Tonight's Blog for May 2, 2013

In the past few years blogging has become increasingly important for me, as I seek to maximize this time, this

season, this station in my life. Blogging is not for the faint of heart, since you have a chance to express thoughts that are important, at the moment that you write them down. So important, in fact that I haven't always been as interested in little things like punctuation and spelling.  While the first few blog entries were written as a part of a time of change and reflection, they have become a place to grow. March and April saw an effort to write daily, and to continue to do ministry activities and my regular reading. We have also seen an escalation of involvement in making sure our small groups are a priority. Over the next few weeks, my goal is to to seek ways to be more and more excellent. 

One area of growth is to be able to communicate better, more openly and honestly. I haven't been as comfortable in the past in discussing finances, either at home or in the church. That is my confession. It is also my goal to do better in the future. MCC is blessed with folks who have amazing maturity in the area of finances. I am also sure that this is one of the areas that Jesus saw as important. (Did you know that He spoke more about money that He did heaven, hell, baptism combined, as well as any other single topic!) With that in mind, I am presenting this rough draft of a finance letter for you to think about and to help me to improve. 

rough draft of Finance letter a may 2, 2013

Dear Ones. God has blessed us with a tremendous privilege. He trusts us. The word "trust" is sometimes misused or misunderstood, especially when linked with things like free-will offerings and collections and doing the work of our Father.  Our goal in the area of finances is summed up in this phrase, "Love is given, but trust is earned." While we have seen these turned around, there isn't any better way to start a relationship than to make this one of our guiding principles. 

God has allowed us to be involved in this process. We are managers and not owners. He is the owner and creator. We are allowed to control our assets, whether they be time or energy or money or properties. Success in this world comes from paying attention to how we use those resources. Success that is passed on to the next comes from paying attention to what GOD sees as important. The word "treasure" isn't just a word for a hidden place for a pirate's ill-gotten gain. Proverbs 10: 2 reminds of this fact. "Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death." Jesus took the same idea, and expands for us the concept of the heart. In Luke 12:32-34, He reminds of this amazing fact, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." 

Where is your treasure? Was Jesus giving us a blueprint for heavenly accumulation of money and resources? Was He talking to individual people or to the church collectively? My best guess is that both would do well to learn from Him. If we neglect to develop trust we will see folks who take advantage of each other or who squander the gifts of God. Fear and doubt are increasingly empowered if we don't develop trust. If we trust any of the assets that we have accumulate, they become idols for us, and are fed by our greed, according to Paul in Colossians 3:5. Have you started to realize that anything you love more than GOD or fear more than Him or to dread will become an idol? The definition of an idol is "anyone or anything loved or trusted in the place of GOD." By definition, your object of worship becomes a stumbling block, and destroys any hope of happiness here or for eternity. 

GOD Bless you tonight, my dear friends... we are so blessed, aren't we? big marv