even offer to be Joseph’s servants for the rest of their lives.

Joseph will have none of this.  He has already given them their freedom.  He turns to them and says, “Don’t be afraid.  Am I in the place of God?  You intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.  So then don’t be afraid.  I will provide for you and your children.  And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.” (50:19-21)

Friends, you can’t understand Joseph apart from his relationship with God.  He could forgive his brothers because he had tasted the sweetness of God’s forgiveness in his own life.  He’s an amazing man not because of anything he was able to do in his own power.  No, he is an amazing man because he had surrendered his life to an amazing God!  When his brothers wronged him, he was able to trust God to bring something good out of it.

That’s the way it should be for us as well.  When things go wrong, when we’re hurt, when someone offends us—God can make good even out of the bad.  One way He accomplishes this is through our willingness to forgive.  As we express our emotions, meet our foes face-to-face, verbalize the offense and release people from the debt they owe us, we can begin to see good come out of bad situations.  In other words, God can and will accomplish His purposes even through your pain and hurt—if you will take these necessary steps along the road of forgiveness.

The Gift of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is really a gift that we give someone.  Joseph was able to give this gift to his brothers because he had first received the gift of forgiveness from His God.  To put it another way, you will find it extremely difficult, if not impossible to truly forgive, until you experience God’s forgiveness in your own life.

Some of you have been living with tremendous guilt for something that you’ve done or said.  You know it’s wrong.  You need to know that God wants to forgive you this morning.  That’s why Jesus came to earth—He died in your place on the Cross to forgive your moral failures, your ethical lapses, your harsh words, your sins.  In fact, just before He died, Jesus uttered the words, “It is finished.”  This literally means, “Paid in Full!”  It’s as if God took a bright red stamp and stamped “Paid in full” across the ledger sheet of your life.  Your debt has been paid.

God loves you deeply—more than you can imagine.  He offers you the freedom that comes from being forgiven.  You can experience that forgiveness by surrendering your life to Jesus Christ and asking Him to forgive your sins.  He’s waiting for you to ask—once you do, He’ll forgive you.  You can do that by praying something like this:  “Lord Jesus, I need you.  I confess my sins to you—I know I’ve messed up.  I ask you to forgive me for my sins and make me into the person you want me to be.  I now surrender myself to you and receive you into my life.  Help me to be as forgiving as you are when others offend and hurt me.  Amen.

As we see in Joseph’s life, those who have received the gift of forgiveness will naturally want to give that gift to others.  There’s a verse in the New Testament book of Colossians that says:  “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  (3:13)

Once we expereince God’s forgiveness, it will be easier to bear with one another and forgive one another.  After all, if we understand how much we’ve been forgiven, how can we turn around and not forgive others?

Application

I have two applications for you this morning.

Application #1.  Some of you need to have a reunion with God.  Because of your offenses, your relationship with Him has been severed.  Are you ready to receive the forgiveness that only Jesus can give you?  Don’t put this decision off—do it today.  You’ll never be the same.  You’ll experience freedom like you’ve never had before.

Application #2.  Others of you need to have a reunion with some people.  Let me ask you a couple questions:

1 - Who do you need to forgive?  Who comes to your mind?  As God brings that
person to mind right now, I want you to make a decision to unleash your emotions, figure out a time to meet face-to-face, verbalize the offense and release the person from the debt.  Who is it?  Who’s on your list?

2 - Who do you need to ask forgiveness from?  Who have you offended?  As God
brings that person to mind, I want you to set up a time this week to meet face-to-
face so that you can own up to it and seek reconciliation.

Forgiveness Day

Tomorrow is the 50th Anniversary of D-Day—the turning point in our fight for freedom.  Today can be a personal turning point in your fight for freedom—Forgiveness Day—the day that you determine, with God’s help to be forgiven, and to forgive others.  It’s time to stop the war—to go and make peace with those you’ve been holding hostage.

April 24, 2008

The Right Answer

Last night at our AWANA awards night I was sitting behind a young family.  When the little “Cubbie” went up to get her award she couldn’t stop smiling.  When she came back to her chair I asked her what she liked the most about AWANA.  She flashed a huge smile and said, “Jesus.”

Out of the mouths of children…

April 23, 2008

Global Gospel Needs

Take some time to click around and study this world map in preparation for Sunday’s message called “Going Global.”

April 23, 2008

Looking in the Mirror

Yesterday I mentioned the importance of reducing expenses.  This guy went a bit too far…

After being away on business, Tim thought it would be nice to bring his wife a little gift. “How about some perfume?” he asked the cosmetics clerk.

She showed him a bottle costing $50.

“That’s a bit much,” said Tim, so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30.

“That’s still quite a bit,” Tim complained.

Growing annoyed, the clerk brought out a tiny $15 bottle.

“What I mean,” said Tim, “is I’d like to see something really cheap.”

The clerk handed him a mirror.

April 22, 2008

Couples Night Out

My friend Lon Alderman and his wife Julie are putting on a Couples Night Out this Friday night with the theme “Love and Respect.” 

I’ve read this book and highly recommend it. Here’s a synopsis from the authors Dr. Emerson and Sarah Eggerich:

“A wife has one driving need – to feel loved.  When that need is met, she is happy.  A husband has one driving need –to feel respected.  When that need is met, he is happy.  When either of these needs isn’t met, things get crazy.  Love & Respect reveals why spouses react negatively to each other, and how they can deal with such conflict quickly, easily and biblically.”

This should prove to be a very practical topic for each of us as we invest in our marriage relationships.  In addition to a good topic and quality time with your spouse, you will also receive a wonderful pasta dinner (from Bernadi’s), bread (from Avanti’s), salad, and dessert (Baker’s Square).  You’ll dine at a table for two prepared specifically for you and your spouse.

Date: April 25th
Location: United Methodist Church
Time: 6:30pm to 10:00pm
Cost: $20 per couple

Please RSVP as soon as possible!  We only have room for 50 couples (43 couples attended our first event) so we will have to take reservations on a first come – first served basis.  To reserve your table for two, please call Julie at 815.844.4646.

Note: Reservations must be made by Wednesday.

April 22, 2008

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

While I embrace our responsibility to be stewards of the earth I would rather call today “Creation Day” instead of Earth Day for this puts the focus on the Creator.  This made me think of a sermon I preached back when I was pastoring in Rockford 13 years ago.  It’s called, “Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.”

My family and my co-workers can tell you that I have an obsession about recycling.  I love separating items into different bags as I rescue paper and aluminum from the garbage can.  I feel like I’m doing my civic duty even though I drive others crazy with my insistence on saving the environment.

Our church secretary Naomi probably feels the brunt of my obsession the most.  My motto is “Reduce—Reuse—Recycle.”  When we have a mailing that needs to go out, I try to get her to reduce the amount of paper we use by shrinking the margins, reducing the font size, or printing on both sides of the paper. 

When we do have paper that has printing on only one side, the staff now reuses it by running the other side through the printer or copier—our staff meeting agendas are often printed on the back side of old Band practice schedules!  My manuscript this morning is even printed on the back of some old paper!

Then, when there’s nothing more that we can squeeze out of the paper, I arranged for River Valley to have one of these blue recycling bins.  [Hold Up]  It brings me great joy to know that our used paper is now reprocessed into new paper so that we can reduce, reuse and recycle all over again!  Isn’t that exciting!

I told you I was obsessive!  This week I pled with the staff to keep my recycling obsession alive when I move on—they all just looked at me and rolled their eyes—well, when our landfill overflows, you can blame them!  I did my part!

Friend, if we want to find some financial margin in our lives, then I’m convinced that we need to reduce, reuse and recycle in the financial realm as well.

Reduce

Let’s first take a look at the need to reduce.  Part of the reason we’re living with little or no financial margin is because of our unparalleled love affair with consumption.  Simply put, many of us often get into trouble and destroy our financial margin because we buy too many things we don’t really need.  And, when our outgo exceeds our income, then our upkeep becomes our downfall.

There are really only three ways to improve financial margin—increase income, increase savings, or decrease spending.  The best option, in my opinion, is to simply reduce our spending—which is easier said than done.  Our culture seems to scream against restraint—all the messages we receive urge us to cave in and accumulate more things.

It might surprise you to know that Jesus said more about money then heaven or hell combined—He knew that most of us would struggle with our money.  Take a look at the verse that’s printed in your program. “Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

Jesus says it plainly—we’re all faced with the desire to have more.  If we don’t admit it and put up our guard, we will be consumed by it.  The word greed means the “thirst for having more.”  The reason we have to watch out is because we can begin to think that our life consists only of what we own.  If we have a lot, then we’re doing good.  If we don’t have much, we feel like we’re missing out on something—that we’re not really living.

An owner of a catalog store offers this interesting explanation of consumer spending patterns: “When people run out of money, they stop shopping.  But this lasts only about six weeks.  Then, whether their financial situation has improved or not, they start buying again.”

I struggle with wanting more just like you do.  We somehow feel if we just had more, we would be happier and life would be better.  Friend, let me say it strongly—having more money and more possessions is not the answer to finding financial margins.  What we need is not so much added things, but subtracted desires.

Part of the solution is to reduce our spending.  Spending more than we make has become a national obsession.  Our ensuing personal debt has become the sworn enemy of margin—it’s like a noose around our necks as we live surrounded by possessions we don’t really own.  The ads that shout out, “Buy Now, Pay Later,” should really read, “Binge Now, Pain Later.”

Friend, what do you need to do to reduce your spending?  Some of you need to make a decision to break the ugly American habit of spending more money than you take in—it will catch up to you sooner or later.  While I’m certainly not a financial expert, let me give you two suggestions that will help you reduce your spending, and in the process begin to restore some margin to your life.

First, develop and live by a budget.  This will help keep you on guard against always wanting more.  A budget is a great tool that helps differentiate between needs and wants.  River Valley’s Common Cents ministry can assist you in developing a budget.  Contact the church office if you need some help.

Second, and probably most important, get out from under credit card debt.  Remember this, every time you use your credit card, you’re really taking out a loan!  Let me illustrate.  Let’s say that I have the average $3,900 credit card balance and that I make the minimum $78 payment each month.  Do you know how long it would take me to pay this off?  I would be 70 years old and would have paid over $10,000 in interest at 18% annually.  And, that assumes that I make no additional charges on my card!

Look at it this way.  According to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine, when you pay off your credit cards, you get a guaranteed double-digit return on your money.

In a recent USA Today cover story, several financial consultants offered some advice that I want to pass along:

* Pay off as much of your credit card balance as you can.
* Consolidate your balances onto the card with the lowest rate.
* Stop using your credit cards and pay cash.
* If you’re totally maxed out financially, seek professional help.

Reuse

If you want to reclaim some financial margin, then the first step is to reduce your spending.  The second step is to reuse what you already have.  If the first step is not very popular, this second one is truly counter-cultural.  Instead of always thinking that we need more, the Bible urges us to learn the secret of contentment.  Listen to these words that were written by a man named Paul when he was in a cold and dark prison: “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.” (Philippians 4:12)

Let me give you the best definition of contentment that I have ever heard—Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.  Let me say that again: Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.  Instead of wanting more, God wants us to want the things He’s already given us.  Ecclesiastes 5:10 says that, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.”  But, when you reuse what you already have, you can experience contentment and margin in your finances.

Friends, let’s be honest with ourselves.  Most of us are like the man in the drama this morning.  While we might not be in a position to purchase a home in Beachwood Hills Estates, nothing satisfies us for very long either.  I like Mother Theresa’s insight:  “Once the longing for money comes, the longing also comes for what money can give—nice houses, luxuries, and more clothes.  Our needs will increase, for one thing brings another and the result will be endless dissatisfaction.  Ouch.

Are you endlessly dissatisfied or have you learned the secret of being content?  After Jesus quoted the verse in your program, he then told a story that makes a similar point:

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.  (12:16-18)

This guy is filled with discontentment.  Because he’s endlessly dissatisfied, he decides to build bigger and better buildings.

Friend, instead of always thinking you need to have more, why not make a decision to reuse what you already have.  Learn the secret of being content.  Or, as someone has said, develop a “Theology of Enough.”

The Wall Street Journal ran a front page article this week on Jeffrey Stiefler, the president of American Express.  He recently shocked the corporate world by announcing that he is quitting his $4 million a year job, including all the prestige and benefits that go with it.  His priorities have gradually changed from work to his family.  I like how the headline captured the essence of the story: “As American Express Loses Its President, His Kids Gain a Dad.”

I’m not suggesting that you need to do something so drastic, but some of you desperately need to become more content with who you are, with what you’re making, and with what you own.  When you do, you’ll begin to see some financial margin return to your life—and, if you’re married, your family will even benefit!

Another way to reuse what God has already given you is to engage in voluntary simplicity.  I was surprised to discover in my research that, according to a recent study, 28% of working U.S. adults have voluntarily reduced their income in the last 5 years because of changes in their priorities.  TIME magazine did a story last week on the “Simplicity Business,” which exalts the virtues of the simple life.

If you want to find financial margin, then reduce your spending by creating a budget and getting out of credit card debt.  Second, reuse what you already have by learning the secrets of contentment and simplicity.  That leads to the third step—get ready, this is really radical—recycle what you have by giving some of it away.

Recycle

That’s right.  Recycle what you have by giving some of it away.  The Bible makes it abundantly clear that everything we have ultimately belongs to God.  In Psalm 50:12, God says, “For the world is mine, and all that is in it.”  God is the owner, we are just the managers of all that He has given us.

When we give our money away, we’re really recycling it so that God can use it again to meet the needs of others.  Let me illustrate.  When Beth and I write our checks out to River Valley, several transactions take place:

1—We give back to God.  We’re reminded that He is the owner and we take our responsibility as managers seriously.
2—God then gives the money to River Valley in order to impact others with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.
3—Then, as others here at River Valley give back to God, it recycles again, so that together we can make a positive difference in this community and in the world.

Friends, that’s why we talk a lot about the joy of giving in this church.  If you want to experience that same kind of joy, then recycle your money by giving a percentage of it back to God.  Based upon principles in the Bible, I recommend that you aim at 10% of your income.  I know that sounds radical to some of you, but I’m absolutely convinced of its importance.

Now, let me shock you some more.  When we honor God in our finances, He will see to it that our needs are sufficiently met.  You can never outgive the God who has personally pledged to meet all your needs.

Let’s pick up the story that Jesus told again.  After this man built his bigger buildings, He became totally engrossed with himself and with his possessions—he had no room in his life for God or for others—he had a “possession obsession.”  Listen to his line of reasoning:

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.’” (12:19)

This guy was starting to coast.  He had it made—or did he?

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? (12:20)

Because he was focused only on himself, and did not recycle his money by giving some of it away, God calls him a fool.  He’s a fool because he neglected to prepare himself for the next life—he had made no deposits in the Bank of Heaven.  On top of that, when it’s time for him to die, all his possessions and his shiny new barns will disappear and be given to someone else.

Friends, what will God say to you when it’s your time to die?  Will he say, “You fool!” or will he say, “Well done good and faithful manager.  Thanks for recycling what I gave you?”  Jesus concludes this story with an application for each of us:

This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but
is not rich toward God. (12:21)

Let me ask you a question.  Are you storing up things for yourself?  Are you focused on always needing more?  If so, you’re in trouble—God says you’re not very smart. 

If you want to find some financial margin, I have some good news—you don’t have to become as obsessive as I am!  But, you will need to work hard at it by reducing your expenses, by reusing what you already have, and by recycling what you’ve been given by giving some of it away.

April 21, 2008

The Grace of Giving

The response yesterday was beautiful as we watched people live out this truth: “How we invest our money and our minutes reveals who our Master is.”  Many people filled out inserts indicating that they’re ready to serve.  Others responded with a willingness to support our summer missionaries.  One of our high schoolers going to Mexico received $600 after the services.  She was in tears.  Others asked how they can support others in need.  That makes me teary.

I love this church!

April 20, 2008

Crossmap

Crossmap has posted Rockin’ Robin.  Incidentally, our rabid robin is still pounding on our window!  Anyone have any suggestions as to how to get him to stop?

April 20, 2008

Get Service

We’ll be showing this video this morning. 

April 20, 2008

Web Around the World

Next Sunday the message will be called “Going Global.”  If you have been impacted by content on our website, would you be so kind as to leave a comment below?  Our comments are now enabled again and we’d really love to hear from you.

April 19, 2008

Money Management

Someone asked me this week for a recommendation related to managing their resources.  Specifically, where do we turn when we need some help giving, budgeting, saving, getting out of debt?

I encouraged her to check out Crown Ministries and Dave Ramsey.

April 18, 2008

Web Around the World

I just received the web stats for the first quarter of this year.  Here are some things that jumped out at me.

-We had almost 21,000 visits with 75,000 pageviews
-37% are new visits (8,696 “absolute unique visitors”)
-The sermon page and the two blogs (check out Pastor Jeff’s Awkward Dancer for some great writing, creative insights and to keep in touch with what God is doing in our students’ lives) are the most accessed parts of the site
-37% come to the site directly (these people likely have it “bookmarked”)
-34% are referred to the site from another site (Precepts is by far the largest referral with almost 21%)
-27% use a search engine to find our site

-People from 108 different countries have visited our site.  After the United States with 18,000 visits, here are some others:

Canada (599)
United Kingdom (512)
Australia (512)
Singapore (170)
Philippines (165)
South Africa (109)
Malaysia (97)
India (94)
South Korea (79)
Mexico (45)
China (28)
Romania (26)
United Arab Emirates (12)
Israel (11)
Kenya (11)
Indonesia (10)
Saudi Arabia (10)
Zimbabwe (5)

April 18, 2008

Expelled

Because I’ve not seen the new documentary called “Expelled” that opens today and because I’m not bright enough this morning to make perceptive comments and because I appreciate Ray Pritchard’s insight so much, I suggested that he post his comments on the movie.

Check it out and be sure to click on the links that Ray provides. 

I did hear that commentary about this film was the “number one” post on the blogosphere this week.  If you see the movie, let me know what you think.

April 18, 2008

Men’s Breakfast

Men, don’t forget the breakfast tomorrow (Saturday) at 7:30 a.m. at PBC.  Rich Maier will be speaking.

April 17, 2008

Web Ministry Feedback

Here’s a response to my request about the “Web World.”

I read your blog entry “web world” and thought I would share a few thoughts.  Though I am pretty close to your own backyard, I take great interest in reading the blog and listening to the sermon for the week. Living in this fast pace society, where through the Internet we have the world at our fingertips, it is easy to become distracted and miss that all God has for us.

PBC’s web presence makes it easy keep an eternal perspective. To have a daily blog to turn to, and the ability to access hundreds of relevant messages with the click of a mouse, it is easy to bring God’s perspective on life’s issues into view, and to keep them on hand as I go about my day.  Through the blog, and the captivating illustrations that are woven throughout your messages I find encouragement, insight, food for thought, and at times even a dose of wholesome humor to keep me energized as I make my way down this rough and winding path of life toward a glorious eternity.

Having been given the privilege of going global with my faith in Europe where in many places the web is widely used, I believe that PBC’s website is something that you can point people to, and leave them with once you are gone.

Thanks for all that you as a church do to find relevant ways to share the gospel both here at home, and abroad. We have a global God; what a privilege it is to serve Him on a global scale.

April 17, 2008

Web World

We continue to hear from people all over the world who access our website and I’m constantly thankful for the wonderful work that our webservant Brian Sullan has done.  I’ve asked him to send me the recent report of site traffic.  Here’s a highlight from Brian: “One stat I do know is that average number of visits per month was close to 7000 in first quarter of 2008, up from 5300 avg in all of 2007.”

Would you mind sending me an email explaining how our site has helped you grow spiritually?  If you’re from another county or state or country, could you let us know where you’re from and what you like the most about our site?  I’m preaching on the topic “Going Global” on April 27th and would like to share some of these stories.  Simply click on this link and .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

April 17, 2008

Proverbs on Parenting

I’ve been reading a chapter of Proverbs a night with one of our daughters and we’ve uncovered some truths that have been very helpful.  It makes for good conversation right before she goes to bed.

Pulpit Magazine has a list of ten parenting principles from Proverbs.  These are things we should be teaching our children:

1. To have a healthy fear of God (1:7; 9:10; 10:27; 14:26-27; 15:16; 16:6; 19:23)

2. To guard their minds (4:23; 23:7)

3. To obey you (1:8; 4:1-4; 6:20-23; 30:17)

4. To carefully select their companions (1:11-18; 2:10-15; 13:20)

5. To control their sinful desires (2:16-19; 5:3-5; 6:23-33; 7:6-27)

6. To enjoy sexual fidelity (5:15-20)

7. To watch their words (4:24; 10:11, 19-21, 32; 12:18, 22; 15:1-2; 16:23; 20:15)

8. To pursue their work (6:6-11; 10:4-5; 22:29)

9. To manage their money (3:9-10; 11:24-26; 19:17; 22:9)

10. To love their neighbors (3:27-29; 25:21-22)

April 16, 2008

Going Global

I’ve been emailing our missionaries to ask them for stories of what God has been doing in preparation for the sermon on April 27.  I received this response from Dan Wilson, our missionary with Next Worldwide and wanted to share it now instead of waiting until then.

Note: Dan has been to Kenya many times and now reports about his trip to Uganda, which is where many Kenyans have fled after the trouble in their country.  Incidentally, two PBC members are going to Uganda this summer with Dan and are now raising financial support.  Please let me know if you’d like to partner with them.

I just returned back from going to a Ugandan refugee camp of displaced Kenyans then to Kenya to an IDP Camp (Internally Displaced Persons) where people of a certain tribe are congregated together for safety’s sake.  The conditions are deplorable as you would imagine though organized and orderly from what we have seen and gathered. The long rains have started and most people are in small family tents and this is their wintertime so temps are in the 40’s or cooler at night in some areas.  Many have seen family members killed or beaten and homes, churches, and businesses burned to ashes since the violence started ater their Dec 27 disputed presidential elections.  Praise GOD, peace has returned and the government is functioning again.  People are starting to resettle if they are able to. For many they have no other option but having to stay in these camps, the indomitable spirit of the Kenyans shines through as we worshiped with 4 tribes in one service in a foreign land(Uganda).  Their worship was so pure and free it was so beautiful and I remember thinking this must be what heaven will be like!  Then during the testimony time in the service (remember they are encouraged to tell their stories as often as possible to heal) one young lady shared her desire to not go with her cousin into a life of partying and prostitution(a sad but often true underbelly of these camps) but wanted to give her life to Jesus and live for him.  She knelt right there in that camp with everyone watching and received Christ!  The people were so encouraging to her and you could sense the love and that she would be cared for.  One encouraging thing was that though these people lost everything and had to flee on a moments notice, we were so encouraged and amazed at how many Bibles were there on their laps during the message.  We also found an Evangecube trainer there that did not ask for anything from us but for an evangecube so he could use it with his Bible to witness to “his captive audience”.  The christians were so upbeat and not angry for what they went through but rather saw the displacement as a way for God to scatter the christians and their leaders to go to areas they would not have gone to before the violence much like the persecution of the first century church.
I also met Mary, who was one of only a couple people that survived the burning of the church in Eldoret where 30+ people were locked in a church and burned alive because of their tribe.  Mary was burned over 70% of her body and had just been released from the hospital the day I went to the Limuru IDP Camp.  As I lightly held Mary’s skin grafted gnarled fingers at her insistence, I started to pray for her and those that were affected by the unecessary violence.  Then I lost it as I truly felt as I was holding the hand of Christ.  I sobbed as I asked the Lord to heal her body as well as her spirit.  She said she was so blessed and truly believed that God sent us to encourage her and pray with her.  Thank you for allowing me to be your ambassador on Christ’s behalf and to have the incredible privilege of holding the hand of Jesus in Kenya.  To be able to share anything of value or encouragement to them as one of your missionaries was my high point of the year-and I get to take some of your people in June to hopefully experience the Lord in a brand new way as I was able to.  We could sure use some more help if anyone is interested-we, PBC and us, have worked together in Kenya for several years and now we get to give back a little by either going…

April 15, 2008

Too Much TV Time?

A man and his wife were sitting in the living room when he said to her: “Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state dependent on some machine. If that ever happens, just pull the plug.”

So, his wife got up and unplugged the TV.

April 15, 2008

Praise Report from Dare 2 Share

Be sure to read Pastor Jeff’s report about what God did this past weekend.

Jeff, thanks for your outstanding leadership in so many areas of our church ministry, and especially for what you’re dong for the students in our county!

April 15, 2008

Online Bible Study

Steve Staley passed along a link to biblos.com, an online parallel Bible site.

I used it this morning to do some background work on our passage for this Sunday.  Check it out.

Here are some Bible reading tips from the American Bible Society.

April 14, 2008

Worship on AI?

I haven’t watched American Idol for a couple years now so I’m not really up on this season but I did watch a clip where the singers belted out “Shout to the Lord” this past Wednesday on the “Idol Gives Back” show.  I was going to blog about this but I was a bit unsettled about it so I just kept ruminating.  I’m thankful that Bob Kauflin posted on this and I saw that he put it much better than I could.  Check out his post on Worship Matters and be sure to click the link at the end of the article for some insight from his pastor, Josh Harris.

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