“Where Is My Heart?”
Recovering A Vital Truth – part one
Back in the early 1980’s I was stationed in Yorktown Virginia and would occasionally make the 4 hour trip back home to Maryland. I remember coming back home one time, it was starting to get dark, I was on I-495 bypassing Washington DC – moving right along making good time. Then all of the sudden things weren’t looking too familiar, some thing didn’t feel right, but I convinced myself it was still okay – after all it was night time and things just look at little different at night.
SO I kept on driving looking for even one a familiar landmark, that would show me that I was about to be in good old Virginia – I didn’t see any… But I keep on going…
And after being uncomfortable like this for about 30 minutes – I saw a sign on the right side of the road, that finally convinced me once and for all that I was heading in the wrong direction, “Welcome To Maryland” a state I had left over an hour earlier.
Needless to say, I got off at the very first exit and turned around, so much for breaking my best time from Baltimore to Yorktown.
Listen - the old Turkish proverb I mentioned 2 weeks ago is sound advice; “No matter how far you’ve gone down the wrong road turn back…”
And my friends, that is exactly what I am doing today – for 9+ years I have been taking a wrong road in my role as a pastor and teacher of God’s people. For nearly 10 years I have, for the most part, avoided and left out a vital part – an essential ingredient in the spiritual growth of individuals and of churches…
NOW, I am much too sharp, to just leave it out – SO what I did was to convince myself that I was actually doing the right thing, in avoiding this topic… I’ve never done a series on it – I don’t think I’ve even done a entire sermon on it…
But over the past 6 months – God has slowly gotten me to understand that I was headed in the wrong direction… He started making me feel uncomfortable – convicting me… I began to feel that something was NOT right.
In early October myself and 5 other leaders from Central took a trip to Louisville, Kentucky to go to a Leadership Conference at Southeast Christian Church. It was an awesome trip. I sat in a church that seats 10,000 people – and who each year brings 1,000+ people to Christ and gives over 2 million dollars to missions. I was blown away as I walked through a 770,000 square foot facility – and I stood in a visitor center the size of a football field. We were there Friday through Saturday evening…
And it was during the Saturday morning session – that God used Bob Russell to help me begin to see – that I was going down the wrong road. In his message that morning, he talked about the very subject, I had been leaving out all these years…
BUT understand – I’m not the always sharpest knife in the drawer – so God needed to give me another prod, in order to get me going, in order - to get me to realize that I needed to turn around and head in the right direction…
On April 12th of this year – God once again pulled out the ‘cattle prod.’ I was over in Alpharetta, having lunch with Chris Stovall, the minister over at the new church we support called Lifepoint. Chris & and I get together a couple times a month now – to share ideas and most importantly - to pray together and develop some kind of accountability.
We were sitting in Applebee’s (eating salads, aren’t you proud) and sharing about our respective churches – both of us are totally stoked about the opportunities God has given to us.
While, I was talking about the work here – Chris asked me if he could, in his words, “Be bold with me…” You see, Chris wanted to know if he could shoot straight with me… And I said, “yeah man, go for it… that’s why I am here…that’s what we are supposed to be about…”
AND Chris just - like Bob Russell – 6 months earlier, brought up the exact same topic I had essentially - been leaving out during 9+ years of ministry. AND let me tell you – as I sat in Applebee’s that Thursday, I had a “Welcome to Maryland” experience.
So much so that I determined right then and there – that at the very next off ramp I would turn around and start heading in the right direction. So much so, that - I decided that the series I planned on kicking off today – April 29th, on “Restoring Balance to our Lives” - a series I am totally stoked about, because I know I need to balance my life a little better – and because I know God is going to use those messages to bring a bunch of new people to central. But because of my “Welcome To MD” experience, I decided right then and there to push it back a full 3 weeks.
And let me tell you, when I left Alphraetta that day and started to head home – I was pretty pumped – so I called both Ryckie and Len on my cell phone to let them know where I was at (what God had told me and what I wanted to do), and do you know what the cool thing was – both Ryckie & Len were right there with me….Telling me to go for it.
SO – you may be wondering WHAT - is this essential truth that I have been talking about now for about 10 minutes, but haven’t even said what it is… hang in there - I’m getting to it…
Listen - ONE of my goals in ministry – if not the main goal – has always been to help people grow in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. MY job description as I see it is – to introduce people to Jesus Christ, and THEN help them to get to know him better. (a simple Job D. for a simple man).
And that is why I talk so much about quiet times, prayer, accountability, bible studies… That’s why I have encouraged people to go ‘public’ with their personal relationship with God.
BUT – there is one thing, that I have not really stressed, all that much – sure I mention it occasionally – but usually, only in passing – and it is the essential truth, that I want to talk about for the next 3 weeks - >>>>> okay, here it is - stewardship – financial giving….
MONEY – and I know this a touchy topic – one that people really find uncomfortable talking about… BUT if you remember - so were Q.T.’s when we first began talking about them…
Question - why do a lot of pastors & churches, avoid - talking about money?
Bob Russell in his book – When God Builds A Church suggests some reasons why?
1) The Reputation of Television Evangelists;
You see, TV evangelists have a reputation for exploiting people financially. Now, this is not universally true, but that doesn’t matter. BECAUSE - the media has so stereotyped TV evangelists – as always having their hands out (stealing for little widow ladies), that we desperately want to disassociate ourselves from them..
I heard about a farmer who called the office of televangelist asking to see “The Head Hog at the trough.”
The receptionist said, “Sir, if you’re talking about our beloved Minster, you may call him Reverend or Pastor, but I don’t think it would be proper to refer to him as the “head Hog at the trough.’”
“Well, all right,” the farmer said. “I just sold a few sows and was going to donate ten thousand dollars to the building fund, so I was hopping to catch him.”
“Oh, just a minute, sir.” The receptionist said, “I think the big pig just walked in!”
Since some pastor, especially televangleists, are perceived to be always focusing on money, many times preachers go to the opposite extreme of not wanting to talk about money at all…”
A 2nd reason for not talking about money is - THE
2) Fear of offending people
We don’t want to turn people off – especially guests. And talking about $$$ can usually do that in a heartbeat…. That’s why a lot of churches – put a notes about giving in their bulletin. Here is the one I put in our bulletin back in Tampa – right below Communion and offering….
“feel free to take as the emblems are being passed or hold and meditate. If you are visiting with us today we do not want you to give to the offering, let us give to you today.”
Now, I didn’t think about it then – BUT – how come I never put in the bulletin – “if you don’t feel like singing today – feel free to just sit there, and if the message is on a topic you do not want to hear – you’ll notice on the back of the pew next to the communion cup holder a dispenser that has commercial grade ear plugs, just grab a pair – stick em’ in then you don’t have to hear the message…”
Why do we treat giving differently from everything else….
3) A third reason for not talking about money – is that to talk about stewardship and giving means we have to examine our own stewardship… And maybe we’d rather not do that.
Just like you can’t really talk about QT’s unless you are having them.
BUT – for the past nine years – I have convinced myself that none of these were the reason – I haven’t made giving a major emphasis…
Listen - The reason, why for the 9+ years of ministry I haven’t placed a major emphasis on giving –is because I ‘truly’ believed that if I could just get people to grow in their relationship with Christ – THEN – they would give automatically…. THEN they would be motivated internally and not x-ternally.
AND up until April 12th (when God used Chris to smack up a long side the head) – I felt pretty good about that philosophy. BUT, now I see a huge hole in that way of thinking…. BECAUSE giving and spiritual growth are intricately tied… they go hand and hand – they are inseparable…
Now, I can see that to say someone can grow in their faith before they learn to give is like saying – you can get in great shape and have good health – but you don’t need to exercise or eat right… (that hasn’t work for me over the years)
IF you have spent any time at Central, under my leadership at Central – I want to, right now, apologize and ask your forgiveness for leaving out an essential truth…
This morning as we kick off this three week series - I want to talk briefly about 5 reasons why NOW is the time for me to talk about – stewardship & giving.
The first reason is a pretty quick one, because we’ve already talked about…
The - #1 reason – that now is the time for me to talk about giving is because…
God Through People Has Told Me To
And because I Love God – I want to obey Him… Because I love God I will not continue down the wrong road when he has made it clear that I am…
The second reason (and don’t get excited they all won’t be that quick) is BECAUSE:
I Want To Preach All Of God’s Truth
Paul in Acts 20, was talking with the elders of the church at Ephesus – telling them about the ministry he had with them (Paul was in Ephesus for 3 years) and in that conversation – Paul said the following;
“I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. You know that I have not HESITATED to preach anything that would be helpful to you….” Acts 20:19,20
“Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men… For I have not HESITATED to proclaim to you the whole will of God…” Acts 20:27
Now, the Greek word – in those verses that is translated ‘hesitate’ is a word that means – ‘to draw back’ ‘to retreat’ ‘to withdraw’ ‘to hold back’ ‘to conceal’ ‘to keep silent’ “to avoid” “to shrink back’ It was a term that was used onboard a ship when they would take down or lower their sail.
NOW – if you would take the time to study the context of those verses – you would see that they have to do with salvation and turning to God.
And in that regard Paul said he did not hold back – he did not retreat – he did conceal any truths. He did not avoid any topic even if it was uncomfortable or unpopular. BUT instead he - said it all, laid it all on the line…. (Paul told people exactly what they needed to do to be saved – he told the lost they were just that lost – and then he told them how to get right with God)
Therefore he was in his own words – ‘innocent of the blood of all men..” Pretty powerful STUFF.
But understand this – even though in this context, Paul was specifically talking about salvation – Paul applied this principle, of preaching all of God’s truth , to his entire ministry…
Paul, wrote the following to the church in Galatia – a church with which, he had to share some things from God’s word, that they found uncomfortable…
“Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?” Gal 4:16
(question – has someone ever became your enemy just because you shared God’s truth?)
Florida Christian College has a tradition that in your junior year during the final chapel, one of the year’s graduating seniors, usually a friend – calls you up front and gives you what we call a “charge” for ministry… back in April of 1991 (10 years from this very month) a Guy named Tim Bolen gave me the following charge…
“PREACH the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. FOR the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears from the truth and turn aside to myths. BUT you keep your head in all situations, endure hardships, do the work of evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry…”
2 Tim 4:2-5
And let me tell you, that is what I really want to do - preach the whole – word of God (in season and out) - I do not want to – “withdraw, to shrink back’ to avoid, to hold back any of God’s word - especially when it is helpful to you….
Listen - WHEN it comes to God’s word I don’t want to take the sails down – No, I want to raise them…and sail on…
That’s why I need to raise the sails in regards to teaching about giving – because the bible, talks a lot about stewardship. In fact, Jesus talked about stewardship more than any other subject. Jesus, talked more about handling money than he did heaven, hell or even loving your neighbor.
Brain Sluth, former president of the Christian Stewardship Association, said;
There are 2,350 passages in the bible dealing with money and material possessions – more than any other subject – but it’s the least talked about subject in the church. The church has been silent for so long that people don’t understand the responsibilities that undergird a generous lifestyle.
And listen – preaching on money wasn’t very popular in Jesus day either. I imagine that when the rich young ruler came running up to Jesus, the disciples must have been excited. “We could really use this guy. He could fund the entire operation! Man, I sure hope Jesus doesn’t blow it by saying anything about money, at least not for awhile….
BUT – Jesus Christ, did not put down the sails – he did not hold back – He did not avoid a touchy subject – rather he went straight to the heart of the issue for this man, and he said; “Go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me” Mk 10:21
Unfortunately the men walked away from Jesus – and he was bummed out – Why? because he had a lot of money…
In his book when God builds a church; Russell writes;
“it takes courage to speak the truth about money because it is such a god to so many. BUT we are commissioned to preach the whole counsel of God . Someone said, ‘It’s better to be sobered by the saddest truth than deluded by the merriest lie.’
According to Jesus, it is the TRUTH that “no servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and MONEY.” Lk 16:13 IF you fail to communicate that truth to people, you are doing them a disservice and failing to preach the whole, “will of God.”
Why is NOW the time for me to begin to talk about giving –
1) God through people has told me to
2) I want to preach all of God’s word - and #3
I Want You To Grow Spiritually – To Mature
And financial giving is a MAJOR part of spiritual maturity…
Listen – the truth is, WE are not as far along spiritually as we think we are – IF – we don not give back generously to God… (repeat it)
NOW – I know that when some look at their income and their bills – AND then consider giving God what is his – they think, “ no way – I don’t see how this could ever work – at least not now…”
BUT Understand – there is a word – for stepping out where God wants us to go EVEN when we can’t see how in the world those waters will ever part…
Question – do you know what that word is “Faith…”
The bible says;
“faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see..” Heb 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him, must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” Heb 11:6
Reason #4
Central Is An Alive Church
A certain Christian lady once said to a friend, "Our church costs too much. They are always asking for money." "Sometime ago a little boy was born in our home," replied her friend. "He cost me a lot of money from the very beginning: he had a big appetite, he needed clothes, medicine, toys, and even a puppy. Then he went to school, and that cost a lot more; later he went away to college, then he began dating, and that cost a small fortune! But in his senior year at college he died, and since the funeral he has not cost me a penny. Now which situation do you think I would rather have?
Question - what situation would you rather have?
Understand – a dead church, does not cost nearly as much, as an alive church… AND Listen - Central Christian is an alive church… Things are happening here…. We are growing… Our outreach and impact is beginning expand – lives are being changed…
A couple of months ago, I told the story of a missionary WHO, when on furlough went into a department store to buy a globe… She saw one that was okay looking and reasonably priced – but then she saw a globe that was much nicer and it even had a light in it – BUT the salesman told her, it was more expensive – A lighted world costs more….
Listen – there is so much more that Central Christian can do – we can
There is so much that God wants us to do…
There are so many more lives – God wants to touch with the Love of Christ…
There are so many more ways that we can impact our world and our community…
BUT – it takes money to do ministry…. Buildings cost money (we need to expand ours), utilities cost money – staff costs money (we need more full time) – books & things costs money, equipment costs money… It cost money to have awesome ministries like our student ministry…
BUT HEY – what situation would you rather have? IF Central dies – it won’t cost you a penny… But isn’t good to be a part of an alive church… and as B.T.O. said many years ago – you ain’t seen nothing yet…
The 5th reason why now is the time to talk about giving is
God Is Concerned About Your Heart
Question – do you believe that God is concerned about your heart?
Let me share a bunch of passages that deal with the heart…
“The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on earth had become, and that EVERY inclination of the thoughts of his HEART was only EVIL all the time.” Gen 6:5
“Love the Lord your God, with all your HEART….” Dt 6:5
“…the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance. God LOOKS at the HEART.” 1 Sam 16:7
“Blessed are they who keep his statutes and SEEK HIM with all their HEART.” Ps 119:2
“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord TESTS the HEART.” Pr 17:3
“Even now, “declares the Lord, “RETURN to me with all your HEART.” Joel 2:12
“…He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the MOTIVES of men’s HEART…” 1 Cor 4:5
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, SET your HEARTS on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” Col 3:1
“…we are not trying to please men but God who TESTS our HEARTS…” 1 Th 2:4
“But in your HEART set apart Christ as LORD…” 1 Pe 3:15
“…I am He who SEARCHES HEARTS and minds…” Rev 2:23
I think you would agree that these passages – underscore the importance of the heart…
God looks at our heart – we are to seek & love him with all our heart – God will expose the motives of and test and search our hearts…
And with the importance of the heart fresh in our minds – Let’s look at what Jesus said on the sermon on the mount about the heart…
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. BUT store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth & rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. FOR where YOUR TREASURE is, there your HEART will be also…” Mt 6:19-21
Notice that Jesus says, that where your treasure is there is your heart also….
Guys for years I’ve been doing it backwards – thinking that - if I just got people to give their heart to Jesus THEN the their treasure would follow… I was wrong… That is not how Jesus says it works….
Listen - where we put our treasure – Jesus said is where our heart really is…. In other words find someone’s treasure, and you’ll find their heart – find what people spend their money on and you’ll find what is ‘really’ important to them…
Have you noticed that a lot of things cost a bunch of money today… And People spend their money on all kinds of things… BUT not all on the same things….
NOW – you might be someone who would spend
BUT would never even consider spending
WHY is that - you see, it’s all about, where you heart is…. ?
Question – are you concerned about the price of Home Depot Stock?
Would your interest change IF – you had a couple thousand shares? Sure
Listen – no matter – how much we may like it not to be this way, Jesus says if something does not have your treasure, it does not have your heart…
In other words if Jesus does have your check book he doesn’t really have you….
Okay, Those are the 5 reasons, why I feel that NOW – is the time to talk about giving – why now is the time to recover an essential truth…
I want to close this 1st message off with a challenge – on May 13th – we want to have ‘tithe’ demonstration Sunday… (never have done that before). On that day we want everyone to give – the amount they would give IF they were to tithe their one week income…
To be honest this has been a tough week for me…
This was a new topic for me – a lot of; thinking, studying..etc
AND – I must admit that even though I have been pretty pumped about it – I also have been a little nervous as well…
Worrying about not being able to present this subject clearly, and with power - wondering you would respond…
AND Wednesday morning after my 6:30 D-Group – I felt overwhelmed by it all and I also felt that I had too much to do – to do my quiet time…
THEN it hit me that because I had so much to do – I needed to go hang with God, because otherwise I’ll never get it all done…
SO I sat down and did a QT – and God blew me away… The story I read was in Judges chapter 4 & 5… I story recounting how God used 2 people Deborah & Barak to lead God’s people to victory over an enemy that had been oppressing God’s people for 20 years.
After the victory they wrote and sang a song of praise to God that really got me pumped – The entire 5th chapter is a song….
And as I read these words, I thought about how God wants to use us to win a victory for Him in this place… How God wants us to not only expand our building BUT our territory…
HOW – he wants us to be a bunch of sold out believers…
YES there is an enemy who is very real trying to stop us BUT God is bigger –
Check out these words – that God sued to pump me up…
