FreeTruth

Pastor Tim began a discussion last week by writing a thoughtful piece on the pros and cons of insurance, and by asking us: "What do you think?" I wonder if he figured so many of us would have so much to say on the subject!

Later in the string of comments, Bruce challenged me to go back and re-read some of Tim's thoughts, asking again, "what do you think?" Bruce wondered if perhaps I was being selective in my use of scripture. It's a fair question.

And so, I have been mulling things over these last few days.

To try and tie all of my thoughts together would not be practical. So, can I give them to you without tying them together? Pascal collected his thoughts on scraps of paper, and later compiled "Pensees." (Thoughts)

Read as many or as few as you wish (it may get long!) This evening's exercise may be mostly for my sake-- to collect my thoughts and put them down on "paper." Many of them relate to how I have come to view the subject of money (and, I suppose by association, insurance).

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My wife has faith that her 9 children will not let her beg for bread if something happens to me. But there was a previous faith at work (in having the 9 children) which makes this present faith about her future security reasonable. Faith, is seems breeds more faith. (excuse the pun!)

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Widows, in scripture, are to be cared for by children and other family, or, if no family is available, by the body of Christ. Jesus is hard on the Pharisees for saying "Corban." They had rejected the law "honor your father and your mother" by allocating their monies in some other direction.

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How did Jesus feel about money? It's interesting, when it came time to pick one of the disciples to carry the purse, he chose the only thief in the group.

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When Jesus told Judas "what you do, do quickly." The others figured it was either to buy some immediate provisions, or to give something to the poor. A good insight into our Lord's use of money.

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Why do the scriptures contrast God and Mammon? Is it because money can be to us everything that God waits to be to us? Money can (seem to) provide: Comfort, pleasure, hope, security, confidence, and a future. How easy to transfer one's trust from what is not seen to what can be seen and handled, and counted! The rich fool of Jesus' parable discovered too late that he had misplaced his hope... "and so is everyone who lays up treasure for himslef, and is not rich toward God."

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World Magazine had a long running add that I found disturbing and inconsistent for a Christian based publication. The ad ran like this: "END WIDOW WORRY." How? By meditating on 1 Peter 5:7 "Casting all your care on Him, for He careth for you"? NO... no such suggestion was made. Instead, the ad went on, "widow worry" could be ended by paying $36.54 each month. And, if you weren't sold on the wisdom of this suggestion, then you were worse than an infidel!

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Forgive me, but can't help but wonder... How many times has "widow worry" been turned into "widow aspiration" when once the policy is in hand? The human heart is desperately wicked... a relationship begins to go sour... suddenly that half a million seems more attractive than the one who is currently bringing home the bacon and arguing with you every night? God forbid.

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An insurance policy can be used as a means to hoard one's possessions. The lack of a policy may be an excuse to waste even more of one's resources. In his "Divine Comedy: The Inferno" Dante places the hoarders and the wasters together in the 7th Circle of Hell. Some in that dreadful circle will have had insurance policies, and others will not have had them. And in heaven, some will have had insurance policies, and others will not have had them. As a very wise pastor recently pointed out in one of his blogs... it's a matter of the heart!

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Abraham passed up a fortune when he returned all of the plundered goods back to the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. One may wonder: Did he have any second thoughts that evening? But then God speaks: "Abraham, I am your shield and your exceeding great reward." And so it is today, there is no reward, experience, or possession that is more worth having (or securing) than God Himself!

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One of the things said of the saints in Revelation (12) is that "they did not love their lives unto death." How does one live who is not afraid to die? What does a man or woman look like in this world who loves God more than life itself? What kinds of things does that man or woman spend money on? What kinds of things do they refuse to spend money on?

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"Seek first the kindgom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." "I have never seen the seed of the righteous begging bread." It would seem that righteouness is perhaps the best "insurance policy" available! But it can't be purchased...

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I've already mentioned this, but... Jesus across the table from a financial planner? Yes, I know, it's a little unfair to invoke the image. But there is some humor, and some truth to be had in it. I guess if you can take 5 loaves and 2 fish, and turn them into enough food to feed 5,000 there isn't much the man in the suit and tie can sell you to help make your future secure. Well, last I knew, Jesus is still able to do that kind of thing!

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God is forever challenging the things we try to put our security in! Be it Gideon, who would have preferred 20,000 to 300; or the rich young ruler who really did want God, but couldn't open his hand and let his earthly possessions go. What am I holding on to? Watch out... God may ask me to let it go before I can see a victory (like Gideon), or possess treasure in heaven!

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One of the pastors, in his sermon today said "True faith in Christ will involve suffering." Why do we take so many measures then, to protect ourselves from suffering?

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God's people Israel, were judged for "walking in the customs of the nations whom the Lord drove out before them." I would think that whatever the custom of the secular culture surrounding us is, it ought to be looked at with some suspicion. Those who don't know God, don't trust God, don't look to God, have a way of securing their future. Is it the same way we ought to secure ours? Perhaps so... perhaps not. It may be neutral, in which case we are left to consider and decide before God what is the best course. But it should be examined in the light of Scripture. (Which, by the way, is what we are doing together.)

These, then, are some of my Pensees. (Where's JR!)

PETROS

Labels: Dependence on God, Guest Post, Materialism, money

It rained all day last Friday. I was at my desk much of the day, and found myself glancing often through the window... at millions and millions of raindrops.

Ever since pastor Tim used the following illustration in his sermon, I have looked at rain with a new sense of wonder. What follows below should end the debate between those who think the universe is randomly ordered, and those who believe in Intelligent Design. Check this out; copy it off, and have your children bring it to school for an interesting discussion in the science classroom!

"But as for me, I would seek God, And I would place my cause before God; Who does great and unsearchable things, Wonders without number. He gives rain on the earth, And sends water on the fields." (Job 5:8-10)

Is rain a great and unsearchable wonder wrought by God?

Picture yourself as a farmer in the Near East, far from any lake or stream. A few wells keep the family and animals supplied with water. But if the crops are to grow and the family is to be fed from month to month, water has to come on the fields from another source.

From where?

Well, the sky.

The sky? Water will come out of the clear blue sky?

Well, not exactly. Water will have to be carried in the sky from the Mediterranean Sea, over several hundred miles and then be poured out from the sky onto the fields.

Carried? How much does it weigh?

Well, if one inch of rain falls on one square mile of farmland during the night, that would be 27,878,400 cubic feet of water, which is 206,300,160 gallons, which is 1,650,501,280 pounds of water.

That's heavy. So how does it get up in the sky and stay up there if it's so heavy?

Well, it gets up there by evaporation.

Really? That's a nice word. What's it mean?

It means that the water sort of stops being water for a while so it can go up and not down.

I see. Then how does it get down?

Well, condensation happens.

What's that?

The water starts becoming water again by gathering around little dust particles between .00001 and .0001 centimeters wide. That's small.

What about the salt?

Salt?

Yes, the Mediterranean Sea is salt water. That would kill the crops. What about the salt?

Well, the salt has to be taken out.

Oh. So the sky picks up a billion pounds of water from the sea and takes out the salt and then carries it for three hundred miles and then dumps it on the farm?

Well it doesn't dump it. If it dumped a billion pounds of water on the farm, the wheat would be crushed. So the sky dribbles the billion pounds of water down in little drops. And they have to be big enough to fall for one mile or so without evaporating, and small enough to keep from crushing the wheat stalks.

How do all these microscopic specks of water that weigh a billion pounds get heavy enough to fall (if that's the way to ask the question)?

Well, it's called coalescence.

What's that?

It means the specks of water start bumping into each other and join up and get bigger. And when they are big enough, they fall.

Just like that?

Well, not exactly, because they would just bounce off each other instead of joining up, if there were no electric field present.

What?

Never mind. Take my word for it.

I think, instead, I will just take Job's word for it. I still don't see why drops ever get to the ground, because if they start falling as soon as they are heavier than air, they would be too small not to evaporate on the way down, but if they wait to come down, what holds them up till they are big enough not to evaporate? Yes, I am sure there is a name for that too. But I am satisfied now that, by any name, this is a great and unsearchable thing that God has done. I think I should be thankful - lots more thankful than I am.”

John Piper:
The Godward Life

Labels: Dependence on God, Guest Post, Intelligent Design

Sunday morning I was sensing the need for spiritual renewal--and for a new brokenness, and a fresh filling of the life of God. The Lord convinced me of my need in the following ways.

The service began with the Lord's Table. Tim made an appeal to "walk worthy of the Gospel." While reminding us to thank God that, by His grace, we are not "what we could be," Tim pointed out that it is also right to consider, "are we where we should be?"

Brothers and sisters, what I am about to confess showed me that I am not where I should be. It shames me to tell this, but this blog is a good place for honesty. In the celebration of the Lord's Table, when the bread was distributed, there was a brief moment of silence. It was very peaceful... too peaceful. I suddenly woke to the realization that the congregation had just eaten the matzo. I then lifted my bread and also partook... a couple of seonds late. The Apostle Peter was gently rebuked by our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane because he was unable to watch with the Master for 1 hour... and here I was, not able to stay alert for just a few moments! I need "more of God."

The morning scripture texts were from the life of Abraham. In Genesis 15:1 the Lord declares to Abram: "I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward." "But Abram said, O Lord God, what will you give me...?" Am I not like Abram? God offers Himself to me... Himself, the great gift. Why do I not simply take Him, enjoy Him, love Him? He is the supreme gift. Why do I allow myself in countless ways to be distracted from Him? I need "more of God."

After the service, a dear brother began to talk with me about what was being planned in the way of summer evangelism. There were to be a few Saturday car washes, and Friday night Boardwalk Evangelism was also being planned. Once again my conscience was pricked. As I listened I realized that it's been a long time since I've considered spending my Fridays and Saturdays in this way. I was reminded that, before these kinds of Kingdom activities are going to be a joy to me, (as they are for the brother who was sharing these opportunities with me), I will need "more of God."

How about you? Is there anything in your experience telling you that you need more of God? Let's come to this Friday evening "More of God" service with expectancy, humility, and hope!

Labels: Change, Dependence on God, Growth, Guest Post, Repentance