Good day dear friends. We arrived safely home last night, thanks to our gracious God. We had a wonderful time at this conference; we learned a lot and we were blessed a lot. One of the unexpected blessings of the conference was musical. Each of the sessions would begin with a time of praise and worship with the house band of Willow Creek. This is a very gifted band. But at one session in hearing the opening of a guitar and seeing the person on stage I told Paul Mayhew, "that guy is Glenn Kaiser or I think it is." "Who's Glenn Kaiser?" Good question. Glenn was the lead singer and guitarist for an early 70s Christian rock band by the name of Resurrection Band (my favorite!) who is now a pastor of a communal housing project for the homeless, drug addicts and prostitutes in Chicago. He switched from rock and roll music to the blues and he led the two afternoon sessions in our musical worship. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. After one of the sessions I went backstage to meet this man who had been only on my CDs and vinyl records up until that moment. He was as loving and gracious in person as he presented himself in his music. He knew San Marcos because one of his early influences in music lives in this area and is a musician with one of our area churches. Small world. Small world filled with blessings!
Here is our study guide for today.
Thursday: Read 1 Timothy 6:17-19. Underline the last verse! What is this verse saying to you about your life? What needs to change in your life to allow this to truly be a real statement of faith for you?
Here is that text in the New Revised Standard Version:
17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.
Here is that text in modern day translation from The Message:
6:17 Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage - 18 to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. 19 If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.
God created us for life and for relationship with Him. This in and of itself is riches beyond our wildest comprehension. But it takes faith to arrive at that viewpoint. Until we come face to face with that grace of God we can easily be led astray by the promise of wealth and riches that are "here today and gone tomorrow." Driving to the airport we saw the sign for the lottery that is now over $200 million. That used to excite me in thinking, like millions of people, what could I do with all that money? I know now that quite honestly it would ruin my life. I can now enjoy the home version of the lottery if I get tempted, which is to take my dollar bill, straighten it out nicely, then wad it up and flush it down my toilet. Same results given the odds. All that excessive wealth could ruin any person. Your phone that now rings with telemarketers or your kids asking for money, would ring with relatives you didn't know you had, not to mention the ones you did know about. And you would get calls from folks you don't even know asking for handouts or for funding for the next best schemes, etc. And as much as I've heard folks promising to give the tithe to the church, I'd have to find you first.
Friends, true riches live in our relationship with God. And we allow God to bless us through those, those riches carry over to our relationship with ourselves, and then if that's done correctly, to the relationship we need to have with others. Paul's instructions to Timothy were for him to preach the message of truth to all people, especially those in love and possessed by their possessions. Tell them to put their love and trust in God, Paul wrote. Tell them now to do good things for others and to realize that being rich comes in doing for others, and by giving beyond what you think you can afford.
One of the presenters said that he loves to give. He's a tither and beyond, but he loves doing and giving things to others. He confessed he's obsessed with clothing and loves shirts. (I think his pant choice is limited to jeans). He bought a shirt that he kept bragging about to his staff and how this shirt was so nice and on and on, and he was bragging to one staff member in particular about this shirt and then he heard God telling him, "Give away your shirt to this man." He got angry and said, "You didn't just tell me that did you, Lord?" "Yes, I did, give that shirt away." And he did and the blessing he received was greater than having possession of the shirt in the first place.
When it somes to your statement of faith, what does it say about your attitude towards material goods? Are you hoarding money and things? Are you still looking for money to make you rich and happy? Reread today's lesson. Happiness comes from God. And beyond happiness, fulfillment, meaning and purpose for your life is found in He who shares that which really matters and lasts forever.
PRAYER: God, continue to rain on us your riches. Pile them up! But open our spirits, our hearts, minds, and eyes to see that we have what truly counts for happiness, meaning and purpose already, and that's Your love. Let us love you back. Let us love ourselves. Let us love each other. We pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
