March 8th Generosity Devotional

March 8, 2013

I Dreamed a Dream

In the classic story of “Les Miserables” Fantine finds herself rejected by the man she loves and by society.  As she faces her final hours she expresses her bitter disappointment in life and declares that “life has killed the dream I dreamed.”  I personally love the passion with which she sings this song and identify strongly with the concept of having a dream.

I have a dream. 

Through my early years the wounds of abuse and the sins associated with my sexual addiction produced a boat load of guilt and shame that sent me into hiding.  I found church to be an easy place to hide.  The outward structure of religiosity and the shallowness of the church’s teaching which centered on theology allowed me to look good on the outside and continue to harbor my secret sin and shame.  The sin and shame grew in hiding and nearly killed me

I have a dream.

I have a dream that there will be a church where people who struggle are free to share, free to receive God’s grace, free to work through their past without condemnation and shame, free to celebrate their victories and be comforted in their defeats.  I have a dream that the message of grace and the counsel needed to work through life’s struggles would be easily accessible to all.

I have a dream.  It’s not just my dream, it’s your dream, it’s God’s dream, it’s the dream of GLCC.  But a $5.1 million mortgage threatens to kill the dream.  Are you praying with me about a miraculous offering this Sunday?

Jeremiah 32:27

“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

March 7th Generosity Devotional

“All My Fountains”

Psalm 87: 7 – “As they make music they will sing, all my fountains are in you.”

Open The Heavens,

Come Living Water,

All My Fountains Are In You!

You’re Strong Like A River

Your Love Is Running Through

All My Fountains Are In You (Clap Clap, Clap-de-Clap, Clap) 

- “All My Fountains” by Chris Tomlin

I feel that there are countless ways that we can translate the word “fountains” in this verse/song. Some ways that I have enjoyed translating it when I sing this song are, All of my – ability to: hope, feel fulfilled, be joyful, trust, have comfort, enjoy the pleasures of life, be happy, live with passion, show and receive love, live Life – is found in Jesus Christ!

I encourage you to think about what ways you are allowing God to pour into you your life, and see if there are areas in which you are not feeling fulfilled or satisfied? The answer may be that you need to take a step back from trying so hard, and let God be your fulfillment in all of the areas of your life. When you do this, you are allowing God to be in control of the outcome. He become the source of what flows from you, He becomes your fountain.  God loves when He is the only one who can take the credit for things in your life. Give him control so only He gets all of the glory!

March 6th Generosity Devotional

March 6, 2013

Love Tank

I just drove from my house to TransWorld Radio in Cary, NC to work on a radio project for Choose Life.  When I left, my gas tank was full and I was able to drive the entire 266 miles without worrying about needing more gas.  However, now that I am here and driving around town looking for a place to eat, I am conscious that my tank is low and I will need to get fuel or I will be stranded on the side of the road.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a constant supply of fuel and we NEVER had to stop for gas (with the price of gas I KNOW you agree)? 

Our heart has the capacity to love and care for others.  However, like our car’s gas tank, it does not have an unlimited supply of love.  After we give and care for others over a period of time, our “love tank” needs to be replenished!  Sometimes, our desire to have our love tank filled causes us to love and care for others just so they will love and care for us.  If we operate our every day lives like this, we run the risk of giving more than we receive and coming to an end of our capacity to love.

           

Unlike our car, we really do have a constant supply of love so that we NEVER really need to depend on others to fill our love tank.  God’s love for us is unconditional AND constant.  No matter whether others love us or care for us, we are completely loved and cared for by our Heavenly Father.  This truth allows us to love others, not to get something from them, but out of the overflow of God’s love for us!

Jeremiah 31:3

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”

March 5th Generosity Devotional

March 5, 2013

Sowing and Reaping 2

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows … the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Galatians 6:7-8

This month we reap a harvest and you are a part of it.

The first seed was planted nine years ago when as part of a GLCC mission trip God broke Pam and my heart as we visited a state run orphanage and saw the conditions of orphans throughout the world.

Eight years ago we attended a day-long adoption seminar. I thought we were crazy.  More seeds.

Six and a half years ago we filed for an international adoption through Bethany Christian Services for a child from China. Another seed planted!

Three years ago Pam and I traveled to Shanghai China and met our daughter Katelyn for the first time.

She had no parents. She spoke no English. She was a ward of a communist state. She had lived in an institution for 7 years. She knew nothing of brother or sister, father or mother; she knew nothing about a God who loved her, a Savior who died for her or a church family who would care for her and teach her truth. 

For three years we have loved, laughed, cried, prayed, experienced joy and pain, been stretched and tested and been amazed.  Seeds, lots more seeds.

Six months ago, Katelyn professed faith in Christ at GLCC’s vacation Bible school.  Tammy Wood had the privilege of leading her to Jesus.  A harvest is coming!

On Sunday, February 17 Katelyn followed Jesus in believer’s baptism.  It was her idea. She wanted to tell the world she’s a follower of Jesus Christ.  The harvest is here.

Thanks for supporting our dream. Thanks for sowing good seed with us.  Thanks for praying for a harvest.  Thanks for overflowing. This is what the church is about.  This is Grace Life Community Church.

March 4th Generosity Devotional

March 4, 2013

Sowing and Reaping 1

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  2 Corinthians 9:6

I’m a liberal. (There, I said it. I feel so relieved!) 

Now before you celebrate or get all indignant, depending on your point of view, let me explain; I’m not talking about politics or theology.  On those spectrums I’m pretty conservative, I’d have to admit. But I’m liberal when it comes to Jesus’ invitation for overflow. As light and salt in this world, we as God’s children have both the privilege and mandate to live generously or overflow for others.  So while I personally am pretty buttoned down, I am learning in the economy of God’s kingdom to be a liberal, to be generous, to live large!

As a suburbanized farm boy, the concept of sowing and reaping has always resonated with me.  It’s the simple law of the harvest: If you want to see a harvest, you’ve gotta scatter the seed, lots of it!  Be liberal. Some will fall on good ground, some on bad.  Some will bear fruit and some, not so much. But our responsibility is to just keep liberally sowing; to overflow the life of Christ in word and deed into the lives of all we come in contact with.

So I live generously.  I give generously.  I share from a full heart.  Unlike Robert Tilton or other who teach a prosperity gospel, I’m not sowing with the expectation of some financial return.  I’m sowing so His Kingdom can expand, His word can spread, His name can be glorified, His church can minister. 

Some people feel intimidated by the idea of giving generously.  Not me. It is part of a lifestyle of generosity that I want to model and leave as a legacy for my children. 

Be liberal!