Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Why so generous?

WHY ARE YOU SO GENEROUS?

Luke 14:12-14 NKJV
"Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

I met Clay Becknell at Lafayette Church of the Nazarene in 1982. He and his wife Mary sang in the adult choir which I led.  I soon learned the lore surrounding Clay and his love for Lafayette Church of the Nazarene. Clay and Mary had joined the church when it was a basement church on the corner of Southland Drive, Rosemont and Lafayette Parkway. They participated in every activity of the church, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School, special music, and various outreaches of the church.

Once the fledgling congregation began to outgrow the basement church, the main sanctuary above was the next phase. Soon, a Sunday School wing was the obvious and pressing need of the rapidly growing congregation. Clay and Mary sought God in prayer. Clay was a letter carrier for the US Postal Service. As he studied his growing pension, he realized that he had enough money there to make a significant contribution toward the Sunday School wing the church so desperately needed.

Clay did the unthinkable. In his 40's, he retired from the US Postal Service, took a lump sum retirement settlement, and gave it to the church to construct the Sunday School wing. Clay was unemployed for several months. Week after week he visited the post office. His former boss refused to rehire him. "You're retired!" Week after week, Clay sought the boss to hire him yet again. Finally, he relented, and Clay was again a letter carrier.

Why did Clay Becknell give so generously and sacrificially to Lafayette Church of the Nazarene?  Why did he threaten his own security and comfort? Why was Clay willing to extend his working career nearly to his dying day some 40 years later? Clay believed in the church's mission. That belief made him creative, generous, and sacrificial in his giving.

Why do you support Wesley Biblical Seminary?  Why are you creative, generous, and sacrificial in your giving?

Doug Carter's dad often told him:  "We can worship money and use God, or we can worship God and use money."

People give for various reasons: duty, debt, self-interest, superiority, and uncontrollable generosity.

"He dropped a penny in the plate and meekly raised his eyes,
Glad the week's rent was duly paid for mansions in the skies."

For some folks, Sunday offering may be a lot like April 15. We give out of a sense of duty.

Scott Rodin and Gary Hoag (The Sower, p. 23) wrote:  "Part of our journey is cultivating hearts that will make a free and joyous response to our call to be godly stewards, rather than a sense of legal obligation."

The woman who worshiped Jesus by washing his feet and anointing them (Luke 7:36-50) had a sense of debt and obligation.

There is a sense that each of us as believers lives in debt. We live with a sense of debt to God, institutions that have formed us, people who have mentored us, family, the local church, and to the broader Christian community.

WBS alumni may give out of this sense of debt.  Students historically pay 30% or less of the cost of their education at WBS.  A sense of debt or obligation is not entirely bad, but needs to mature and transform in its motivation to give.

Perhaps self-interest is in the emotional payoff of giving. Some give in order to create a sense of indebtedness or control over the recipient. Nevertheless, some people give with strings attached.

"If they don't do things my way I will cut off the cash. Let's see how long they make it without me!" Money becomes a tool to manipulate and control the church or ministry to which they give.

Some give to get. They have a skewed view of God and His Kingdom, and give in an attempt to manipulate and control God,  They see God as a sort of slot machine.

Others give to get certain emotions met.  Self-interest.

The Pharisees and priestly leaders of Jesus' time gave with a sense of superiority. The temple had collection boxes with trumpet shaped funnels. When you dropped your money into the funnel, quite a lot of racket ensued, insuring the notice of the crowds at temple.

"Such giving can be a cruel thing. It can hurt the recipient much more than a blunt refusal. When a man gives like that he stands on his little eminence and looks down. He may, even with the gift, throw in a short and smug lecture. It would be better not to give at all than to give merely to gratify one's own vanity and one's own desire for power. The Rabbis had a saying that the best kind of giving was when the giver did not know to whom he was giving, and when the receiver did not know from whom he was receiving." (Barclay in The Gospel of Luke, 1953, p. 196).

Jesus said, "“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly" (Matthew 6:1-4).

Lavish love for Wesley Biblical Seminary is all about the mission of WBS.  It's all about our students, our alumni, and the impact which God is allowing us to have on the world.  It's an unshakable confidence that what happens at WBS is of eternal significance and must be advanced.

Paul described this lavish love expressed through Generosity.

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

"But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully (lavish love) will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work... 
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (II Corinthians 6:9-15).

Ron Haas writes: "Your friends might not give just because they are your friends, but they might give 'simply because you are not ashamed to keep on asking,'  Be bold, but be gracious." (In Ask for a Fish, 23).  

There is a certain joy in generosity!

"A man may give because he cannot help it. That is the only real way to give. The law of the kingdom is this--that if a man gives to gain reward he will receive no reward; but if a man gives with no thought of reward his reward is certain. The only real giving is that which is the uncontrollable outflow of love." (Barclay in The Gospel of Luke, 1953, p. 197).

John Maxwell (Today Matters) said: "People give not from the top of their purses, but from the bottom of their hearts.  If you desire to become a more generous giver, don't wait for your income to change. Change you heart.  Do that and you become a giver regardless of your income or circumstances."

Rev. David McCracken often encouraged his congregation, "Don't give until it hurts!  Give until it feels good!  'God loves a cheerful giver.'"

Generous giving is not merely about transactions, it is about heart transformation.  Rodin and Hoag (The Sower) write:  "When I realized that my primary calling as a development person was to be used by God to cultivate hearts to be rich toward Him,  everything I did changed." (p. 11)

It is my delight to teach people the joy of giving lavishly, and experiencing the corresponding blessings of God.  God being my helper, I seek to model this kind of giving. Why do you give to support WBS? Duty, debt, self-interest, superiority, or lavish love with uncontrollable generosity.

"Fundraising... the transformational ministry of raising Kingdom resources." (Rodin and Hoag, The Sower, p. 37).  

Doug Carter (Big Picture People, p. 88):  "Giving is not God's way of raising money, it's God's way of raising people into the likeness of His Son."

John Maxwell (Excerpt from The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader) writes:

"Nothing speaks to others more loudly than generosity from a leader. True generosity isn't an occasional event. It comes from the heart and permeates every aspect of a leader's life, touching their time, money, talents, and possessions. Effective leaders, the kind people want to follow, don't gather things just for themselves; they do it in order to give to others. To cultivate the quality of generosity in your life, do the following:
  • Be grateful for whatever you have.
  • Put people first.
  • Don't allow the desire for possessions to control you.
  • See money as a resource.
  • Develop the habit of giving.
"The only way to maintain an attitude of generosity is to make it your habit to give-your time, attention, money, and resources. As Richard Foster says, 'Just the very act of letting go of money, or some other treasure, does something within us. It destroys the demon greed'."

http://wbs.edu/impact/ways-to-give/

Monday, October 30, 2017

The Tide of Opportunity

Numbers 13-14

In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, “Brutus and Cassius are discussing the final phase of their civil war with the forces of Octavian and Marcus Antonius. Cassius has been urging that they group their forces at Sardis and take advantage of the secure location to catch their breath. Brutus, however, advocates heading off the enemy at Philippi before Octavian can recruit more men. Brutus' main point is that, since "the enemy increaseth every day" and "We, at the height, are ready to decline" (lines 216–217), he and Cassius must act now while the ratio of forces is most advantageous. "There's a tide in the affairs of men," he insists; that is, power is a force that ebbs and flows in time, and one must "go with the flow." Waiting around only allows your power to pass its crest and begin to ebb; if the opportunity is "omitted" (missed), you'll find yourself stranded in miserable shallows.”  http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes/there-tide-affairs-men

Hear the words of Brutus:
“There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.
Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat.
And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.”
(Julius Caesar Act 4, scene 3, 218–224)

Dennis Kinlaw writes, “There is a ‘tide in the affairs of men’ that if seized leads to greatness.  If it is missed, one is left to wander.  Opportunities do not stand waiting at the door.  Are you among those who wander?” (This Day with the Master, March1).

When the tide of Divine opportunity is met with our disobedience, it results in our wandering.  When the tide of Divine opportunity is met with our obedient cooperation with God’s divine direction, blessings overflow.

God called the Hebrews out of Egypt in a miraculous divine Exodus. After two years at Mount Sinai, He was ready to bring them into the promised land of Canaan. Kadesh Barnea was the port of entry. Twelve spies examined the land. Caleb and Joshua were optimistic and called the people to occupy the land of promise. Ten spies brought back reports of fear and failure. Giants, walled cities, and certain loss was their testimony. The Hebrews failed to enter the promised land, and were cursed to wander in the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula until an entire generation of unbelief had died.

The consequence of failure to enter the open door of God’s leading was a factor motivating me to obey Jesus when He called me to Wesley Biblical Seminary. God had disquieted my soul for several years. Six months before accepting the position at WBS, a close friend died suddenly. I had an overwhelming sense of the brevity of life. Missionary pioneer, C.T. Studd's words resounded in my soul: "Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last." I knew that Jesus was saying "Go," but I did not know where He wanted me to go. The door to WBS opened quickly and unexpectedly. I must decide. I must trust God in faith. I must obey. 

Before me, I envisioned the consequences of disobedience. I knew that once God had called, disobedience would lead to destruction. I would lose everything I sought to preserve through my doubt and disobedience. My disobedience would poison it all. There was a tide of opportunity. The moment was now.

I have seen people wander their entire ministry lives, jumping from job to job, position to position... wandering.  I wonder where they missed it?  What was the door of opportunity that God opened through which they failed to enter?

Such a failure is not the consequence of simple error, a mistake in judgment, or a lack of adequate information.  Such a failure to seize the opportunity to which God was calling the Hebrews was a consequence of rebellious unbelief.  God indicated that this resistance was their tenth in a whole pattern of obstinate disobedience.  

Patterned disobedience is the consequence of unbelief in God.  This unbelief will doubt and question the very character of God, His self-giving love, and His foreknowledge of all that is good and blessed for His children.  

Faced with the consequence and self-imposed curse over our choice, we often react saying that we will fix it.  We will engage in a delayed obedience.  We will seize the moment.  We deteriorate to fleshly actions to fix the problems we created and we are chased from the mountains of Kadesh by the enemy.  What an embarrassing double failure!  The first failure was a failure to enter.  The second failure was a failure to accept God’s discipline.  These failures of the Hebrews resulted in embarrassment for God and His Kingdom.  Their failures diminished His name and reputation among the nations. 

The consequence for the Hebrews was that every person above 40 years of age had to die in the forty year wilderness wanderings.  Unbelief had to die before the Promised Land could be accessed and attained.

I’ve travelled this whole world over, lived my life in sin.
Now that I’m feeling sober, Oh, I’m going back to try again.
Call me a wanderer, a bum, I am, I’m going back to where I came.
From “leave all my friends behind,”  that is if I can find, just one, who’ll call me by my name.
Tired of livin’ this way.  Tired of cryin’ all day.  Oh, I’m going back to where I came.
From can’t forgive the life I’ve given.  So live and let live I’ve liven.
I’m going back from where I came.
(Traditional)

John Wesley wrote: "Why are we not more holy? Chiefly because we are enthusiasts, looking for the end without the means."  

Such was the tragedy of Kadesh Barnea.  The Hebrews rebelled and resisted at the thought of God’s means. God’s means meant accepting a minority report.  God’s means meant battle against giants.  God’s means meant to conquer Canaan now, by faith, through obedience, that would certainly grant God all the glory.  God’s means meant obey or suffer the consequences.  


William Barclay writes: “There are a great many decisions which have to be taken on the spot, or they will never be taken.  The moment to act goes past; the impulse to decide fades; there is a time to act and a time to decide... They put it off until a more convenient time, but it so often happens that the more convenient time never comes.  (In The Gospel of Matthew. vol. 2, p. 260).  

Are you seizing God's tide of opportunity in your life?

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Designed for a Purpose

“Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (I Corinthians 6:18 NKJV).

God made people sexual. He longs for us to find fulfillment in holy marriage, one man with one woman, in life-long covenantal love. His design is perfect, fulfilling, and rewarding. In our sin, we look for loopholes, alternatives, shortcuts. We want sexual fulfillment on our own terms. We sin, manipulate, control, cheat, lie, and steal to achieve our pleasure. But as Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones sang, “Can’t get no satisfaction.”

I worked construction with a man who said of sex, “If God made anything better, He kept it for Himself.” Sex is fulfilling when pursued within the Designer’s intent. But there is nothing more destructive to intimacy, individuality, and interpersonal relationships than sex when pursued for selfish gain.

“But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints...” (Ephesians 5:3 NKJV).

Years ago, I drove a 1988 Buick Park Avenue. It was a wonderful car. Opening day of deer season, I was hunting with some of my college students. After killing a deer and dragging it out of a mountain holler, I could not imagine carrying it out of the woods. I walked the mile to get the car and began driving it across the “four-wheel drive only” abandoned strip mining road to retrieve the deer. You know what happened. I mired the car is a greasy, slick mud hole, burying the front-wheel drivetrain up to the axle. A Buick Park Avenue was a perfectly wonderful car, but it was not an ATV!

God designed sex for holy marriage. Fulfillment with be obtained within His design and purpose. Outside of His design we mire our lives in enslaving sin and brokenness.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (I Corinthians 6:9 NKJV). 

Friday, October 27, 2017

Making Broken People Whole

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.”
(I Thessalonians 4:3-8 NKJV).

First century Thessalonica was saturated with sexual immorality. Pornographic  images, emblems, and customs of idolatrous fornication were everywhere.” A. T. Robertson wrote: “Pagan religion did not demand sexual purity of its devotees, the gods and goddesses being grossly immoral. Prostitute priestesses were in the temples for the service of the men who came.”

The word “fornication” refers broadly to any and all sexual sins in the imagination or the body.  Looks, gestures, thoughts, and sex acts are included.   Fornication is the root word for pornography, and it refers to all sensual, sexual sins including incest, prostitution, pornography, bestiality, homosexuality, lesbianism, pre-marital sex, extra-marital sex. Paul understood that if the new Christians were to be spiritually established, they must be sanctified wholly.  The old life of fornication-laced, sexually-saturated, pagan worship had to be left behind totally and completely.

Sexual sin breaks people. The headlines are filled with news stories that feature that reality. Sexual harassment leaves broken, hurting people in its wake. Affairs, divorce, one-night stands, molestation. Sexual sin breaks people.     

The Bible teaches that fornicators go to Hell!  Fornication must become a blood-cleansed, forgiven, cleansed sin of the past if we are to make Heaven our homes. Jesus says “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

I cannot imagine a more relevant message for today’s sex-saturated, immoral, pagan culture than Paul’s message to the Thessalonians.  People are living in gross sexual immorality and pagan fornication.  Deliverance in Christ demands holiness.  Jesus breaks the enslaving chains of sexual sin! He wants to gift us with a holiness that is not man-made. This holiness is not about rules and self-discipline. It is about transformation.

We feel guilty when we sin. God convicts our hearts that we are wrong. He calls us to repentance and faith in Jesus. He forgives, cleanses and gives us His Holy Spirit. He calls us to be holy.

Paul calls the Thessalonians of the first century, and the church of the 21st century, to experience the Christian transformation of heart holiness through entire sanctification, so that we, too, may be relevant, transformational agents of God’s grace in a hurting, broken, sex saturated culture, much like Thessalonica.


God wants to sanctify us so that we may live sexually pure lives, maritally faithful lives, humanly whole lives, brother-honoring lives, holy lives, and God-worshiping lives.