Show Me the Money

by Tim Howard

“Show Me The Money” is a phrase made popular in 1996 when an American comedy-drama “Jerry Maguire” aired on television. The movie starred Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr. was the one who made this statement.

The phrase “Show Me The Money” reveals the influential power money can have in the lives of people who are motivated by greed.

Money, Sex and Power have been referred to as the “Trinity of Evil” when they are misused and abused. Throughout history, and in my own experience, these three issues seem inseparably intertwined. Money manifests itself as power. Sex is used to acquire both money and power. And power is often called “the best aphrodisiac.”

The truth about money is not difficult to discover in the Bible. It is clear straightforward and mentioned many, many times.

1Tim. 6:10 informs us “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with much grief.” Notice that Paul the Apostle didn’t say money is evil. This passage should awaken us to the fact that money is more than a mere medium of exchange. It can become an idol when it is loved and worshiped.

Jesus told us: “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” The power behind our present world currency seeks to dominate our lives and is intent on driving us away from worshiping the true God. When you develop an unhealthy love and longing for money, which is fueled by greed, devastating results happen.

The Bible also reveals a ‘light side’ when talking about money.  I am referring to the way in which money can be used to enhance our relationship with God and bless humanity. Think of the Good Samaritan who used money generously to help a person in need. Then there was Zacchaeus who became a follower of Christ and was so grateful to Jesus that he decided to focus on giving rather than getting. And let’s not forget Abraham who used his wealth to bless other nations. Money, when used correctly, can be a blessing and not a curse.

Money is an entrustment from God and a test for mankind. David in Psalm 24 reminds us that everything in all the earth belongs to God. All of HIS ‘stuff’ is on loan to us and God watches to see how we will use it. Will we use it to bless ourselves only or others as well?  Will we allow greed to rule or gratefulness to triumph?

Giving is the antidote to materialism. Giving assures us that we stay on the ‘lighter side’ of money. Giving will make you more like God because He is a giver. Giving will strengthen your faith and the faith of others. Giving will be an investment for eternity.

Luke 6:38 declares: “Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, Gratitude, not greed is the way to live.  Generosity begets generosity."

Rather than “Show Me The Money”, God is inviting you to “Share the Money!” There are many in need and you can make a difference.

Leaning In

by Candace Cortez

It is with much trepidation that I write this post. I feel the need to give a list of qualifications or disclaimers explaining how I’m “allowed” to write this. Some of my credentials include that fact that I’m a Navy Brat and love my country or have been a fan of football for years (go Niners!), my husband is in law enforcement, and I’m bi-racial: half African American and half Caucasian. But none of those things matter or qualify this article as much as I love and believe in Jesus and I am trying my best to love people. 

Here’s the setup. A recent ad campaign has re-sparked the controversy surrounding kneeling or not kneeling during the national anthem at the beginning of football games. You may have seen some responses to this on some media platform. I have a pretty eclectic group in my social media and therefore whenever there is a polarized issue, I almost always read both ends of the spectrum. Some people are mad. This anger is leading to calls for boycotts.

There are many things I choose not to purchase, because I do not agree with certain aspects of that company or organization.  I know that I am probably unknowingly supporting one company that participates in the same or similar practices as another I am refraining from, but I believe that my acquired knowledge informs a level of my responsibility. I am not off the hook just because I didn’t know, and once I know certain things, I have to choose how to respond. Above all, I try my best to not puff up my understanding of my own morality because of the products or organizations I choose to endorse or not. I have felt the automatic categorization that happens in my heart when I have chosen to boycott, and others have decided to partake. It is an easy jump to assume that they are either ignorant, or not as just, or loving, or whatever as I am. This, my friends, is dangerous ground.

It is a powerful thing to belong to a group. To experience the feeling of identity and comradery from a community that shares something in common. This is one of the beautiful blessings of the church. We are one Bride, one Body because we serve and love one God. It is an easy thing to love, trust, and forgive the people in our group. We can more easily understand or guess their motives (or so we think) and therefore even their wrong choices are not as wrong as say, a person who we would place in a different group. They are not as familiar because we don’t share an obvious reason to unite, therefore it is easier to withhold love, trust, or forgiveness of wrongs. For example, being a working mom puts me in a group of women whom I can more easily understand than say, working dads, or even stay at home moms. The challenge is this: just because it’s not as easy to understand someone, doesn’t mean I don’t have to try.

Before we respond or identify ourselves with new polarized sides, I would ask that we wait, and respond like we think Jesus would. When we look at how Jesus handled controversy or a problem, and He did a lot, we do not often see Him becoming outraged unless He was addressing the religious elite (this alone should cause us to pause!) One of Jesus most common methods of processing a controversial moment was to ask a good question. When asked how one is to inherit eternal life, Jesus responded with the question “What is written in the law?” Luke 10:26. In other words, He’s asking, what does scripture say about this topic? When Jesus was with the disciples in the boat in the middle of a storm, He asked them “why are you so afraid?” Matt. 8:26. When Jesus was going to approach a woman who by all current social norms would suggest He should ignore, He asked: “will you give me a drink?”  John 4:7.

As Christians, we should choose wisely the way we steward our influence and ask better questions. Not every cause deserves an immediate gut reaction. Sometimes, our gut is wrong. Sometimes our heart can be misled by media, popularity, past experiences, family or cultural allegiances, etc. I believe there are some questions that Jesus asked that we could ask today. Maybe we need to ask ourselves, what does scripture say about these issues? Maybe we need to ask ourselves in our moment of outrage, why am I so afraid, angry or emotionally affected? Maybe we need to ask someone else, especially someone who is not in our group, if they would like to eat over, or if we could go into their comfort zone, and keep asking questions. Boycotting means to withdraw from something. I am not against boycotting, but I am against boycotting keeping us from moving toward people. Let’s give more grace. Let’s increase connection. Let’s lean in.

Ambidextrous Faith

by Andrew Cromwell

In the 4th century, there was a Christian Bishop known as Basil of Caesarea who was described as a man who had “ambidextrous faith.”

Someone who is ambidextrous can use both hands equally well rather than preferring one over the other. While some people tend to use only their right (or left) hand to write, shoot a basketball, swing a bat, or pick their nose (try doing it with your other hand for a change just to see if you can), an ambidextrous person uses both hands equally.

Basil of Caesarea was said to have ambidextrous faith because he held the blessings of God in one hand and the struggles and pains of life in the other. He did not prefer one over the other but believed that both were equally required for him to fully experience the goodness of God.

Like preferring to use our right hand vs our left (or vice versa), most of us prefer to focus either on the blessings of God OR on the struggles of life but not both equally. Some of us like to live on the mountaintop and feel all the warm and fuzzies and talk about all the great things God is doing in our lives and we act as if the struggles of life are all from the Satan himself. Others enjoy living in the struggle—talking about how difficult life is, how much pain exists in the world, and how we are just barely making it because of God’s grace.

Rare is the person who can both celebrate God’s goodness and “rejoice in the Lord always” and at the same time acknowledge the brokenness of life and enter into the “fellowship of His suffering”. But this is the kind of faith we should have!

Real faith acknowledges that God is always good and that “His mercies are new every morning” even while it lives in the brokenness that says “when I am weak, then I am strong.” Real faith doesn’t act like everything is ok when it isn’t. And it also doesn’t get mad at God because things aren’t going great.

Real faith, ambidextrous faith, holds both hands up and says, “Today I celebrate another opportunity for God to display His greatness in the midst of my brokenness.”

Ambidextrous faith sees the problems of life as an opportunity for God to show up, rather than as a reason to blame God for letting things happen. 

Do you have ambidextrous faith or do you tend to operate with only one hand? Maybe it’s time to get both hands into the air! Maybe your situation is not all roses, but you’d better believe it’s not all thorns either. God wants to work in your life in EVERY circumstance, but we have to remember to cooperate with Him.

Oh, But I’m Not a Leader

by Sylvia Gaston

I’ve heard those words quite a few times and every time I do, I wonder what it is about the word ‘leader’ that makes people intimidated. Do they feel unqualified? Is it too much responsibility to lead someone besides one’s self?

According to the dictionary, someone who follows is said to “act according to the lead or example of someone”. That’s not so intimidating.

Do you have a spouse, kids, a dog? Do you have friends? Co-workers? Then you are leading. Whenever those around follow your example, you are leading.

Now, how we lead is a completely different matter. We can lead well or we can lead badly. Either way, others are watching and will choose to follow us or not.

God has created each of us uniquely. He gave you particular talents, personality, character, and intellect. These vary greatly from person to person. Think about the specific things that make you….you. These are the things that you can share with the world - things that could make it a better place if you passed them on. These are the areas where you can, and should, lead.

Jesus ministered to, and led, many during His time here on earth. He saw the best in everyone, even if they weren’t at their best at the time. Although He didn’t come to be our leadership mentor (He came to sacrifice Himself for our sins), we can learn a lot about the way He led others. Here are just a few:

1.    Jesus led by serving others. He did nothing to gain personal attention or prestige. He took every opportunity to lead by example, serving the lowly in status, the outcast and the wretched.  As He did so, He taught His disciples, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:33-37)

2.    Jesus led with humility. He never threw his weight around nor demanded that others follow. As He taught, loved, and performed miracles, He gave all the glory to God. He said, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me.”  (John 8:54)

3.    Jesus equipped and released others to lead. He invited 12 simple, uneducated men to accompany Him. They saw how He humbly served. They learned by watching His example. Then Jesus released them to heal and minister to others. He said to them, “Give as freely as you have received.”  (Matthew 10:8). In other words, pass it on. Lead others in what you have learned.

We all leave some type of legacy behind. How wonderful to know that you had passed on to others some of the great things you were given by God Himself! How beneficial it would be to certain individuals, and even the world, if you left behind the best of yourself.

We are all leading. Accept it, be intentional about it, and follow Jesus’ example, and say, "Hmmm, I AM a leader." 

2018 Are You Making The Right Changes?

by Tim Howard 

Records reveal when I was born on February 13, 1951 I weighed 8 lbs. 2 oz. My hands were only an inch or so long, my hair didn’t exist and my skin was all shriveled up.  Even though my parents used the term ‘cute’ to describe me, I’m not sure that was absolutely true.

Years later, however, some major changes have taken place. I’ve grown to 5’8” tall, my hands are much larger, I’ve managed to put on 160 lbs, and I don’t want to talk about the hair thing because it seems like I’m regressing back to my infancy in that area.

Growth produces physical change but external change is not the only thing we humans need.

Speaking directly and bluntly, Jesus confronted the religious leaders about their emphasis on external change without any focus on what was happening internally. Matt chapter 23 puts it this way.

"You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You burnish the surface of your cups and bowls so they sparkle in the sun, while the insides are maggoty with your greed and gluttony. Stupid Pharisee! Scour the insides, and then the gleaming surface will mean something… People look at you and think you're saints, but beneath the skin you're total frauds.” MSG

From this very insightful scripture, it’s clear that God desires more than mere behavioral modification!

I’ve had times in my own life when I looked like I had it together outwardly but was a mess internally. My life was incongruent and the inside didn’t meld with the outside. I’ve learned you really can’t always judge a book by its cover because looks can be deceiving!

God wants to change us from the inside out. Yes, He is concerned with your behavior, but He is ultimately concerned with your heart and attitudes because all your actions flow from your heart. King Solomon said: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Changing from the inside out will require God’s involvement.  Christianity is not about human effort and conforming to certain spiritual laws but being transformed into God’s likeness by the power of Jesus Christ.

Just like a skilled doctor who is able to do heart transplants for those in physical need, Jesus is able create a new spiritual heart within each and everyone who asks.

You can live without an arm, a leg, one kidney or one eye but you can’t live a life pleasing to God without A heart transplant. He will do it if a person asks!

Here’s God’s promise to those who do ask: 

Ezekiel 36:26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

Out of Control

by Candace Cortez

Most mornings, my routine includes sitting and reading scripture, praying, listening to worship music, and making lists to organize my thoughts for the day. Literally, the simple act of writing my thoughts and tasks down allows me to relax about some of the things in my head. After I write this list, I often read the news and try to get updated on what’s happening in the world. This next habit, if I let it, will literally try to snatch away the peace gained by mediation and organization. It is often a highlighted reminder that I am not in control.

We are packing for a vacation, trying to soak up the last days of summer. In the process, I do everything I can to prepare for what could happen, and what I would need to still enjoy my time and provide for my family. I pack extra socks, in case for whatever reason we lose, or damage the ones that are appropriate for the number of days we will be gone. I bring snacks, things to entertain on the ride, and as many phone chargers as I can get my hands on. I screenshot the directions to our location in case my plethora of chargers bail out on me. We even have a basic first aid kit. But it never fails that when we arrive at the destination, something unexpected arises, and we need something we don’t have! It’s kind of frustrating. This is a reminder that I am not in control!

We have two incredible children, who are doing pretty well in school. We are doing what we can to raise them with care and help them love others through their words and actions. We have taught them about hard work and how to wash their hands. We are teaching them the importance of connection with God and how to hear His voice. We are forcing them to eat a certain ratio of vegetables each meal and are working to help them understand why. But then, I still get phone calls from family or from their school, letting me know that something unexpected happened. No matter how much parenting I put in, I am not in control.

I could go on with examples for days about the moments and ways I am not in control of all of the things that happen in our lives. I have experienced this position of being out of control result in a few different responses: anxiety, working excessively to regain control or peace. One of the ways that I can respond in peace to the unexpected things that happen in life is to remember that I may not be in control, but God is always in control.

Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Just because something is unexpected to me, does not mean it’s out of God’s hands! Just because it’s out of my hands, doesn’t mean it’s out of control. Sometimes the peace we need in our hearts begins BEFORE the crisis. You do not lock the doors and set an alarm while thieves are in your house. You guard your house before the invasion happens. Before you begin to lose your peace to the whirlwind of impossible or out of control, begin to protect your heart with God-given peace. This peace is beyond understanding. It can literally be confusing to others around you how calm you can be in times of chaos or emergency or the unexpected. It may even be confusing to you! 

Today, I admit, that I am out of control. But I stand firm on the fact that God has all power, and has my life in His hands. I have the ability to prepare, but my preparations do not guarantee an easy future. We all have some work to do in preparing the quality of our hearts. We can acquire peace that lasts through the trials. We do know that trials will come. Do you know how your heart will be when those trials arrive? I pray for peace, not for control, because He is already taking care of that.

Hold Your Head Up

by Andrew Cromwell

Our world has a devious way of beating you down. If it’s not the ‘through the roof’ utility bill this month, it’s the unexpected medical bill next month or a lost job or a cancer diagnosis. At least it can feel that way.

The old adage, “when it rains it pours”, generally holds true. Rarely does it seem like one crisis happens at a time. No, they all happen one right after the other. Like a perfectly timed one-two punch with a wicked uppercut to finish you off.

We all have seasons in our life when it feels like the hits just keep coming. If you’re in doubt, just turn on the radio and listen to the experts on the country music station. They’ll set you straight.

The Bible refers to seasons like this as an “evil day”. Evil days are days when the roof caves in and the bottom falls out. When the car breaks down, the money runs out, and the dog won’t look at you, you probably are experiencing an evil day.

The question is not whether you will have an evil day. We all will. And if you’re fortunate to live a while, you’ll probably live through more than one. The real question is, how do you respond in the evil day?

If you’ve ever watched a movie about war, you’ve seen a good example of what most people do when the bullets start flying. They duck and run for cover.

My personal experience of war is limited to the paintball field. A very poor parallel, I know. Nonetheless, when the adrenaline starts pumping and the paint starts flying, you become acutely aware of the pain you are about to experience. You remember all the past times you’ve been shot—in the head (which hurts REALLY bad, in the nose (which tends to bleed), and in the butt (which hurts, but mostly I just wanted to say “butt”). Almost without thinking, you find yourself crouched in a little ball, making the smallest possible target. You stop moving and you hide, hoping that the enemy forces will somehow forget you are there.

They never do.

More experienced players will tell you to resist the urge to freeze and hide under fire. They remind you to keep your head up and use your eyes to see what is going on. Once you drop your eyes, you lose sight of the enemy and put yourself at a major disadvantage. They tell you to keep moving because no one ever won by just sitting behind the bunker (except for that one time the other team kept shooting each other).

I believe the same advice applies to the evil days we encounter in life. Rather than dropping our eyes, rolling into a little ball, and getting stuck, we should stand up straight, look around and see, and keep moving. 

One of my favorite things to do when things go bad is to remind myself that I am a child of God, that He loves me, and that if I stay close to Him, everything is going to be just fine. Psalms 16 says, “I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” 

So when the hits keep coming, I lift my head, put my shoulders back, and smile.