Giving Flows From Love
Love causes us to be generous.
What we love—we invest in and we give to.
In fact, God is the ultimate example of this.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave…” (John 3.16 NLT)
Giving flows from love.
Not For Later
Some things are better later.
In my opinion, lasagna is one of those things.
I always like it better on the second or third day.
When showing up at a party—I’d rather arrive late than early.
Bed time is better later too…
But not everything is for later.
Some things are better now.
In particular, I’m thinking about generosity.
Generosity isn’t something to hold off on, wait for, or reserve for a later date.
Unfortunately, some view it that way. They think…
“When I am rich.”
“When I am more holy.”
Most of us believe that being selfish is unacceptable.
However, many still see generosity as something for another day—like when they arrive on the big stage or eventually become more virtuous.
The truth is, generosity doesn’t make a grand entrance later. Instead, it always starts small.
My parents taught me this principle before I was making enough money to pay income taxes.
They taught me to give from my paper route income…
And I’m thankful they did.
Giving a few dollars THEN set the stage for future hundreds—and eventually thousands, LATER.
You see, the capacity of your generosity LATER is established by your generosity NOW.
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.” (Luke 16.10 NLT)
Your generosity LATER is being prophesied about by your generosity NOW.
When it comes to generosity, don’t wait for later.
Start where you are at, right now.
Rhetorical Questions
A rhetorical question is asked for effect with no answer expected—because the answer is obvious.
Rhetorical questions encourage the listener to think about what the obvious answer to the question must be.
Example…
How come no one ever says, “It’s only a game” when their team is winning?
The Bible asks rhetorical questions.
When Paul wrote to the church of Corinth, he explained that God’s Spirit uniquely empowers us with gifts to minister.
“A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” (1 Corinthians 12.7 NLT)
“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.” (1 Corinthians 12.4 NLT)
“God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.” (1 Corinthians 12.6 NLT)
“He alone decides which gift each person should have.” (1 Corinthians 12.11 NLT)
So the Bible tells us that there are a variety of gifts—all given by God’s Spirit.
Here comes the rhetorical questions…
“Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages?” (1 Corinthians 12.29, 30 NLT)
You know the answer to these 7 questions, don’t you?
It’s obvious.
We’re not, we don’t, we can’t.
But then Paul tells us what to do…
“Earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts…” (1 Corinthians 12.31 AMP)
So even though it’s obvious that we haven’t been given the same gifts and abilities, we should eagerly desire to be empowered by God’s Spirit with those gifts that are most helpful and beneficial.
I want to be used by God and empowered by his Spirit.
How about you? (See that? Another rhetorical question.)
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TO DO
—Read: 1 Peter 4.8-11 (NLT)
—Pray: Ask God to empower you with a gift that makes a difference in the lives of others.
Getting Your Jollies & Spilling Your Seed (PG-13)
I’ve seen some strange things in church under the label of being spiritual…
Shaking, moaning, crunching, roaring, shrieking, interpretive dancing—and the list goes on and on.
Generally speaking, whoever was participating in the weirdness really seemed to enjoy themselves.
It was good for them and they got their jollies from it.
But it didn’t produce new life…
People who don’t know Jesus weren’t being drawn to Him as a result of the antics.
In fact, it had the opposite effect.
It scared them, repelled them, and confirmed what they were already thinking: “this isn’t for me.”
I know this is crude, but I call these church antics “spiritual masturbation.”
Here’s what I mean: you had a good time and it felt good—but no new life came about as a result of the activity.
You got your jollies off and you spilled your seed.
The Bible actually talks about this.
A woman named Tamar had a husband who died before they were able to have children together. According to Jewish law, her husband’s brother should marry her and give her children. Onan (the brother-in-law) married her and slept with her, BUT…
“Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with her, he spilled the semen on the ground. This prevented her from having a child…” (Genesis 38.9)
What a slime-ball!
Onan was a selfish jerk—he got his jollies off and spilled his seed.
He had a good time, but he also prevented the possibility of new life.
And God was extremely displeased with Onan…
“The Lord considered it evil.” (Genesis 38.10)
Think about it: churches that are full of Onans will cease to exist.
It’s not about “what feels good to me” or experiencing some kind of spiritual ecstasy.
It’s about producing fruit, bringing about new life, and growing God’s family.
I don’t want to be a jolly-chaser or seed-spiller.
I want to be a life-producer.
How about you?
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TO DO
—Consider this evidence (or fruit) of the Holy Spirit’s activity in our lives:
“The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5.22, 23)
Confession: I’m “That” Guy
I have a confession to make.
I’m “that” guy.
I’m a charismatic, a pentecostal.
From my point of view, the gifts of the Spirit and the miracles of God are for today.
Yes, I believe God still heals. I believe God does supernatural things.
And yes, I speak in tongues…
A lot actually.
I prefer to call it “praying with the Spirit.”
I do this when words fail me and I don’t know what to pray for or how to pray about a particular situation.
I do this when I’m worshiping. I even pray with the Spirit while driving in my car (alone of course).
Maybe you think I’m weird. I can’t blame you if you do.
For me, praying with the Spirit isn’t about being weird.
I’m not doing it to prove something or put on a show.
Most people won’t ever hear me pray with the Spirit.
But God does.
He knows what I’m saying. In fact, it’s Him who is prompting me to say it.
My attitude about praying with the Spirit in public settings (like church services) is the same as the Apostle Paul’s: I’d rather have a few intelligible words spoken that benefit everyone than 10,000 words in an unknown language.
“I’m grateful to God for the gift of praying in tongues that he gives us for praising him… I enter into this as much or more than any of you. But when I’m in a church assembled for worship, I’d rather say five words that everyone can understand and learn from than say ten thousand that sound to others like gibberish.” (1 Corinthians 14.18, 19 MSG)
So, I guess I’m kinda weird and extremely practical.
As far as church services and other public gatherings go, I want people to understand and “get it.”
How about you?
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TO DO
—Read: 1 Corinthians 12, 14 in the Message Bible.
“Hidden” Features
Shari was asking me about replacing some broken CD players the other day.
I shook my head and said, “Use your iPhone.”
She looked confused. Then she asked, “There’s an iPod in there?”
Yup.
The funny (or sad) thing is—she’s had an iPhone for a few years now, and there has always been an iPod in there.
For whatever reason, the iPod has been a “hidden” feature to her…
It was always there, but she didn’t realize it.
Her iPhone is more powerful than a really nice computer from 1999.
My wife has been carrying around untapped potential.
This makes me wonder…
As Christians, how many of us are walking around with hidden features and untapped potential?
Do we realize what we have? The Spirit of God lives in us!
“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.” (Romans 8.11 NLT)
Sometimes, we’re like my wife with her iPhone—unaware of what we’re carrying with us.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the “spiritual gifts” God’s Spirit empowers us with: “This is complex and often mis-understood, but I want you to be informed and knowledgeable.” (1 Corinthians 12.1 MSG)
I don’t want my spiritual life to be full of hidden features.
How about you?
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TO DO
—Read: 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14.
—Ask yourself: “Has God given me any of these features?”
—Pray: “God, I’m open and willing to be used by you.”
Cleaning Out My Closet
I haven’t kept this a secret: I like to shop.
I don’t play video games, golf, fish, hunt, ski, ride motorcycles, play fantasy football, gamble, or go camping.
So, as far as guys go—I’m pretty low-cost.
There are just two things my wife complains about me spending money on: Starbucks and clothing.
This is rather embarrassing… my clothes take up the bigger section of our closet.
There’s only so much space.
If I don’t ever clean out my closet, there’s no room for new items.
That’s why I like cleaning out my closet.
It makes space for something better.
I think this is true in life.
We have limits.
Cognitive psychologist George A. Miller, in his paper “The Magic Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Processing Information” asserts that the number of objects the average human can hold in working memory is approximately seven.
Recent research has shown that without using “clustering,” the number is more likely three or four.
What’s the point? We have limits.
The average Supermarket carries approximately 45,000 unique items.
Have you ever had a difficult time finding something there?
Yup, we have limits.
How about friends? How many friendships can we actually maintain?
British anthropologist Robin Dunbar—in his book “How Many Friends Does One Person Need,” says we can only keep friendships with 150 people at any given time.
We have limits… and those limits require us to let go of one thing in order to make room for another.
Sometimes we have to unlearn something in order to learn something new.
Sometimes we have to stop one activity in order to make time for another.
Sometimes we have to remove a thing to make space for something better.
Jesus told the following story about limits and taking up space…
“A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’” (Luke 13.6-9 NLT)
Notice what the land owner said about the tree: “It’s just taking up space in the garden.”
In our lives, things take up space—and there is limited space.
Consider…
Is the stuff taking up space in my life fruitful or is it just wasting space?
Maybe it’s time to clean out my closet and make room for something new.
Maybe it’s time let go of some lower things so that I am able to embrace higher things.
Trading Up
Sometimes we give up something for a period of time…
Things like certain foods, a specific meal, TV, Facebook, coffee, sugar, etc.
I think the real point isn’t so much about “giving up” but “trading up.”
It’s not just about going without—it’s about using that time for something of greater eternal significance.
Even Jesus fasted. He went out into the desert to go without food and other distractions.
He was tempted. The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
But Jesus answered him by quoting Scripture: “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4.3, 4 NLT).
Jesus went without food and other distractions in order to concentrate fully on hearing from his Heavenly Father.
He was trading up.
In the month of October, I will be fasting Facebook and Twitter.
What a great trade! The time I’ve been wasting with online drivel will be invested in my relationship with God.
It’s a trade up.
As you consider what to fast (give up), be sure to also make a plan for how to invest that time for something of greater eternal significance (trade up).
It’s not just about giving up—it’s about trading up.
Treasure Hunt
Every day I go on a treasure hunt…
And every day I find something.
When I crack open my Bible and dig in to the day’s Bible Reading Plan, the hunt begins.
My approach is simple: I have a goal to find ONE thing. I’m asking God to show me something. I’m looking for a verse that really speaks to me—one that jumps up, points its finger and says, “I’m talking to you!”
Maybe this sounds a little simple and underachieving.
But to me, it’s pretty incredible.
I find treasure every day.
“I rejoice in your Word like one who discovers great treasure.” —Proverbs 119.162 (NLT)
Bookidy Book Book
I haven’t done this in a while.
So here I go… this is a list of books I recently read and enjoyed:
Weird: Because Normal Isn’t Working by Craig Groeschel
Lead Vertically: Inspire People to Volunteer by Craig Johnson
The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader by John Maxwell
Ordained Irreverence by McMillian Moody
Read This Before Our Next Meeting by Al Pittampalli
Mentor Like Jesus by Regi Campbell
The Accidental Creative: How to be Brilliant at a Moment’s Notice by Todd Henry
Karlology by Karl Pilkington
Happyslapped by a Jellyfish by Karl Pilkington
An Idiot Abroad by Karl Pilkington
And Here’s the Kicker by Mike Sacks
Do the Work by Steven Pressfield
Anything You Want by Derek Sivers
The Heart Revolution by Sergio De La Mora
Your Jesus Is Too Safe: Outgrowing a Drive-Thru, Feel-Good Savior by Jared Wilson
Misfit: Dealing with our God-Given Discomfort by Chris Durso
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Books I’m currently reading:
We Are All Weird by Seth Godin
Church Diversity: Sunday the Most Segregated Day of the Week by Scott Williams
The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out by Brennan Manning
NOTE: my website has Amazon links to these books in the Bookidy Book Book post http://www.briandolleman.com/