as i wrote in the last two posts
i have found that the reason we do or do not give
comes down to our ex’s

excuses reveal what our priorities are not
exposure reveals what our priorities need to be
examples reveal what our priorities can be

ex #3 – examples
it seems like everywhere we go
we have folks telling us what to do
and how to do it

in marketing – “look like if you use this”
and
in ministry – “live like this if you do this”

sometimes true
sometimes not so much

having someone tell you
is nowhere near as strong as having someone show you
and i’m not talking about a paid spokesperson
[in marketing or in ministry]

i’m talking about a real
living
breathing
example

someone
walking it out
living it out
in everyday life

when it comes to living
these folks show us how life can be
because they are living that way

and when it comes to giving…
these folks show us how life can be
because they are giving that way

the happiest people are givers
the richest people are givers
the most blessed people are givers

givers are the greatest motivation to giving
seeing someone living a giving life

examples

folks that show us that there is another way
a better way

people that show us what really matters
and what doesn’t
what our priorities should be
what they can be

they have tried this giving way of living
and have found it to be the greatest way of living

and their example
is an invitation to us
to join in this lifestyle

to see what has happened in their lives
happen in ours

so we try it
and it happens
and when it happens
it is addicting

that is the power of an example

and the only thing greater than the power of an example
is the power of becoming one

last post i wrote about excuses

today lets look at
ex #2 – exposure

excuses reveal what our priorities are not
exposure reveals what our priorities need to be

have you ever had the weird feeling
that you were the only real person in the world
and that everyone else were just actors in your life
it is easy to do

we live our lives focused on our lives
we see our needs
we feel our wants
we focus on our desires
we are our only perspective

then…
suddenly or gradually
we find ourselves in the middle
of a circumstance
that reveals to us
there are others
and when your focus is placed on other’s lives
it thrusts you into another world all together
that is the power of exposure

people with problems
folks with feelings
individuals with issues

the homeless mother of three
the dying child
the unemployed dad
the lonely rich man
the grieving family
the ___________

even as i am writing this my focus is shifting
from me to them

first i ask why them & why not me
then i ask how could i help
which brings me to what can i give

that is the power of exposure
want an incentive to give more
just look around

ex #1 – excuses
excuses reveal what our priorities are not
my buddy Mac Richard
says it like this
“if it is a priority, you will make it happen”
so
if we don’t make it happen
even with the best of excuses
it is not a priority to us

that does not mean that there are not valid excuses
but the validity of your excuse proves that
the subject of the excuse itself was worth more to you
than the thing you are needing to feel excused from
did that confuse you?
it did me when i wrote it
you should have seen me looking at the sentence
with my head tilted like a puppy

read it this way
“i could not make it to the party because my child was sick”
it proves that your baby was more important than attending a party
valid excuse to anyone

the same logic works for
“i could not attend church on sunday because ___________”
whatever you place in the blank is more important to you than church attendance
“i could not [or] do not give because _________”
the blank outweighs the need

when it comes to giving
we have heard some good excuses
“i don’t because i do not have enough to give”
according to scripture you would have enough if you gave
[this does not just refer to money]
“my little bit would not make a difference”
tell that to the widow with one coin
or the boy with 2 fish
“i don’t give to the church because
i don’t trust that they will give it to those in need
so i just give it directly to the needy”
is the same accountability used for those in need
i hardly imagine that the needy are asked to convene a yearly business meeting
to show where the money went
or required to send out a monthly donation statement
accounting for each penny

do we really need to know exactly where the money is going in order to give
the blessing is not in the going
but in the giving

look
this whole giving thing is law
what you sow
you will reap

but even more than law
it is life
a way of living
our excuses do nothing but keep us from living abundantly

it is time to tell this ex goodbye for good

what excuses keep you from giving?

during studying for this message
it was alarming to find how few believers actually give
Christians in America on average give only 1.7% of their earned income
imagine the great things we could do if each believer just tithed
and how much more if we gave offerings as well
just imagine…

there are a couple of authors that have dreamt about this
one incredible book on this subject is
“The Hole In Our Gospel” by Richard Sterns

during my study for this message
i received some insightful revelations

for example
Malachi 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “ If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.

lets look at the word storehouse
i feel that the storehouse represents your local church
the storehouse has several purposes

here are a few:

the storehouse provides for the needy
it is great when individuals help the needy
but imagine what good we could do if we pooled our resources
the hills fellowship is helping to provide winter wear
to needy children in school in our neighborhood
we are making a significant impact for a church our size
but i am believing that next year we will back a truck up to that school
what if the storehouse was full
just imagine…

the storehouse provides for the ministry
imagine what our pastors & churches could get accomplished
if there was enough in the storehouse
to provide for support staff to release him/her to focus on prayer
the word & providing vision for the church
most pastors are overwhelmed during the week
then are expected to show up with a fresh word each weekend
plus provide vision and leadership for the body of believers
what if the storehouse was full
just imagine…

the storehouse provides for the giver in time of need
where are you sustained, challenged, encouraged?
where will you celebrate births, dedications, graduations,and marriages?
where will you be memorialized?
this is your storehouse
while we are giving to some families in our community this year
the hills fellowship is also giving to several needy families
that attend our church
this is their storehouse
how many could we help
if the storehouse was full
just imagine…

now…
how about we stop imagining
and get this thing done

this past sunday i focused on the fact that the wise men followed
Matt 2:9 the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

in the age of blogs, facebook & twitter
it is easy to “follow” a lot of people
but if they upset or disappoint us we can just as easily “un-follow” them

however the wise men followed this star
from the east [it was quiet a trek]
and they followed for a long time [it is believed to be up to 2 years]
and they never “un-followed”
plus when they finally reached their destination
and came face to face the child
they did not seem upset or disappointed
instead they gave gifts and worshipped

why?
because the star lived up to it’s purpose…

want people to follow you?
follow your ministry?
follow your business?
and do you want them to keep following you?

then live up to your promise and purpose
lead them to where you promised you would lead them

and if you really really want to be a star
lead them to Jesus.

here is an idea…
take a weekend
come to Nashville
enjoy the city for a day or two
and then help us celebrate big on Sunday morning
just think about…
then do it

thehillsfellowship.com
The Hills Fellowship
Sunday 10am
Knowles Center
174 Rains Avenue
Nashville TN 37203
[Across from the Tennessee State Fairgrounds]

DIRECTIONS FROM I-65
Southbound from Downtown Nashville
Take Exit 81 for Wedgewood Ave
Turn left at Wedgewood Ave
Destination will be on the left

now i am starting to care about it again
and caring is a good feeling

so
it may not be as regular as it was
or even always profound
but i am on my way back

*and in case you didn’t catch it, i’m not just talking about blogging

i did not realize what a significant number this was in scriptures
one Jewish scholar describes it this way…

“Whenever the concept of forty-two comes up, it usually alludes to an opportunity to become more spiritually elevated, to return to what we were before the fall. “

i love this!
it speaks of restoration
a word that God has been hammering into my spirit for the past year
restoration is about us being transformed
into what God intended us to be at our creation…

i am believing and proclaiming that this year of my life
will be the time that I step into the destiny for which God created me