LESSON FOR AUGUST 21, 2016

GIVE MONEY MORE GENEROUSLY

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Proverbs 11:23-29

Proverbs offers practical instructions on the use of money. Money is essential for living; however, believers are to recognize that God requires accountability. No matter how hard a person has toiled, in reality God is the source of all blessings. God’s blessings are not given to be hoarded but to be shared (II Kings 4:1-7). The blessing of God is promised to those who give generously to God’s work and God’s people.

A believer is to be generous with what God has given (Proverbs 11:23-26).  In v. 23 the desires of the righteous and the desires of the wicked are seen. The righteous desire what is good and beneficial. In contrast, the desires of the wicked lead to wrath. Verse 24 presents a paradox. A person who freely gives will always have plenty, but a person who is miserly and fails to help those in need will himself always be in need. If a person freely shares their resources with others, God will bless them with even more. Generosity is like a seed. In the spring the seed seems lost as it is planted in the ground. Yet, it springs up in time bringing even more seed with it. Jesus said, “give and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38). God supernaturally blesses generosity.  If a person refuses to be charitable, they often find themselves working against God. Poverty usually will be the result. What seems prudent to the miserly person can have the opposite effect. When he opens his clenched fist, he may find that his increase has disappeared.

This Scripture presents two symbols of generosity: water and grain. Water was a precious commodity and something desired by those who were thirsty. In Matthew 10:38, Jesus said a person who gave a cold cup of water in His name would be blessed. In other words, God blesses those who are a blessing to others. The blessing is that the one who gives the cup of water is refreshed himself as well as the one who receives the cup of water. The second symbol is a person who has a supply of grain yet refuses to sell it until it is in short supply.  That short supply causes such exorbitant prices that the needy are unable to purchase the needed commodity.  Yet the righteous will do what will benefit everyone. People curse the greedy who put gain above the needs of others, but bless the man who values people more than profit.

A believer is to honor God by doing good with their money (vv. 27-29). Wealth gives a false security and can tempt a person to turn away from God. The person who trusts in wealth is like a branch broken off from a tree. That branch may be rich with fruit and green leaves, but only for a short period of time. The righteous will flourish because of the connection to the true source of life, God Himself. Wealth is not in and of itself bad.  However it was never intended to sustain life. Wealth is intended only to enrich life.  Often the ungodly will lose wealth through mismanagement which brings trouble to a household. In the end the ungodly is left with a handful of nothing.

Years ago a dear lady left her church a large sum of money. Shortly after her death, the church fell on hard financial times. That church would have closed its doors if not for the resources she had given the church through her estate.  Because of her generosity, the church is a thriving congregation today.

LESSON FOR AUG. 14: INVEST MONEY WISELY

LESSON FOR AUG. 14: INVEST MONEY WISELY

By Gene Price

Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason, TN

Focal Passage: Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

God desires for His children to be good stewards both in their life and finances. Herschel Hobbs said, “Throughout the book of Ecclesiastes the writer identified two key concerns connected to wealth: (1) Don’t be consumed with the quest for wealth; and (2) Don’t fall into poverty through laziness or misfortune.” There has to be a balance between those two statements. A godly person is to plan well, and make investments wisely; and then leave it in God’s hands.

Ecclesiastes 11: 1-2

A wise person will diversify investments (ch. 11:1-2). Solomon was involved in international trade with many different merchants. Obviously, when you send grain out across the sea you are taking a risk (pirates, shipwrecks, and unethical traders). You may never see it or any return on your investment again. Solomon would send (cast) many different ships out to sea loaded with grain (bread). He did not put all of his grain onto one ship. He sent out numerous ships.  If one ship sank, he did not lose all of his investment.  He did not “put all of his eggs into one basket.” A farmer should not grow just one crop, but he should grow various kinds such as cotton, wheat, and corn. An investor should not invest in just one stock but in many different types of stocks.  Do not commit all of your possessions to a single venture. Divide up your investments because the future is not known — the stock market could drop, the value of your house could plummet, Social Security could run out. A wise person will prepare to the best of his abilities.

Ecclesiastes 11: 3-4

A wise person also keeps working and prepares for the unexpected (vv. 3-4). There are certain things that cannot be predicted or controlled. A wise person distinguishes between those things which he can do nothing about and those things which he can. A person cannot control when it rains or where a tree falls. Oftentimes a person becomes so consumed about predicting what might happen that they miss the present. It is true that the wind and the rain might come and destroy the crop. However seeds in the barn will never bring a harvest.  Duane Garrett put it this way: “Just face the fact that things may go wrong, but get out there and do your work anyway.”

Ecclesiastes 11: 5-6

Finally, a wise person will trust God to bless his hard work (vv. 5-6).  God does not want a person to be idle. Work hard, sow the seed, and leave the harvest to God. In order to achieve set goals, a person must keep at it. Those who work trusting in God will receive the blessing of God. Life is unpredictable and mysterious; Solomon compares life to the wind. Wind is unseen and unknowable. A person knows the presence of the wind by its effects. Likewise, a person cannot understand how God forms bones in the womb. Therefore the activities of God cannot be known by mankind. So when lacking understanding or information, a wise person always has his trust in God.

In the financial area of life, many believe (including me) that Jesus is coming soon! Neither the day nor the hour is known. However, many well-meaning believers use that as an excuse not to save and invest for the future. A person should live as though this is the last day on earth. At the same time, a person should invest as though they were going to live on the earth for another century. Both attitudes are worthy ambitions when lived in complete trust the One who provides for our every need.

A Note of Interest*************************

I came across this on Wednesday of this week. I hope you enjoy it.

3 Steps Toward a Distinctively Christian Approach to Sports

August 10, 2016 By Eric Geiger 

I am honored to lead the Resources Division at LifeWay and serve with a team of leaders who are passionate to serve the Church in Her mission of making disciples. Each Wednesday, I share the heart behind one of the resources our team has developed. This week’s piece is from In The Arena, a new book by David Prince, Pastor of Preaching and Vision at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in Lexington, KY, as well as Assistant Professor of Christian Preaching at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.

Because I am about to coach my youngest daughter’s six-year-old soccer team, I find David’s work helpful, challenging, and encouraging.

(Jim Arrington’s note: David Prince is a graduate and former baseball player of Robert E. Lee High School and Huntingdon College, Montgomery, AL)

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If, as G.K. Chesterton asserts, we can say grace over our enjoyment of sports, then we must think about our enjoyment of sports in light of the priority of our faith and the supremacy of Jesus Christ. What would a distinctively Christian approach to sports look like? In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5—7), Jesus teaches about the characteristics of the kingdom of Christ. His message turns the wisdom of the world upside down and is a call for his disciples to live distinctive lives. The distinctiveness of Christ’s followers will bring verbal and even violent persecution at times (Matt. 5:11–12) because the disciples of Jesus constitute an alternative kingdom community who are in the world but not of the world (John 17:14–15). In other words, Christians are to constitute a unique gospel culture within a culture. Let us consider what Jesus’ call for his followers to be salt and light means for how we think about our interaction with sports as Christians.

1. A distinctively Christian approach to sports must actively seek to preserve the good in God’s cultural gift of sports.

Jesus told a tiny band of Palestinian peasants with no cultural power or authority, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13). Before refrigeration, salt was used to preserve meat from inevitable decay and to season food. Animals are a part of the good creation of God and are used as food to nourish and sustain his image bearers. Meat, not preserved, will rot and be harmful, but meat properly preserved and seasoned can become, not just good, but very good. Jesus then provided two warnings. The first is that salt contaminated and diluted is worthless, and the second is that its saltiness, once lost, cannot be restored (Matt. 5:13). The implication for Christians in relation to sports is clear. If Christians uncritically absorb sports culture, they will have no preserving influence. But, they will also be ineffective if they withdraw from sports culture.

2. A distinctively Christian approach to sports will seek to illumine the world.

The preserving work of Christians as “the salt of the earth” and their illuminating work as “the light of the world” is to be a communal blessing—a public good. Therefore, the light of the Christian gospel should permeate all public places, including the athletic fields and stands. The people of God have not been given the light of Jesus simply so that they can personally enjoy it. Neither have they been given the light so that they can share it with each other or compare to see whose lamp shines the brightest. Nor have they been given the light so that they can shake their heads and talk about those sad and pitiful people of the world who grope around in darkness. No, they are to be “the light of the world.” The pervasive cultural interest in sports provides a particular, specific, and strategic place for Christians to be the light of the world. 

3. A distinctively Christian approach to sports will be God-centered and God-directed.

In other words, it will be for the glory of God. Jesus says, in the same way a lamp shines, and a city on a hill cannot be hidden, Christians are to let their distinctive gospel light shine for the benefit of others, “so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). The Christian is not given distinctiveness in order to parade their virtue and righteousness before the world. Doing that is simply a manifestation of pride—not salt and light. When Christians do so, they are adding to the decay and darkness. The goal is not that others would see them and follow their morality but that they would glorify God in Christ.

The Blessings of Brokenness

Dr. Jay Wolf

Psalm 51:8: "Let the bones which Thou hast broken cause me to rejoice."
 
   

  I recently met a new friend who is blind. While this man lacks physical vision, he overflows with spiritual insight. He explained that his retinas began a process of irreversible degeneration about 20 years ago. He sought every medical option, but nothing could stop the descending mist of darkness.

     My new friend told me that he grew up in a strong Christian family and embraced the grace of Jesus when he was nine years old. However, his lofty educational pursuits included detours from his walk with God. He explained, "I drank at many muddy watering holes along my crooked way." When his physical vision began to lose focus, his spiritual vision refocused. One day his Pastor explained to him the great truth of Psalm 51:8. The wise friend shared an instructive insight about how a shepherd treats his beloved sheep. If the shepherd lived in a dangerous territory where there were many predators and he had a prized lamb that was prone to wander away to become lunch for a lion; the shepherd would occasionally break the foreleg of his lamb. Then, for a season, he would carry the wounded lamb on his shoulders and tenderly nurse him back to strength. The process of moving from brokenness to healing would create a bond between the lamb and the shepherd that would preclude any further wandering away from the shepherd's protective care.

     My new friend declared, "My blindness is my broken leg. God has used this fleshly thorn to gain my full attention and make me completely dependent upon Him."

     We are all broken. Let your brokenness break your rebellion and independence. Let your brokenness create a deep dependence upon Jesus, your Good Shepherd.

     Paul called his brokenness "my thorn in the flesh." Although he asked the Lord on three occasions to remove the painful problem, God's great servant concluded that the Lord revealed, "'My grace is sufficient for you for My power is perfected in your weakness.' Therefore, I will gladly boast about my weakness so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

     May God use our brokenness and thorns to develop a deep dependence upon Jesus, our gracious Good Shepherd!

Appreciation for Prayers:

Vev and I want to thank all of you for your prayers and concern regarding Tatum's surgery and recovery for her broken finger/hand. The surgery was successful with pins being placed in the middle finger of the left hand. 

Yes, Camp Poppa continued even though Tatum was not able to join us. We had a very good trip and thoroughly enjoyed being with Tyler and Tindol. Yes, I zipped and rode crazy water rides.....

This week Vev and I will be in Asheville, NC to spend some time with our youngest daughter. We will return for the June 26 lesson..... 

Here is the synopsis of this week's lesson..............

JUN. 19: TRANSFORMED IN MY POSSESSIONS
By Gene Price Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Matthew 6:19-24

This section of the Sermon on the Mount deals with wealth and possessions. Possessions are important to all people of all ages. Jesus warns to invest in things that will last. Life is too short and eternity too long for us to seek fool’s gold and imitation pearls.

In vv. 19-21, we are told to be careful where we store wealth. We are not to treasure our treasures. It is not wrong to have money (I Timothy 6:17). Whatever God has given us, He wants us to enjoy. So there is nothing wrong with having possessions. The “wrong” comes into play when possessions possess the person. In biblical times, much wealth was found in clothing, food, and money. Much clothing was made with wool and it could be eaten by moths. Clothing didn’t last very long. Grain, another source of wealth, could rot. Some people had their wealth in gold or perhaps silver. With no banks in that day, a thief could easily and very quickly steal your money. Jesus warns us not to put our treasures in anything that can be ruined, rotted, or robbed. Knowing that, a person should invest their money in eternal things.

In vv. 22-23, Jesus tells us to be careful how we see our wealth. Just as the physical eye brings light and direction to the rest of the body, spiritual vision helps a person find true happiness and correctly see the true value of things. Eve’s eyes (Genesis 3:6), Achan’s eyes (Joshua 7:21), and David’s eyes (II Samuel 11:2) were out of focus and brought trouble into their lives. Jesus taught that the spiritual condition of our eyes can have direct effects on our conduct. Sin enters our lives by an unfocused eye. When it comes to wealth, if a person sees wealth the way God sees wealth, they will generously invest in God’s work. With proper focus, a person realizes God gives wealth not only to bless the life of the one possessing wealth, but also to be a blessing to others. If the eye is out of focus, the whole body will be in darkness because the person will not see or realize the presence of God. An unfocused eye will deceive people into putting bodily and earthly treasures ahead of everything else, including God and His work.

In v. 24, we are to be careful not to be a slave to wealth. A person cannot serve God and mammon. Just as a person cannot walk in two directions at the same time or think two thoughts at the same time, it is impossible to serve two masters at the same time. Inevitably everyone will serve one or the other. Many in the church serve mammon in spite of Jesus’ warning. The late Larry Burkett once said, “Christ said the greatest threat to Christianity is not drugs, sex, murder, rape, or even politicians; the greatest threat is materialism.” A person is to serve God and not the things of this world. There is only one throne within the human heart. Jesus is to be on that throne, meaning He is to be our Lord and our Master.

In plain everyday language, a person can focus on eternal things and have earthly things. But you cannot focus on earthly things and have eternal things. We were made to serve the Lord and wealth was created to serve us. The days following the events of the disaster of the World Trade Center caused many to change their priorities and not focus on the things of this world. It was a reminder that God should be first and foremost in our lives every day.

THIS WEEK'S LESSON - JUN. 12: TRANSFORMED IN MY PRAYER

PRAYER REQUEST:

Vev and I have a prayer request: Tatum Mitchell, our oldest granddaughter, fractured and dislocated her middle finger on her left hand. After further examinations, it is apparent that the growth plates are cracked and there is concern that knuckle of her hand is cracked. So, she will be having surgery (pins) on Friday of this week in Pensacola at the Anderson Institute's Hand Center. Please be in prayer for Tatum as she goes through the surgery, recovery, and rehabilitation. 

THIS WEEK'S LESSON

JUN. 12: TRANSFORMED IN MY PRAYER

By Gene Price
Pastor, Tumbling Creek Baptist Church, Gleason

Focal Passage: Matthew 6:9-15

Jesus reminds us of the importance of prayer. He warned not to pray as the hypocrites do, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Now Jesus shows us the proper way to pray and this prayer is often called, “The Model Prayer” or “The Lord’s Prayer.” The first part of prayer deals with God and the second part deals with mankind.  The ingredients of the type of prayer that God answers are found in this prayer. This prayer reminds us what our real needs are in this life. When real needs are determined, then we do not waste God’s time and ours in praying meaningless prayers.

The focus of this prayer is on the Father. Our focus should never be on ourselves, but always on Him. “Our Father” means we acknowledge that we are His children. It is acknowledging that God gives His children what they need rather than what they want. When we pray, our focus is off the earth and looking to our source of help.

Next, The Lord’s Prayer calls for some areas of commitment from His children. God’s name is hallowed, which means holy, sanctified, and set apart. When we come into His presence through prayer, we acknowledge that He is holy and we are committed to personal holiness as well (Matthew 5:48).  “Thy kingdom come” means we are committed to participating in His work. We are to pray for the salvation of sinners and the putting down of Satan and all evil. “Your will be done” means we are committed to obedience to the will of the Father. Whatever our God wills, we pray that will be our will as well.

Following a call to commitment, the prayer calls for petition and deals with trusting God. We are to trust God for physical provision as we pray for daily bread. Daily means every day that comes, or on a fresh and new basis every day. Bread represents food in general or anything necessary to support life. God supplies our physical needs but now we are also to look to Him for spiritual needs. Forgiveness is one of the spiritual needs we desperately seek. Spiritually, a person hungers for forgiveness the way he physically hungers for food. Therefore, we are to trust God for cleansing from sin. Daily we should ask God to forgive us and search our own hearts for unforgiveness. Since we have confessed our sin and have received forgiveness, now we want to do God’s will. We are to trust God for power over temptation. There is a recognition that we are spiritually weak and need to ask God to help us in our daily confrontation with temptation.  The evil one is constantly seeking whom he may devour and we pray for deliverance.

The statements about God and the petitions are climaxed by the doxology. “Yours is the kingdom” focuses on His rule. We humbly claim His name and submit to His reign and will in our lives. “The power” focuses on His sufficiency. God is the power meaning we praise Him for His omnipotence to feed us, forgive us, protect us, and preserve us. “The glory” focuses on His presence. God is the glory meaning He alone possesses the attributes of perfection, eternity, and holiness.

Every element of need in our lives is covered in these words from our Lord. The Master Teacher took time to teach us how to pray. Jesus’ prayer was intended to show us how to establish the prayer life that the Father intended for us to have with Him as His children.

 

Don't miss out on BREAKFAST this Sunday!!!!

A little something to get you through to Sunday!!! Great story at the end.......

Receiving God’s Blessing of ABUNDANCE!
Dr. Jay Wolf

Jesus boldly promised, "I have come that you might have life and have it ABUNDANTLY!" (John 10:10)

I recently gleaned some encouraging news from the book "Abundance" by Peter Diamandis. The opening illustration was captivating and instructive. In the ancient world, aluminum was exceedingly rare and valuable. For instance, the Emperor of France - Napoleon Bonaparte - hosted the King of Siam for a state dinner in 1812. They used sterling silver goblets and golden plates for the most important guests.  As an extravagant crowning feature of the event, Siam’s King and Napoleon ate with aluminum dinnerware because that metal was exceedingly scarce and rare. However, in 1886 an American chemist named Charles Martin Hall discovered the innovation of using electricity to liberate aluminum. Aluminum is actually the third most abundant element on earth. 8.3 % of the world's weight is aluminum, but it is bound to oxides and silicates and is very difficult to release. Yet Charles Hall's discovery proved to be an innovation that suddenly unlocked aluminum as a source of inexpensive, lightweight, pliable and non-corrosive metal that is now abundantly available to everyone.

Here is the point: History is full of stories about once-rare resources that are now abundant because of innovation. On the spiritual level, abundance is not so much linked to innovation as it is to intercession. In Luke 11, Jesus invites His children to ask, seek and knock and they will receive in abundance. Paul explains that we serve a God who delights in answering His children and will give us "more than we can think, ask, or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20) because our Father desires to supply His children's needs in abundance. "My God will supply all your needs according to His RICHES in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19) God invites you to ask for His abundance. Then our Father expects for you to use your abundant blessings to bless others! “Your abundance will supply your brother’s needs.” (2 Corinthians8:14)

Let me conclude with the classic story about Arnold Palmer receiving an abundant blessing linked to requesting. In the 1960s, the great golfer was invited to Saudi Arabia to inaugurate their first golf course. Palmer's host explained that the King of Saudi Arabia wanted to give him a gift of his choosing. So Arnold asked for a golf club, expecting to receive a new driver or a wedge. Instead, two attorneys appeared the next day at his hotel and they presented to him a deed to a 36-hole golf club in Florida!

Remember, through innovation and intercession, God releases abundance to His children for your blessing and for blessing others!