Time on my Hands

Leviticus 23:26-27 (NIV)
The LORD said to Moses,  "The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD by fire.

For some time now, I have been convicted about my screen time. I know that seems odd for someone my age (70) to say, but it is true. My escape, my companion, my void fillers, all take the form of some sort of 'screen time'.

I love movies, television, Netflix, reading books on my phone, or tablet, or kindle. I seldom go anywhere or do anything, without an audio book playing at my side. That includes walking my dog, doing house work, chopping vegetables, driving short or long distances. 

I claim to be an introvert, but it would seem that I don't like to have any down-time or silence. How can that be good? I said at the start of this message, how I have been convicted about my screen time. So the question is, what am I going to do about it?

I think, for starters, I will begin by following the words of the scripture above.  "Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves."  I believe the key here for me is 'deny yourself', something I seldom do. I want to be more aware of the time I am wasting staring at my phone, TV, tablet, etc.

I love my morning quiet and wouldn't dream of inviting any of my devices into that special time. Perhaps it is as easy as that. Be more aware and just maybe have that same type of quiet time in the evening (a sacred assembly?). What do you think? Is a fast (deny myself) from habitual busyness like this in your future? I wonder how God will use this new-found time.

Leviticus 23:26-32

Why Do You Give?

Psalm 62:9-12 The Message

⁹ Man as such is smoke,    woman as such, a mirage.
Put them together, they’re nothing;    two times nothing is nothing.

¹⁰ And a windfall, if it comes—    don’t make too much of it.

¹¹ God said this once and for all;    how many times
Have I heard it repeated?    “Strength comes
Straight from God.”

¹² Love to you, Lord God!    You pay a fair wage for a good day’s work!

I remember when Steve and I were first married, life immediately changed.  It was so strange to now live life with someone.  We were now supposed to make decisions together. I loved being able to share my life and its responsibilities with Steve.

One of the first decisions we made together was the decision to tithe.  Being a good steward of what God gave was important to us.  We were already on a good path with our time and talents.  We loved serving God in the church and outside the church.  But we had not yet tithed our treasures.

Why was tithing important to us?  It was not to impress man. Psalm 62 says, “Man as such is smoke”  No, we decided to tithe because we loved God.  The Psalm also says, “Strength comes straight from God.”

Steve and I had an understanding right from the beginning that what we have comes from God, and we find it an honor to return those gifts right back to him.

Why do you give?  It is an important question to ask. Giving shouldn't be a burden but a blessing given with a joyful heart.  That does not mean it won't be a sacrifice. Anything good cost us.  But the price is worth it when we think of all God has done for us and what he wants to do with our giving.

Asset Management

READ: 1 Peter 4:7-11

Stewardship is not synonymous with giving money. Why would it be? We have a veritable holy trinity of assets we can use to glorify God and love others: our time, our talent, and our treasure.

Time. I have twenty-four hours today; how about you? Same? I thought so. Though, according to Peter, it’s quickly running out. Be alert and of sober mind, so that you may pray. Practice hospitality to one another without grumbling. Remember that your time is a gift from God, given that you may glorify Him and love others.

Talent. Use whatever gift you have received to serve others. If you speak, speak as one who speaks the very words of God. Your actions and your words are who you are to the world. Be who God designed you to be: We are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20). Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God (1 Cor 6:19)? What a gift!

Treasure. It’s more than money: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt 6:21). The one who spoke the world into being does not need your money; He needs your love, for Himself and for His children. So, above all love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Let us render unto God what is God’s - our time, our talent, and our treasure, which all came from Him!

Giving from the Heart

Today's scripture keeps our focus on generosity. 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 talks about what happens when we live generously. Living generously cannot be merely an act of obedience.  True generosity is a matter of the heart. It is not always something you can plan.

I love how The Message interprets this passage. Verse 9 says,  “As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon.”

Have you ever thrown caution to the winds? It’s fun to do if we think of going on an adventure, but when we think of giving our resources we definitely tend to be cautious.

We say we are being a “good steward” with what God has given us when really our hearts don't want to give.  While I don't think God wants us to waste our time, money or talents, when I read this passage I can't ignore where it says God wants us to give with, “reckless abandon” so that people will come to know Christ through our generosity.

Last weekend my family and I were out in a really poor neighborhood, that our church has adopted, knocking on doors seeing if there are any kids we could provide Christmas presents for.  While we were out one of the residents, an elderly woman was taking out her trash.  I told my ten-year-old to run over and take the bag of trash to the garbage for her.

She insisted that he didn't need to do that for her, but I just winked at her and said please let him give her his time.  My son was extremely happy to be able to help in some way. The woman was touch when she saw how he really wanted to help and allowed us to stay for a bit and talk.  Before we left we were able to pray with her.  

Generous living isn't just giving your money.  It is giving what is needed recklessly and with abandon if need be. “God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done.”

Ready today's passage here 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

What Happens in Vegas…

1 Corinthians 16:1-4

Have you ever heard the phrase, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”? If it helps you to understand what it means, Vegas is also known as “Sin City”.

Like Vegas, Corinth was not an ordinary city. The citizens were affluent, well educated and highly religious. It was a thriving city at the time when Paul arrived. Corinthian believers had all the trappings of success, and yet their problems festered just below the surface. They were self-sufficient and needed to learn to be God-sufficient.

Because of the immaturity of the believers, Paul had to address many problems which included incest, sexual immorality, idol worship and divisions. Even when it came to the practice of the Lord’s Supper they couldn’t get it right. It became a party of gluttony, excessive drinking and exclusion.

 Although the Corinthian believers seriously struggled in many areas of life, there was still hope. God was at work in them and through them.

The same is true for us. Despite our struggles, God is at work in our lives. In fact, God has a history of working through those that struggle; the weak, the unqualified, the broken, the hopeless and the ordinary.

 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most

dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.     Matthew 5:3-4 MSG

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”              Luke 4:18-19 NIV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.           2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV

 “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” is a catchy little phrase. But for those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ, we are bound to share the Good News, not keep it to ourselves.

Despite their problems, the Corinthian church gave generously to the Jerusalem church. In the same way, we are called to give of our time, talent and treasure for the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

'Tis the Season

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (MSG)
Regarding the relief offering for poor Christians that is being collected, you get the same instructions I gave the churches in Galatia. Every Sunday each of you make an offering and put it in safekeeping. Be as generous as you can. When I get there you'll have it ready, and I won't have to make a special appeal.
I get the impression, when reading from Corinthians, that the early church practiced a very sweet

communion with one another. Under Paul's tutelage they took care of each other, they gave often, embraced with love and stuck together through hard times.

The reading for today we find Paul, still collecting money to help the Christians in Jerusalem who were suffering from poverty and famine. I can't imagine what it might be like to experience a famine. In fact, I don't think I have ever been truly hungry. I have never suffered with stomach pains nor cried out for nourishment. For that I am thankful.

Paul traveled to the churches he established and taught them to give. He explained the needs their fellow Believers had and showed them how to help. When we realize just how often Scripture teaches us to give to those who need help, or preaches about the need to tithe, we can begin to see how important it is to be generous.

Generosity doesn't end when we share our money. There is another commodity equally treasured and that is our time and our attention. For some it is easier to write out a check than to give up an hour or two each week to come alongside someone. Discipleship includes sharing of ourselves, not only our possessions.

How is God prompting today? How are we preparing to respond?

1 Corinthians 16:1-8

Tick- Tock, Tick- Tock

My three year old cracks me up! He is becoming so independent and pushes limits all the time. He has recently found out that he does not have to listen to me. He has also learned that he does not like the sting of consequences too much. He is learning and I just love it.

A new development for him is the boundary of time. He often tries to negotiate with me. When I say it is time to leave a park, go to bed, or take a bath, I give him a warning of "five more minutes." He has come to like this phrase because it means he can play for a bit longer, yet he doesn't fully grasp the concept. For example, if I give him a ten minute warning he counters with, "No, momma five minutes" thinking he is negotiating more time. What a hoot!

In Second Peter we read that: "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. "

Our Lord fully comprehends time-- He just doesn't count it like we do. Thank heavens for that! I am grateful for the fact that when God is calling someone to him and they say, "Five more minutes," God often says, "I'll wait ten."

Read the entire passage on biblegateway 2 Peter 3:1-13

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