Jesus shares an important truth with us in the Gospel of Luke: BIBLE "Who of you by being worried ....can add a single hour ....to their life?" END
Aren't most of the struggles of this life, ......especially when viewed in hindsight, ......nothing more ....than an inconvenience? (Pause)
Throughout our marriage ......when Lee and I as a couple or as a family would face struggles;
Lee would always bring them back into perspective ....and say ......"They are only an Inconvenience."
And in truth .....they are!
Beloved, .....We live through the struggles of life; .....we grow through the struggles ....of life.
And hopefully .....we learn through the struggles of life .....that they are no more than ...... an inconvenience.
Once we experience them, ......Once we go through them ......we become .....empowered.
We realize ....that we will live through those situations .....if we are called to face them .... Once again. (Pause)
A student squeezes in line in front of you at a high school football game, ......that's not a problem .....that's only ......an inconvenience.
Someone takes a parking space that you are about to pull into, ......that's not a problem .....that's only ...... an inconvenience? .....Now help me here!
You have a flat tire while driving to the airport .....and you are going to miss your flight; ....that's only ...... an inconvenience.
While on vacation celebrating 30 years of marriage ......you end up in a hospital in Mexico ......with a bill for $1,700.00 U.S. Dollars.
That's not a problem that's only ......an inconvenience.
The Dow falls, .....you lose over 50% of the value of your stock holdings, ......the company you work for is going bankrupt...... and you will probably lose your house and your job, ...... that's only .......
Yes Beloved, that too ...... is only an inconvenience (Long Pause).
I remember very clearly a conversation with my grandfather ......when he was in the hospital ......dying of cancer.
He said ......"Jeffy, ....all the other problems I faced in life ......were nothing..... compared to this;
I would give up all my money; .......I would give up all the things that I own ......to only .......have my health back. (Pause)
I had the opportunity to pray with my grandfather in the hospital .....a few days before he died. (Pause)
Yes, .....even death itself .....is only an inconvenience .....to those who know Christ ......as their Savior ....and their Lord." (Pause)
If we are honest, ......most of the situations ......that we become most anxious about, ......are also the ones...... that we have little or no control over; much like these uncertain times .....that the world is facing ....today.
And we are all facing individually, ..... as families, ....as a nation ...... and as a Church.
Yet these too Beloved ... are only an inconvenience. (Pause)
We are called to be good stewards ....of all that God gives us ......and to bring to Him .....our lives, ....our tithes .....and our offerings.
In fact in Malachi God says: BIBLE "Test me now on this," .....bring me your titles and offerings ....and see "if I will not open the windows of heaven ....and pour out for you a blessing .....until it overflows." END
This truth .... This promise.....is filled with so much spiritual power .... So much so.....that God says .....Test me on this (Pause).
We are called to be ......good stewards.
Yet so often ....we do not seem to trust him.
Yet so often .....we do not take him ....at his word.
So what do we do..... Well....we hold back.. (Long Pause)
Being a good steward .....reminds me of the Stewardship campaigns ....that our church in Ohio would have annually.
Yes, Once a year ....we would have a door to door campaign .....and discuss tithing ...and finances.
Is tithing an important part of our Christian walk?
Of course it is.
But....Quite honestly.... the tithe is just a mile stone...... not a destination.
For we are told in the Scriptures ....to bring our tithes.... And our offerings.... Before the Lord.
So what motivates us.... What leads us ....to move in Faith .....to be willing ....to trust God .... To be good stewards of our time our talents and our biblical giving?
Is it a once a year ......door to door .....Stewardship campaign?
Maybe that engages some..... but .....I do not believe .....that would work for me.
When I think of stewardship .......it brings to mind a story about a small Anglican Church ......located in a farming community.
The Priest would call on every member of the congregation .......as a part of .....the annual stewardship campaign.
The next home that he was going to visit ......was that of farmer Brown.
Now,... Mr. Brown .....was known in the community .....to be very frugal with his finances, .....if you know what I mean.
The Priest asked farmer Brown, ....."If you inherited two million dollars would you give $200,000 to the church"?
"Pastor, I would surely give at least 1/10th to the Church" he replied.
"Now, farmer Brown if you had ten tractors, .....would you donate one to the church for a fund raiser"?
"If I had ten tractors, I would gladly give one to the church".
"Now, farmer Brown if you had ten pigs...."
"Now Just a minute Pastor, .....You know darn well .....I've got ten pigs"! (Pause)
I believe most people .....even non-followers of the Christ ......will give out of their excess..... or abundance. (Pause)
So as a good steward ....how much should we give ....to God's kingdom?
St. Paul gives us the answer in his second letter to the believers ......gathered in Corinth.
BIBLE "They who sow sparingly ....will also reap sparingly ....and they who sows bountifully ....will also reap bountifully." "Each one must do just as they have proposed in their heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion..... for God loves a cheerful giver." END
Stewardship obviously includes financial support .....but it also encompasses sharing your time and your talents .....in support ....of the Kingdom.
Why? ......Why are we called to share...to be giving?
First .... In order to be transformed into the image of Christ.......And Secondly.....in order to bring others..... into a relationship .....with Jesus Christ.
And.....It was the Stewardship of two friends from my youth .....that brought me into a true relationship ......with our Lord.
In 1975 approximately year and a half after I graduated from Ohio University; ......I stopped to see two old high school friends, .....friends that....I hadn't seen in years.
For some reason when you leave high school, ......life takes you from people ......that you thought you would always stay close too.
They asked me if I would sing with them at a Church the following Sunday ...... I agreed to ....go along.
After the Service we went to one of their homes...... and we were just sitting around and talking about what we would like to do .....with our life.
I mentioned .....that I would like to be re-baptized in the Jordan River .....someday.
I guess that was the opening they were waiting for .....because they turned to me, .....almost in harmony ...... and said ....."Jeff, ......We have been meaning to talk to you".
They each shared with me .....what it meant.... to have a personal relationship ....with Jesus Christ.
Sadly, my question was .....where are all these type of Christians .... You are talking about hiding?
Where were all these dedicated Christians..... that they were talking about?
I wanted to see them! I wanted to meet them!
They said .....they are all around you ....and when you accept Christ ......your eyes will be open ..... and you will begin to see ......how many people have been reaching out to you ....over the years.
Well I insisted on seeing others....so the next week I went to a Christian home fellowship.
That night there was scripture reading, prayers and singing.
Prayers that were lifted to God .....and singing that was simple .... yet full of such ....praise.
The presence of the Lord was in that room .....along with Christians .....living a life of faith.
At the end of the evening...... everyone lifted friends and family up in prayer.
When we were finished......The person next to me, .....who I had never met before, .....asked me .....When had I been saved (Pause).
When had I been saved?
A question that a few weeks before, .....I would have dismissed or ignored, .... Or worse become angry about ..... but that night I knew the answer;..... "I was not" (Pause).
I told him... I have never given my life to Christ.
He asked me ......if I wanted to do it... tonight.
God Bless him for having the courage to ask me,..... for that night.... I turned over my life ....to Christ;
All because men and women walking a Life of Christian Stewardship .....had the inner-strength to lead this sinner to the cross .... of Christ.
I had no great feeling that night ....though I was expecting one.
I was given a Christian tract .....that had a train on it .....Fact on the Engine.....Faith on the Coal car ......and Feeling on the Caboose.
Our acceptance of Christ is a Fact .....that we do by Faith.
The promise of God's word, .....not our feelings ....is our authority.
As Christians we live by faith .......that is in the trustworthiness of God himself .....and by His Scriptures, (Pause).
We have faith in God's provision ......and on the trustworthiness of his word.
A few nights later .....I received the infilling of the Holy Spirit, ......and I felt a peace, .....a peace that truly passes all understanding.
I felt like Jesus was holding me in His arms ....throughout the night.
After I accepted Christ I went back to The Congregational Church that I attended since my youth ......and met with the pastor.
I shared with him.....what God had done in my life .....that I finally got it; ...it was by grace that we are saved .....not by works, .....not by how good we are.
It was by grace alone.
He firmly told me that we do not believe that here. We believe that .....it is by works.
I was somewhat angry that I had been deceived ....over all these years...... And I knew that I could not stay there.
I went back to the Fellowship and asked what Main Line Churches in the area teach ... the true Gospel Message.
I was not ready .....for a non-denominational church.
They said the pastor Bill Worman at the Episcopal Church in Mentor ......had recently started teaching ....and preaching the Scriptures.
But they warned me....They use a prayer book .....and do a lot of standing, kneeling and sitting .....so you need to give it at least five weeks ....to get comfortable.
Well I began to attend .....and I grew much under the leadership of Bill Worman.
I went regularly to Church .....and would put a 5 or 10 dollars in the offering plate each Sunday.
Father Worman gave a Message concerning stewardship ...... and on tithing and trusting God's word.... I immediately started to give 10% .....of my net salary ....to the Church.
A few years later I was moved by the Holy Spirit..... to strive toward a 10% tithe.... of my Gross Salary.
I felt I could not move to this tithe immediately ......but within two years..... I was fully tithing.
I honestly do not believe that I would have moved to a life of giving ......if I had not first known Jesus Christ..... as both my Savior and my Lord. (Long Pause)
These are uncertain times for our country ... and for the Christian Church ....but in light of eternity .....they are only an inconvenience.
Give, ......not reluctantly, not under compulsion not under pressure..... For God loves a cheerful giver.
My wife Lee and I give ......and I pray most Christians give.....because our Father in Heaven is forever giving .....and he gave all .....that we may be saved.
We say we are followers of the Christ ..... Yet do we trust him?
Have we turned over our whole life over to him..... or are we holding back?
And by doing so .... We are holding back from being fully transformed .....into the image of His son? (Pause)
Jesus loves us so very much .....and is constantly calling us ....to his love.
Beloved.....Even in these uncertain times, ......it may seem difficult.
But my Lord says he loves me, ......he asks me to test Him, ......to trust Him ......and to have faith in His provision..... (Slow) And in his love.
Amen and Amen!
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