BALANCING FINANCES THE JESUS’ WAY*
Luke 12:13-34
Did you know that in the New Testament, Jesus said more about money than He said about heaven and hell put together? He talked about finances all the time. Out of His 38 parables, 16 of them are about finances—and how to use them and how to keep them from using and abusing you. Get this—in the New Testament, there are 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith but more than 2,000 dealing with financial matters.
Now that’s not to say that finance is the most important subject in Scripture—it isn’t. But it is a critical issue and the thing that often enslaves our hearts when God wants to own all that we are. Jesus taught five specific principles in Luke 12 that will help direct your money management.
1. More Is Not Better
Jesus says it very simply, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of things that they possess” (v.15). You say, “I know life isn’t about stuff!” But saying it and living it are very different. It is all tied back to, “Do I really believe what the Bible says? Or do I think that somehow more stuff is going to enhance my life?”
People who have more are not necessarily happier. A bigger house will not make you more happy? A bigger car will not either. These days it just means more expensive fuel. If you have a nicer car or better clothes or more exotic vacations, you are not happier because of it. I’ve met with people from different parts of the world who live simple lives, small homes, simple food, without fancy clothing and cars and they have bigger smiles, more joyful worship, and a greater sense of God’s fullness than some of us have ever known! About five years ago I was in Brazil at a boys ranch and while there I watched young boys who had nothing but the clothes they wore, which consisted of one set of work clothes, two sets of school clothes, and one set of Sunday clothes. I traveled with more clothes than they had and I had enough at home where I could have left everything and been just fine. They loved everything they had and didn't want more. Now my wife will tell you that I have too many shirts and one thing I have learned is that I really don't need them but I have so many shirts given to me from school that I just keep collecting more and I have no idea why. More is not better. In fact, can I suggest to you that the bulk in our bank accounts and the poverty of our souls indicates that many times more is worse? That’s exactly what Jesus was saying when He talked about the danger of riches and the tendency to trust in things.
2. Hoarding Is for Fools
In the parable beginning in verse 16, Jesus calls a person a fool who hoards his income for himself and doesn’t generously share it. “So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Hear Jesus’ heart in this matter. He is asking, what are you doing that for? Life is suddenly over and you investedf. It in what doesn’t last. It’s foolish.
You say, “Well, what if I really began to give in that generous way—how will I live? What about my retirement? What would my kids go without? It gets very complicated.” But Jesus makes it really simple in the next few verses. I think He anticipates our concern about generous giving and so in verse 22 He says, “‘Therefore I say to you do not worry about your life, what you will eat nor about the body what you will put on . . . If then God so clothes the grass which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith.”
O you of little faith—Ouch.
Jesus says, You don’t trust Me very much do you? Do you think that God is going to leave you behind because you put Him first? This whole matter of giving is about faith. When the offering plate goes by every week at church, you make a choice to give and trust God or not. “Will I give off the top as He has asked me to do? Or will I keep most of it just in case God doesn’t supply?” It’s a matter of faith.
Really, it’s the question, “God, does everything that I have belong to You?”
3. You Can’t Out-Give God
But Jesus isn’t telling us to give generously because He wants us to sweat. Instead, He wants us to experience our inability to out-give God. He says, “And your Father knows that you need these things. Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you” (v.31). You’ve heard those verses before, but did you ever out them in the context of giving? Have you ever given generously, out of sacrifice even, and seen God multiply it back in blessing? I have. Sometimes it returns financially and sometimes it returns in other spiritual blessings, but it always returns! God Almighty will not be in a debt position to you. Do you know what it is to trust Him, be obedient, and see Him meet all of your needs? It’s a phenomenal thing!
4. If my money is for self, my heart is not for God.
Take your wallet out of your back pocket or purse and get it in your hands. (Really!) This is a symbol of all that God has given to you. Hold that symbol as you read Luke 12:31-32:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you.” On the heels of that familiar verse, Jesus says these tender words, “Do not fear little flock—” (verse 32). That’s the only time in the whole New Testament that He calls us “little flock.” Jesus is so tender. He knows we get really protective when we get our money in our hands. “Oh no! What if I go without?” and He says, “Do not fear little flock. For it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Oh, is that all we get—the kingdom of God? All that belongs to the Creator of the universe? That’s all we get? How foolish to grip so tightly to my little smidgen of resources and in my disobedience shut myself off from the resources of Almighty God!
Then He says, “Sell what you have and give alms”(verse 33). This doesn’t mean liquidate everything, otherwise we would all be on government assistance. What Jesus means is, “Don’t let your buying habits leave you in a position where you can’t give.” Then He compares earthly investments to heavenly investment. “Provide for yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.”
In light of all this, I’m sure you have questions. “Should I buy a better car?” “We’re tithing and we have some cash. We want to buy a new house. Should we do that?” I don’t have any answers except for this next verse. I’ll let you wrestle with it. Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also” (verse 34). Jesus says “Be careful” because the more you accumulate, the greater the tendency for your heart to get drawn away.
5. The Time to Give Is Now
Right now. Not next year. Not when I get things settled. Not when I get the mortgage paid down. The time to give is now.
“Stay dressed for action,” Jesus says, “ and keep your lamps burning,and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes.” In other words, get up, get ready to give, and to serve. Jesus could come back at any moment.
“If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!” If you have been faithful to God in these money matters, you will be blessed for your faithfulness.
I’ve been in the ministry for a little time, about 12 years now and I’ve never worried about the financial needs of God’s kingdom. Whatever God calls us to do, He provides. Believe me, the Lord is not up in heaven saying, “How are we going to pay these bills? We really need the people of God to come through for us!” That’s backwards. What I’m passionate about is to see people get free who think that the next thing they buy or the next vacation they take is going to make them happy. Nothing but living for and obeying Christ is going to turn that key.
If the truth were known, some of us are like that little English boy who lived in the darkness of the tunnels under the streets of London. He never saw the light of day until someone found him, took him by the hand up a stairway and out into the beautiful world of trees and lakes and sky. Some of you have been living in the darkness of hoarding or of frivolous spending. I long for you to experience the joy of making what God has given you available to Him. Now next week we are going to present some things that will hopefully allow each of us to begin a road to balance in our finances.
I pray that He would give you the courage to put Him first and to experience the marvelous provision reserved for those who obey His Word.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Balanced Time
Balance of Time
Five Key Principles Of Time Management
Last week we began a thought of Balance, and we talked about how to have balance and I introduced the idea that to have a balance you must have a focal point that you are focused on, and the Bible tells us that our focal point must be God above. So part two of that is that to have true balance you must constantly be making minor adjustments in your time.
So think for a moment what the greatest stress factors in your life are today. Haven’t your stressors involved some feelings of being overloaded with responsibilities – at home – at work – at school – at church – or maybe a combination of all of these plus more. You are stressed because you are: running late for an appointment then get stopped at a traffic light. Then the car starts acting up – and how are you going to find the money and the time to get it fixed? Is there going to be enough time to come home from work – cook dinner and then still make it to school for the kids program? Oh, and by the way Joe down the street suggested you should get together sometime for coffee – you told him you would call him back but you still haven’t taken the time to call him back yet. I like to call all of these things "When Life Happens".
Each of these anxiety-producers has to do with time management. Think of how many day-to-day issues involve the use of time. In fact that is what the day consists of – T – I – M – E. The clock seems to be our enemy – because it keeps on ticking no matter what happens – regardless whether we have time for it or not.
The solution is time management. But here is the catch. Time management will require work if you want to succeed. It will require hard work. It will require home work and it will require heart work. Being successful at time management – requires work.
In today’s sermon, I would like to talk about five focuses of time management. And I believe that once we define it will help you manage your time as you struggle with your overwhelming situations of life. Let me give you five guiding thoughts of how we should divide our time. I want to show you something though, how is most of our days divided?
1. Give God time-
With 2/3 of our day eaten up with work and sleep we must take the first part of the other
1/3 and put God into it. Whether it be in personal Bible study, prayer time, group Bible study whatever it is God must be number 1. He must be the first priority not just a Sunday Priority.
Jesus said it this way:
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)
Jesus was saying that we need to set priorities in life and that He is priority #1.
2. Give Family Time-
God calls us to not only honor our father and mother but He also calls us to marry and love. Most time it is very hard to remember our families when we are being pulled into forty different directions by work and life. But to be successful I have learned after 14 years and where I fill like I am figuring it out I do not have it figured out yet. Family must become something for us all that we cherish. We need to find a way to include family wherever we can. Ideally Church and Family will go hand in hand. And directly hand to hand with that we must...
3. Give friends Time-
We find that Jesus set this principle when He was asked:
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”” Matthew 22:36-40 (NKJV)
In this short statement – Jesus tells us that there are two relationships that are vital.
A. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father – and
B. Our relationship with other people.
Why would He tell us that relationships are such an important thing? Because all the “stuff” – material possessions – will disappear – but relationships will last. The money – the job – the possessions – the toys – all that “stuff” – will all be gone in the end. But your relationship with God will last forever. In fact – where you will spend eternity is based on one thing – your relationship with God. Therefore, your relationship to God is of vital importance. If you do nothing else in this life – take the time to build your relationship with friends who are based in Faith.
4. Take Time to Plan
Someone once told me – you need to hope for the best – but plan for the worst. There is much wisdom it that statement. Jesus talked about planning when He said,
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? Luke 14:28-30 (NKJV)
Let me ask you a question – how many of you planned to be here today? You know what? – I did too. In fact I even came today – prepared to preach. I knew that last week I left here as the preacher and I planned to return this week as the preacher. I also knew that as the preacher someone here would expect me to preach. So you know what I did – I planned for it. I prepared my sermon – I wrote it out. I went over it and over it so that I knew most of it by heart – not necessarily word for word for word – but thought by thought. When I prepare – I prepare so much that I usually don’t need to look at my notes very often. That planning and preparation allows me the freedom to look at you – and talk to you. But that just does not happen – it comes with work – it comes with planning. I believe that every minister should take time to plan out their messages.
Planning can also help with your family life. You know that each year birthdays come around – and so do holidays. We all have our family traditions – plan for them – prepare for them. Proverbs tells us:
“The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.” Proverbs 21:5 (HCSB)
The Message Bible says it this way:
“Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.” Proverbs 21:5 (MSG)
Do you want to use your time wisely? Plan ahead. Because when life happens it throws a monkey wrench into what you are doing. And without things planned out you get overwhelmed and lost in the activity. Because life is going to happen.
5. Take time for You-
It is important for us to take time for things we enjoy to do. It is important to take time for ourselves to decompress. It is important for us to do things that we enjoy to do. Because when we don't we often cheat ourselves from what we enjoy to do. We must take time for ourselves to be healthy with both mind and spirit for the other 4 things on this list. Especially, God, Family, and Friends.
No why is all this so important?
Well, I want to tell you a story about Richard. Richard was a young man who came from a very poverty stricken background. But Richard was determined that he would not remain in poverty. Richard planned to marry and he planned that his wife and children would have the good things of life – live a comfortable life. He would never allow his wife to suffer as his mother suffered in poverty. Richard worked hard at a full time job and went to college full time too. He was not much of a church goer – in fact he thought church was a waste of time. He eventually earned a Masters degree in Business Administration. Everybody who met him would say, “Now there’s a guy who’s going somewhere. One day that guy is going to make it big.”
Richard was hired by a good company. He got married and had a couple of kids – a boy and a girl. They lived a very comfortable life. But Richard was driven with the need to accumulate more. He worked more and more hours on the job. He moved up the company ladder. He invested his money well and made a killing on the market. The guy had success written all over him. His wife asked him if he could finally cut back on work so they could spend some time together. He told her that after this next big move, he would cut back – but not now. Right now he really needed to invest more time in the job. He needed to keep climbing the ladder socially and economically and win the admiration of all – and so he tried.
One day Richard realized that he had gone as far up the ladder as he could go. Again his wife asked him, “Come and spend more time with me and the children. Take off on Sunday and go to church with us.” He told her, "You know honey, I’ve gone as far as I can go with this company. I’m only forty-five years old – but I’ve got a plan to be a bigger success. I want to tell you about in the morning after I run some numbers on the computer.”
Sitting at the computer Richard was thinking, “I’ve made a lot of money with these stocks, but I don’t want to keep it all here. I’ll sell them and invest in gold – hopefully I’ll double what I’m making now. Boy I’ve got a lot of good things – a beautiful home – a Mercedes and a Lexus – and money in the bank to boot. My wife is right though – I need to sit back and enjoy the things that I have worked so hard for. I need to relax a little – I have done such a good job – getting where I am now.”
While he was admiring his great skill and accomplishments – looking over all the material “stuff” he had gathered – for the first time he heard God speak. God said, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself." With that message, Richard grabbed for his chest. He slumped over on his computer and He died. His wife found him there at the next day simply looking as though he had fallen asleep.
Jesus said, "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich in Godly things. God knows all about our plans and our dreams. He knows all about what it is we plan to accomplish and what are motives are in accomplishing it. He knows all the hours we’re putting in and the sacrifices we’re making. But God knows something
we don’t. God knows when our clock is going to stop ticking. Just when Richard thought he was ready to enjoy it, he lost it all.
The tragedy was not in losing his wealth or even dying. The tragedy was that he had gained his wealth – all of his “stuff” – at the expense of neglecting his relationship with God and his family. His stewardship of his life was an utter failure. He had been prepared in advance for every board meeting, he had prepared in advance for every interview, he had prepared in advance to make sure his financial situation was in order, but when it came to the biggest meeting of his life, the most important interview we must all experience, and examination of his account in heaven before the throne of God – Richard was totally unprepared.
The only one who could possibly provide him with any assistance at the judgment seat of God, was Jesus Christ. But all through his life, Richard had been too busy to make time for Jesus. He could not be bothered with the ministry of the church. He had to work overtime and extra-time. He had to go to this meeting and that meeting. He had to play golf with the right group of people and go to the proper social functions. Surely God understood all this – a person has to make a living you know. But because Richard did not have time for God – God did not have a place in eternity for him.
Guys – Jesus put it this way:
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:24-27 (KJV)
How we spend our time is important.
Are you building a relationship – with God?
Are you taking care of your family?
Are you taking time to develop friendships based in Faith?
Are you planning in advance so when life happens you are ready?
Are you taking time for yourself?
Five Key Principles Of Time Management
Last week we began a thought of Balance, and we talked about how to have balance and I introduced the idea that to have a balance you must have a focal point that you are focused on, and the Bible tells us that our focal point must be God above. So part two of that is that to have true balance you must constantly be making minor adjustments in your time.
So think for a moment what the greatest stress factors in your life are today. Haven’t your stressors involved some feelings of being overloaded with responsibilities – at home – at work – at school – at church – or maybe a combination of all of these plus more. You are stressed because you are: running late for an appointment then get stopped at a traffic light. Then the car starts acting up – and how are you going to find the money and the time to get it fixed? Is there going to be enough time to come home from work – cook dinner and then still make it to school for the kids program? Oh, and by the way Joe down the street suggested you should get together sometime for coffee – you told him you would call him back but you still haven’t taken the time to call him back yet. I like to call all of these things "When Life Happens".
Each of these anxiety-producers has to do with time management. Think of how many day-to-day issues involve the use of time. In fact that is what the day consists of – T – I – M – E. The clock seems to be our enemy – because it keeps on ticking no matter what happens – regardless whether we have time for it or not.
The solution is time management. But here is the catch. Time management will require work if you want to succeed. It will require hard work. It will require home work and it will require heart work. Being successful at time management – requires work.
In today’s sermon, I would like to talk about five focuses of time management. And I believe that once we define it will help you manage your time as you struggle with your overwhelming situations of life. Let me give you five guiding thoughts of how we should divide our time. I want to show you something though, how is most of our days divided?
1. Give God time-
With 2/3 of our day eaten up with work and sleep we must take the first part of the other
1/3 and put God into it. Whether it be in personal Bible study, prayer time, group Bible study whatever it is God must be number 1. He must be the first priority not just a Sunday Priority.
Jesus said it this way:
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)
Jesus was saying that we need to set priorities in life and that He is priority #1.
2. Give Family Time-
God calls us to not only honor our father and mother but He also calls us to marry and love. Most time it is very hard to remember our families when we are being pulled into forty different directions by work and life. But to be successful I have learned after 14 years and where I fill like I am figuring it out I do not have it figured out yet. Family must become something for us all that we cherish. We need to find a way to include family wherever we can. Ideally Church and Family will go hand in hand. And directly hand to hand with that we must...
3. Give friends Time-
We find that Jesus set this principle when He was asked:
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”” Matthew 22:36-40 (NKJV)
In this short statement – Jesus tells us that there are two relationships that are vital.
A. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father – and
B. Our relationship with other people.
Why would He tell us that relationships are such an important thing? Because all the “stuff” – material possessions – will disappear – but relationships will last. The money – the job – the possessions – the toys – all that “stuff” – will all be gone in the end. But your relationship with God will last forever. In fact – where you will spend eternity is based on one thing – your relationship with God. Therefore, your relationship to God is of vital importance. If you do nothing else in this life – take the time to build your relationship with friends who are based in Faith.
4. Take Time to Plan
Someone once told me – you need to hope for the best – but plan for the worst. There is much wisdom it that statement. Jesus talked about planning when He said,
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? Luke 14:28-30 (NKJV)
Let me ask you a question – how many of you planned to be here today? You know what? – I did too. In fact I even came today – prepared to preach. I knew that last week I left here as the preacher and I planned to return this week as the preacher. I also knew that as the preacher someone here would expect me to preach. So you know what I did – I planned for it. I prepared my sermon – I wrote it out. I went over it and over it so that I knew most of it by heart – not necessarily word for word for word – but thought by thought. When I prepare – I prepare so much that I usually don’t need to look at my notes very often. That planning and preparation allows me the freedom to look at you – and talk to you. But that just does not happen – it comes with work – it comes with planning. I believe that every minister should take time to plan out their messages.
Planning can also help with your family life. You know that each year birthdays come around – and so do holidays. We all have our family traditions – plan for them – prepare for them. Proverbs tells us:
“The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.” Proverbs 21:5 (HCSB)
The Message Bible says it this way:
“Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.” Proverbs 21:5 (MSG)
Do you want to use your time wisely? Plan ahead. Because when life happens it throws a monkey wrench into what you are doing. And without things planned out you get overwhelmed and lost in the activity. Because life is going to happen.
5. Take time for You-
It is important for us to take time for things we enjoy to do. It is important to take time for ourselves to decompress. It is important for us to do things that we enjoy to do. Because when we don't we often cheat ourselves from what we enjoy to do. We must take time for ourselves to be healthy with both mind and spirit for the other 4 things on this list. Especially, God, Family, and Friends.
No why is all this so important?
Well, I want to tell you a story about Richard. Richard was a young man who came from a very poverty stricken background. But Richard was determined that he would not remain in poverty. Richard planned to marry and he planned that his wife and children would have the good things of life – live a comfortable life. He would never allow his wife to suffer as his mother suffered in poverty. Richard worked hard at a full time job and went to college full time too. He was not much of a church goer – in fact he thought church was a waste of time. He eventually earned a Masters degree in Business Administration. Everybody who met him would say, “Now there’s a guy who’s going somewhere. One day that guy is going to make it big.”
Richard was hired by a good company. He got married and had a couple of kids – a boy and a girl. They lived a very comfortable life. But Richard was driven with the need to accumulate more. He worked more and more hours on the job. He moved up the company ladder. He invested his money well and made a killing on the market. The guy had success written all over him. His wife asked him if he could finally cut back on work so they could spend some time together. He told her that after this next big move, he would cut back – but not now. Right now he really needed to invest more time in the job. He needed to keep climbing the ladder socially and economically and win the admiration of all – and so he tried.
One day Richard realized that he had gone as far up the ladder as he could go. Again his wife asked him, “Come and spend more time with me and the children. Take off on Sunday and go to church with us.” He told her, "You know honey, I’ve gone as far as I can go with this company. I’m only forty-five years old – but I’ve got a plan to be a bigger success. I want to tell you about in the morning after I run some numbers on the computer.”
Sitting at the computer Richard was thinking, “I’ve made a lot of money with these stocks, but I don’t want to keep it all here. I’ll sell them and invest in gold – hopefully I’ll double what I’m making now. Boy I’ve got a lot of good things – a beautiful home – a Mercedes and a Lexus – and money in the bank to boot. My wife is right though – I need to sit back and enjoy the things that I have worked so hard for. I need to relax a little – I have done such a good job – getting where I am now.”
While he was admiring his great skill and accomplishments – looking over all the material “stuff” he had gathered – for the first time he heard God speak. God said, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself." With that message, Richard grabbed for his chest. He slumped over on his computer and He died. His wife found him there at the next day simply looking as though he had fallen asleep.
Jesus said, "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich in Godly things. God knows all about our plans and our dreams. He knows all about what it is we plan to accomplish and what are motives are in accomplishing it. He knows all the hours we’re putting in and the sacrifices we’re making. But God knows something
we don’t. God knows when our clock is going to stop ticking. Just when Richard thought he was ready to enjoy it, he lost it all.
The tragedy was not in losing his wealth or even dying. The tragedy was that he had gained his wealth – all of his “stuff” – at the expense of neglecting his relationship with God and his family. His stewardship of his life was an utter failure. He had been prepared in advance for every board meeting, he had prepared in advance for every interview, he had prepared in advance to make sure his financial situation was in order, but when it came to the biggest meeting of his life, the most important interview we must all experience, and examination of his account in heaven before the throne of God – Richard was totally unprepared.
The only one who could possibly provide him with any assistance at the judgment seat of God, was Jesus Christ. But all through his life, Richard had been too busy to make time for Jesus. He could not be bothered with the ministry of the church. He had to work overtime and extra-time. He had to go to this meeting and that meeting. He had to play golf with the right group of people and go to the proper social functions. Surely God understood all this – a person has to make a living you know. But because Richard did not have time for God – God did not have a place in eternity for him.
Guys – Jesus put it this way:
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:24-27 (KJV)
How we spend our time is important.
Are you building a relationship – with God?
Are you taking care of your family?
Are you taking time to develop friendships based in Faith?
Are you planning in advance so when life happens you are ready?
Are you taking time for yourself?
Finding Balance
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
For the past several weeks, we’ve been addressing the issue of Love and how we can achieve a place here at HeartSong Church that is accepting, forgiving, and supporting place for all who call themselves Christians and also all who are searching for the God that we know and love.
Now over the next few weeks we are going to talk about balance, and the simple thought that if we can find balance in everything we do in our lives God will bless us. We must learn to remember that it is all about keeping our focus on the end goal. With everything we do within our Faith journey it is about the end goal. We must find a way to always allow ourselves to stay focused and to stay balanced within all we do. And just like with this pvc pipe once we take our eyes off the end we lose our control.
An early Television talent show once featured a man who could keep over twenty plates spinning on dowel rods at once. As viewers watched, the man ran frantically back and forth between plates spinning them just before they fell off the stick. I’ve often thought that life, at times, was a little like keeping several spinning plates at one time—time consuming, exhausting, and not very fulfilling. The question before us is how can we find focus in the middle of the spinning plates of life.
GOD IS OUR FOCUS
We need to have something in our lives to live for, and perhaps to die for. Olympic athletes go for the gold. Successful business people are single-minded in their pursuit of their goal. Not surprisingly, couples who make their relationship the priority in their lives usually have a marriage made in heaven (but crafted on earth), and strong families are spawned from making family a top priority.
The Scriptures identify a different priority than any of these for the Christian. That priority is proclaimed in this passage of Deuteronomy, “Hear O Israel the Lord your God is one, and you shall love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and might.” The focus of the Christian, of you and me, is to love God and serve God in all that we say and do.
The Israelites would awake every morning and repeat this verse, reminding themselves of what they were to be about during the day. Orthodox Jews still do to this day.
This is not a call to be a pastor or a missionary in a far off third world country. This is a call to focus our lives and align all the activities of our lives in love and service of God. To find the perfect balance between our everyday life and the life God calls us to live. Our jobs are ways we love and serve God. Our relationships with others are ways we love and serve God. Our family is a way we love and serve God. Our leisure time is a way we love and serve God.
These activities and items need to be a part of our lives, however, they are never to be the primary focus of our lives. Our love and service of God always super-cedes them. It has to become the lead focus. How many times does someone we spend time with say something that we know goes against God and our Faith yet we often either don't say anything or worse we agree just to save face. God wants to be part of every moment of everyday and we have to give Him the chance.
SHARE THE FOCUS
I usually don’t tell anyone the my personal goals that I have, that way when I don’t achieve my goals people won’t ridicule me and tell me that I’m a failure. But there’s a flip side to this, however. If I do tell people a goal that I’m going after, I usually lose the effort to achieve the goal, because I have no one to hold me accountable. I know that may sound odd but I struggle to share my personal goals. But I want you to realize, I have no problem sharing goals for a large group or a team that I am part of but my personal goals I keep to myself. But i am learning that the more I talk about goals it keeps me focused and I am also learning that talking about my own balance helps keep me balanced and the writer of Deuteronomy instructs the people to impress these commandments on our children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road,when you lie down and when you get up.” We must share with them the end goal.
Our focus can be a wonderful way to nurture the faith of our children as we share with them how we see our work, our volunteer activities, even our leisure activities as ways we love and serve God.
I want to tell you a story about Al Braca and how he shared with his wife Jeannie and son Christopher, that he really didn’t like his job as a bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald, but he felt he was called there to be a witness to his co-workers. He was at his job on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center on September 11th. After instructing an MCI operator to tell his family that he loved them, he ministered to his fifty co-workers in the horrific moments before the tower’s collapse. Sharing his focus kept Al focused, nurtured the faith of his family, and touched the lives of his co-workers.
One of the greatest temptations we have is to be closet Christians. We keep our faith to ourselves so that no one will be able to criticize us if we don’t measure up to his or her expectations or ours. Our silence virtually guarantees our failure. Do our friends know how we see our faith being lived out in what we do and say? Do our children understand how our work is a way we serve God? Do our parents know how we see being a student is a way to serve God, and how our future plans line up with what we believe God is calling us to do? Our faith does not need to be the topic of every conversation, but neither should it be the one topic that we avoid. Our end goal must be shared. Our determination and focus must be shared.
DAILY REMINDERS
The writer of Deuteronomy further instructs his readers to, “Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
Orthodox Jews have reminders, which are leather bands around their arms and a headband and box on their head to remind them of the focus of their lives.
We use focus items at various times in our lives. Some of us have family pictures on our desks at work. They help us answer the question, “Why do I put up with this junk?” A team logo reminds us of where our allegiance is during baseball, football, basketball, or hockey seasons. Uniforms remind us of the school we attend, or the company for whom we work.
Religious symbols often times serve the same purpose. A cross on our desk, or a religious theme screensaver helps us focus on our primary goal. Saying grace before meals reminds us of God’s grace and our response of love. Communion reminds us of the blood Jesus shed on the cross for us. Symbols help us keep our focus throughout our days. It helps is keep our eyes on the end goal. And when the world begins to weigh us down to the point of crumbling, it allows us to remain in balance with the world around us but it does not allow us to conform to what the world is pressing on us.
CONCLUSION
Balance does not necessary come easy to our lives. Sometimes it takes hard work. Other times it takes the incorporation of simple ideas into our lives.
Focus contributes to the balance of our lives, and balance enables us to experience the abundant life that is ours through Christ Jesus.
Amen
4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
For the past several weeks, we’ve been addressing the issue of Love and how we can achieve a place here at HeartSong Church that is accepting, forgiving, and supporting place for all who call themselves Christians and also all who are searching for the God that we know and love.
Now over the next few weeks we are going to talk about balance, and the simple thought that if we can find balance in everything we do in our lives God will bless us. We must learn to remember that it is all about keeping our focus on the end goal. With everything we do within our Faith journey it is about the end goal. We must find a way to always allow ourselves to stay focused and to stay balanced within all we do. And just like with this pvc pipe once we take our eyes off the end we lose our control.
An early Television talent show once featured a man who could keep over twenty plates spinning on dowel rods at once. As viewers watched, the man ran frantically back and forth between plates spinning them just before they fell off the stick. I’ve often thought that life, at times, was a little like keeping several spinning plates at one time—time consuming, exhausting, and not very fulfilling. The question before us is how can we find focus in the middle of the spinning plates of life.
GOD IS OUR FOCUS
We need to have something in our lives to live for, and perhaps to die for. Olympic athletes go for the gold. Successful business people are single-minded in their pursuit of their goal. Not surprisingly, couples who make their relationship the priority in their lives usually have a marriage made in heaven (but crafted on earth), and strong families are spawned from making family a top priority.
The Scriptures identify a different priority than any of these for the Christian. That priority is proclaimed in this passage of Deuteronomy, “Hear O Israel the Lord your God is one, and you shall love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and might.” The focus of the Christian, of you and me, is to love God and serve God in all that we say and do.
The Israelites would awake every morning and repeat this verse, reminding themselves of what they were to be about during the day. Orthodox Jews still do to this day.
This is not a call to be a pastor or a missionary in a far off third world country. This is a call to focus our lives and align all the activities of our lives in love and service of God. To find the perfect balance between our everyday life and the life God calls us to live. Our jobs are ways we love and serve God. Our relationships with others are ways we love and serve God. Our family is a way we love and serve God. Our leisure time is a way we love and serve God.
These activities and items need to be a part of our lives, however, they are never to be the primary focus of our lives. Our love and service of God always super-cedes them. It has to become the lead focus. How many times does someone we spend time with say something that we know goes against God and our Faith yet we often either don't say anything or worse we agree just to save face. God wants to be part of every moment of everyday and we have to give Him the chance.
SHARE THE FOCUS
I usually don’t tell anyone the my personal goals that I have, that way when I don’t achieve my goals people won’t ridicule me and tell me that I’m a failure. But there’s a flip side to this, however. If I do tell people a goal that I’m going after, I usually lose the effort to achieve the goal, because I have no one to hold me accountable. I know that may sound odd but I struggle to share my personal goals. But I want you to realize, I have no problem sharing goals for a large group or a team that I am part of but my personal goals I keep to myself. But i am learning that the more I talk about goals it keeps me focused and I am also learning that talking about my own balance helps keep me balanced and the writer of Deuteronomy instructs the people to impress these commandments on our children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road,when you lie down and when you get up.” We must share with them the end goal.
Our focus can be a wonderful way to nurture the faith of our children as we share with them how we see our work, our volunteer activities, even our leisure activities as ways we love and serve God.
I want to tell you a story about Al Braca and how he shared with his wife Jeannie and son Christopher, that he really didn’t like his job as a bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald, but he felt he was called there to be a witness to his co-workers. He was at his job on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center on September 11th. After instructing an MCI operator to tell his family that he loved them, he ministered to his fifty co-workers in the horrific moments before the tower’s collapse. Sharing his focus kept Al focused, nurtured the faith of his family, and touched the lives of his co-workers.
One of the greatest temptations we have is to be closet Christians. We keep our faith to ourselves so that no one will be able to criticize us if we don’t measure up to his or her expectations or ours. Our silence virtually guarantees our failure. Do our friends know how we see our faith being lived out in what we do and say? Do our children understand how our work is a way we serve God? Do our parents know how we see being a student is a way to serve God, and how our future plans line up with what we believe God is calling us to do? Our faith does not need to be the topic of every conversation, but neither should it be the one topic that we avoid. Our end goal must be shared. Our determination and focus must be shared.
DAILY REMINDERS
The writer of Deuteronomy further instructs his readers to, “Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
Orthodox Jews have reminders, which are leather bands around their arms and a headband and box on their head to remind them of the focus of their lives.
We use focus items at various times in our lives. Some of us have family pictures on our desks at work. They help us answer the question, “Why do I put up with this junk?” A team logo reminds us of where our allegiance is during baseball, football, basketball, or hockey seasons. Uniforms remind us of the school we attend, or the company for whom we work.
Religious symbols often times serve the same purpose. A cross on our desk, or a religious theme screensaver helps us focus on our primary goal. Saying grace before meals reminds us of God’s grace and our response of love. Communion reminds us of the blood Jesus shed on the cross for us. Symbols help us keep our focus throughout our days. It helps is keep our eyes on the end goal. And when the world begins to weigh us down to the point of crumbling, it allows us to remain in balance with the world around us but it does not allow us to conform to what the world is pressing on us.
CONCLUSION
Balance does not necessary come easy to our lives. Sometimes it takes hard work. Other times it takes the incorporation of simple ideas into our lives.
Focus contributes to the balance of our lives, and balance enables us to experience the abundant life that is ours through Christ Jesus.
Amen
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