Changing Lives for Good

Things that make me go Hmmmmmmmmm - State of the Union Edition

First of all let me lead by saying that I pray for our President, our Congress, our Supreme Court, and our nation as a whole. I want the best for our country and realize that "best" is often hotly debated.

Let me also say that these are questions that I have as a citizen of these United States and should be taken as such.

Things that made me go hmmm tonight in President Obama's speech. They are honest questions that came to mind during the speech and I invite your responses.

1. How do you not want to punish banks but then also want to charge them a fee for what was offered? Even when some of them weren't allowed to pay back funds for a period of time? And won't these banks simply pass along the fees to its customers?
2. How do you propose a spending freeze beginning in 2011 while encouraging a jobs (read stimulus) bill and health care bill that will become part of what won't be frozen to be passed before the freeze?
3. How do you encourage banks to lend money to small businesses "some of which are making money" while at the same time telling banks to avoid risky loans?
4. Is the Executive Branch calling out the Judicial Branch in the midst of the Legislative Branch appropriate given our system of checks and balances? And is calling for new legislation to override what they just ruled not an abuse of those checks and balances?
5. How can you want to work in a bipartisan manner when you basically say to your opposition party that if they oppose your party's plan then they aren't leading. Especially when the very people you're addressing haven't been allowed to speak into the legislation you're berating them for?
6. How can you tell banks to practice responsible lending when you're telling them that borrower's won't have to practice responsible borrowing? Student's won't have to repay their student loans after 20 or 10 years and won't be required to pay more than a certain percentage of their income?
7. How can you talk about reforming earmarks when you passed a spending bill rife with them and when you're doling out special favors to states whose senator's vote you need and to labor unions whose support you need?
8. When do you accept responsibility for the job you stepped in to and not play the victim for what you inherited? Seriously, we understand what the previous administration left but we don't want to live on the excuses of the past... let's instead focus on what is going to strengthen our future.
9. When you speak of immigration and point out that you want to help those who are here and doing the right things, does that include only those who got here the right and legal way or does it just mean those who are here and doing things the right way now?
10. How can you understand and so eloquently articulate the strength of America being her people, their generosity, resolve, and overall character and at the same time say the solution to our most pressing problems reside in government instead of the very people who give the country her strength?
11. How can you blame banks for making loans they were required by law to issue per the Community Reinvestment Act and its revisions over time?
12. How does the country respond throughout this year and especially in the coming elections?

Helping Haiti

The Church at Sendera Ranch is partnering with Thirst No More to help change lives for good in Haiti. After the 7.0 earthquake decimated the country just before 4 pm our time on January 12 the country is in desperate need for help. The Church at Sendera Ranch will accept donations on Sunday which will be sent directly to Thirst No More or you can give directly through their site.

One of my friends and mentors, Craig Miller, is the President and Founder of Thirst No More and is on his way to Haiti this evening.

Craig was interviewed by a TV station in Austin and you can see the interview here:

In an earlier conversation the following supplies were said to be needed:
IV fluids and tubing
Angio tubes (needles to put in arm to receive IV)
Injectible pain meds and antibiotics
wound supplies and bandage supplies
iodine
oral antibiotics
Antibiotics: Keflex, Rocephin IM and oral. Children's oral keflex 

If any of these items are donated we will get them to Haiti as quickly as possible.

And please pray for Haiti... that the light of Christ would shine in the darkness and hope would arise from the rubble. Pray for Craig and the team he is going to meet.

Thirst No More was also featured here and here.

How Does a Christian Respond to the Financial Crisis? Part 3

In the past two blogs we explored how a Christian should respond to the financial crisis with faith and with good stewardship and a lot of people will probably stop there. But I want to go a step further because it's entirely Biblical and not only a way to help one another but also a way to cultivate Christian community. First let's look at Acts 2:44-47:

And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:44-47 ESV)

A Christian should respond to the financial crisis in community. As Christians we should respond with a commitment to one another. We should help those in our churches even if it means giving them things, selling stuff to help them, or even welcoming them into our homes.

This past month I've been preaching on community through the book of Acts. It's been a great study but little did I know I'd have to experience it as well.

Our AC went out last week. (Now if you're reading this from a place where it's not still in the 90's then you're probably thinking it's no big deal. But I'm in Texas and it's still in the 90's during the days and often into the evenings. Air conditioning is a fact of life here usually until late October and even November.) Back to our broken air conditioner... the good news was that the part that broke was under warranty. The bad news was that it would take 2 weeks to get here. All of a sudden that rainy day fund was looking like a great reason to upgrade the whole system on Monday rather than waiting a week and then paying for the labor and puron. ... Enter the community.

How Does a Christian Respond to the Financial Crisis? Part 2

A second way a Christian should respond to the financial crisis is with good stewardship.

We covered tithing in part one so I'm not going to touch it other than to say that tithing is an important part of good stewardship because its a constant reminder that everything we have has been given to us by God. We're stewards not owners. Everything we have, God has given to us. He is the owner, we're not.

But outside of that what is good stewardship? Good stewardship means that you bring no offense against the owner of the resources you are managing and that you manage those resources well.

Essentially good stewardship means bring glory to God as you tithe, plan, save, live within your means, and pay your bills on time. It also means that you understand debt and avoid it when possible. As mentioned tithing was already covered so let's look at these other elements.

How Does a Christian Respond to the Financial Crisis? Part 1

All the talk about the financial crisis that we are in seems to be pervaded with a sense of hopelessness which feeds the stress and uncertainty of the situation. As a pastor, it got me thinking about the individuals in my church and in my community and the pressures of paying the mortgage and the car loan and the HOA dues and the grocery bill and everything else that accompanies life these days. And while most all of us are cutting back on expenses as much as possible, it got me thinking about how we can avoid the hopelessness and the stress of the situation. How is a Christian to respond to the financial crisis?

First of all a Christian must respond with faith. Not a faith in government or politicians or plans, but a firm trust in God who tells us in Matthew 6:25-33:

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (ESV)

And He also tells us in 2 Corinthians 9:8: And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.(NLT)

Now this verse follows a series of verses talking about giving generously and not reluctantly or under pressure. As a Christian begins looking at their finances and the areas to cut back let me say that the last thing they need to look at is their tithe.

I know what you're thinking... that 10% is a lot and could go a long way to helping you maintain a certain level of comfort. But it's not about the amount, it's about your faith and who you are trusting. If you want to declare to God, "You know God, I think I can do a better job providing for my family with the resources I have than what You can do with the resources You have." Then go ahead and cut the tithe. Forget about the fact that the tithe is "Holy to the Lord" (Lev 27:30). Miss out on God's power to provide for your family through the wealth of resources He has at His disposal. Tithing isn't an issue of amount or what you can afford. Tithing is an issue of trust.

Trust God. Don't stop, suspend, or cut your tithe. Consider the story of Luke 21:1-4

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." (ESV)

It's easy to give out of abundance. Sure there are other things you could do with the money, but giving out of your abundance doesn't require large amounts of faith to trust God either. But to give out of your poverty... whoa... now that requires faith.

And I can tell you from personal experience that God rewards that kind of faith. Don't expect a new BMW in the driveway, a million dollar check in your mailbox, or the rich uncle to finally be discovered and decide you're his favorite nephew or niece. But you can know that God will take care of you.

So respond to this financial crisis with faith. Trust God to provide and obey Him by giving at least 10% of your income to your local church to enable your church to effectively reach your community with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the next blog we'll look at the second way a Christian should respond to the financial crisis.