Church

This past weekend I spoke at Mountainview about how we develop distorted views of money and wealth.  To return to a healthy, Christ-centered perspective on money we have to break three common connections.  I'll be sharing them here on the blog. 1.  Break the connection between money and security. We have this idea that we'll be secure when we reach a certain income level or savings amount.  We talk about "financial independence" and think that reaching a certain dollar amount is the key to stability and safety.  Unfortunately, the target we have in mind never stays static because the cost of living goes up, newer and bigger toys are invented. The irony is this: Thinking we need more stuff to be secure makes God unnecessary. The truth is: Wealth is fleeting and God is not.  King Solomon once wrote these words: "Cast but a glance at riches, and they are…

I shared the "Toddler's Rules of Possession" on Sunday in talking about keeping a healthy perspective on money.  These are not unique to me -- I first heard them years ago.  But here they are.  Enjoy! Toddler’s Rules of Possession If I like it, it’s mine. If it’s in my hand, it’s mine. If I can take it from you, it’s mine. If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine. If it’s mine, it must NEVER appear to be yours in anyway. If I’m doing or building something, all the pieces are mine. If it looks just like mine, it is mine. If I saw it first, it’s mine. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine. If it’s broken, it’s yours.

We do not value weakness – in fact, we avoid any sign of weakness.  It's one of the reasons we so easily go into debt -- so as to not appear weak. In some respects, it's like the person at the gym who uses 40lbs on the tricep machine but switches it to 70lbs when finished.  We want the next person to think we’re stronger than we really are. "How are you doing?"  "How is work?"  "How is your marriage?"  It’s all GREAT. Paul understood that we are impressed by strength ... so he changes the perspective: "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness" (2 Corinthians 11:30). When was the last time you bragged about a weakness?  “You know what, I’m not getting it all done.” It's only when we admit our weaknesses that God is allowed to work in our lives.  Before…

"There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as if nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is" (Albert Einstein). For most of our married life, we've been blessed to live in beautiful areas (I'm ruling out our first apartment in Henderson, Tennessee, that had holes in the floor and mold on the walls.  But it was cheap!).  We've lived near the ocean and now the Rocky Mountains.  We've had the privilege of crossing over the Golden Gate bridge and having a breath-taking view of San Francisco.  One of our favorite family vacations was our trip to New Hampshire and Vermont during foliage season. Most every sunset in San Diego was beautiful.  It would fall below the horizon, where the sky met the Pacific Ocean.  Here in Colorado, the sun sets over the Rocky Mountains, painting the peaks with brilliant colors. But here's the…

Paul tells a remarkable, inspiring story in his second letter to the Corinthian church. The Jerusalem church has been hit by an economic depression and Paul is collecting funds to send back to the believers.  He's meeting a bit of resistance from the Corinthian church.  Although the church was in a wealthy region, some seemed reluctant to give.  Perhaps it's an instinct to pull back when times get tough. To inspire the Corinthians, Paul tells the story of the Macedonian church.  No two churches could be much more different.  While the Corinthians were wealthy and affluent, the Macedonians were more lower to middle class. What do we learn? 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…