Life in Truth

Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.

Mark 12:17 NIV

LIFE IN TRUTH

The words of our Lord Jesus are so precious; they’re words of love, wisdom, encouragement, and truth. We may have the most complex of situations, then we “hear” from Him clear directions to navigate through our predicament. What others may see as difficult questions, He has the answers for. What arguments the enemies use against Him, He uses to illuminate valuable truths.

As believers, we have a love affair with the truth. We are, as God’s Word identifies, created in the image of God. And bearing His image, we give Him what is His. We belong to Him. We follow Him. We take great delight in Him and what He says. So far, He has never short-changed us; He won’t ever.

Living in Him, hearing His voice, growing in the knowlege of His Word, our journey is every exciting. How can it not be? We are existing in world of wonders, being brought to different horizons and dimensions of truth, ever-growing, increasingly enjoying the outpouring of wisdom, knowledge, and revelation. Our minds renewed; our lives transformed, daily changing from one glory to ever-increasing glory, continually rising–confirming to the very image of the One dearest to us. Oh how wonderful. There’s nothing better.

Key to Generosity

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A person who has genuinely given his/her life to the Lord finds it a great honor, privilege, and opportunity to give anything and everything else–other resources–including their finances–to God. Why is that? It’s because they’re giving to the greatest Being there is and the greatest cause for giving; because God welcomes and receives their giving; because God owns everything anyway and whatever we’re “giving” is His anyway.

We don’t think about how little we can give to God, to His Kingdom, and to His Kingdom work; we want to give the most we can. That’s why we exceed expectations. Usually, when we’re hard-up in our budget, people become understanding and accept that as an excuse to mellow down in our giving–even not give at all. God forbid that we have that mindset and take that position. It sounds understanding, but that’s not how we operate in the Kingdom; we operate by faith. We place our full trust in God, in His Word, and in His promises.

God never fails. He is our provider. No matter how little we have, that little will be sufficient. He is our Shepherd; we shall not be in want. He supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory. How else can His people who at times find themselves in extreme poverty still well up in rich generosity? It’s because we also know the concept of sacrifice. We’re willing to let go of what we have to help those in greater need or to support a greater cause than having full three meals a day.

People wonder why God’s people are not just willing to give; they’re eager to give. They’re not just eager to give their finances, they’re eager to give everything–their hearts, minds, souls, strengths, bodies, time, energy, support, sacrifice, service, skills, talents, expertise–all they are, all they have. Wow! How’s that again? It’s because they’ve “turned the key:” “they gave themselves first of all to the Lord.”

The Blessing of Being a Blessing

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We are blessed!!! Hallelujah!!! We live in a constant state of blessedness. The Lord gives seed to the sower. As God’s people, that’s our heart. We’re givers. It’s our joy being a blessing to others. We’re not fearful of not having our needs met. We’re not overly and unreasonably cautious–overprotective of our possessions. We know provision and abundance flow more freely when we offer ourselves as God’s channels of blessings.

The just live by faith, not fear. It’s fear that causes people to default to human wisdom, strength, and ways. That becomes their security. To live by faith and not by sight is an unsure and uncomfortable approach to situations. God’s people on the other hand know the power of faith. They know that God never goes back on His promise. There has not failed one word of all His promises. Everyone of them that needs fulfillment to date has been fulfilled.

We’d rather entrust our protection and provision to God. And that’s what we do. He can take care of us way better than we can. We acknowledge reality. We don’t cower from it. We understand that “Goliaths” come to our lives more often than we prefer. We face very difficult situations; we have very powerful enemies. Threats abound. Potentials of us losing those we value, those we work very hard for seem to be always present. We pray that we won’t end up being very defensive, detached, seeing almost everything and everyone from negative perspective.

We’re not afraid stepping out in faith. We can’t please God without it, and one of our greatest pleasures is in pleasing God. God moves mountains through faith. He saves by grace through faith. That’s how Christian journey is started, sustained, and completed. It’s the key that opens the door of heaven’s storehouses of blessings. It’s what makes sense of letting God and letting Go. It’s what makes sense of resting in Him.

Yes, enemies come and go; they can be overwhelming, but God isn’t just a comfort-concept to us; He is real, and because He’s real, we trust that He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies. Yes, we have battles, but God fights our battles. He never runs away from battle. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. He is in us, and greater is He Who is in us than he who is in the world. Enemies come in many different faces. It can be in the form of betrayal, deception, people, sickness, lack, and a lot more different manifestations. We see them. But our eyes see a much bigger and much greater God. Our reactions and actions stem from that. That’s why even in times of worldwide financial crisis, when there’s an option of trying to hold on to our seeds and consuming them, we sow them, and we do so with no vacillation or double-mindedness. We’re firm in our conviction.

Why is it that blesings flow more freely when we freely give, when we freely live? It’s because that’s the nature of being channels.

Thank you Lord; because of you, we don’t live in fear, in bondage, in constant cautious cowering calculations; we’re joyfully living in freedom, fully trusting, freely giving, freely receiving.

Preachers and Provisions

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Preachers and money–putting those two together leaves a bad taste in the minds of many people–including many Christians. But we don’t see them that way. Through church history, there are those who believe that God’s servants should be poor. And for others, not only God’s servants but all believers should be poor. This stems from an erroneous belief that money is evil or the cause of all evil. God’s Word declares something very close to the way it’s stated, but a far cry from the truth they hold.

Love of money, not money itself, is the root of all evil. It’s also interesting to note that even among those who believe that believers ought to be poor, many of them are not poor. So many of them default to the position that only apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers–and “other full-time workers” ought to be poor. Okay, I understand all believers are “full-time-workers” for the Lord. I’ve already discussed this in prior post. But just for those who need a quick explanation: the Israelites were all God’s servants, but there were the Levites, Aaron, and His sons who were the specific temple-workers. Same principle.

It’s interesting how preachers who believe, teach, and don’t live in poverty are automatically labeled as “prosperity preachers.” Another interesting fact is, there are those who attack these so-called prosperity preachers, but they possess a lot more than those they attack. They just distance themselves from “those preachers who are all about money.” Sure, God’s workers don’t preach because of money, but God’s Word is very clear; the truth is, it’s not just a matter-of-factly statement, but a command.

Let me quote the verse again: “In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14 NIV). God, in His sovereign love, care, and wisdom, designed a way for His dedicated servants to be sufficiently provided for. We believe that God provides. Why would that not be true for His preachers and other full-time “temple-workers?” Why is it that there are people of grace who aren’t so gracious to their pastors? Why do they expect pastors, evangelists, missionaries, etc. to drive banged-up vehicles, and live in a place where they and their children are crammed together. And even if some people are not that bad with their expectations, they still expect that God’s workers ought to live less than average–less than average salary, less than average car, less than average home, etc. In fact, in some people’s minds, it doesn’t have to be less than average, it just has to be always less than what THEY make and what THEY have.

God provides, and He knows how to provide well. He wants all His children well provided for–INCLUDING His dedicated “temple-workers,” and yes, including His bi-vocational workers. We believe God; we act, and react based on God’s Word, not based on historical and cultural expectations and changes, not according to men’s opinions and feelings, not according to criticisms. Because we do, we do right. We please God. And that’s what matters.

Giving God What’s His

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In reality, everything is God’s. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1 KJV). We consider the truth applicable to the entire creation. That’s why we give God absolute devotion. Our Lord Jesus made it very clear: “…give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21 NIV).

Although there’s the concept of having people totally dedicated to spiritual service such as the full-time servants or workers in the Kingdom, it doesn’t negate the fact that every true believer is fully devoted to God. There’s that difference between the sacred and the secular. There’s also the facet where they are all sacred.

I guess one of the ways to look at it is, we have full-time workers who primarily serve “in the temple;” They primarily serve God’s people, and God has designed it that His people are the main channels of their livelihood and provision. The other group of full-time servants primarily minister in the “marketplace,” moving among them–reaching out to the lost. There are overlaps of course. Full-time “temple workers” also engage in sharing the Gospel to the lost; full-time “marketplace” workers also minister “in the temple,” serving fellow believers. We recognize the differences; we also recognize the similarities.

The more important truth I want to emphasize isn’t the clarification between the sacred and secular callings and ministries. The emphasis is: believers are fully devoted to God. We love Him with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths. We don’t hold back anything to Him. We surrender and give Him everything in and about us. In the New Covenant, there’s no place for partial commitment. We can’t serve two masters at the same time. Partial devotion means not enjoying the full-life our Lord Jesus promised us. Witholding something from God means holding back the outpouring of God’s blessings also.

In our hearts, Jesus rules. We no longer live for ourselves but for Him Who gave His life for us, and it’s a wonderful life to live. There really is no greater cause to live for than Him. And praise God, we’re living it.

Fair Favor

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It’s possible to show favor without showing favoritism. How so? Look at God. God bestows favor–in innumerable amount, but God’s Word is very clear about Him being fair to everyone. There is no partiality in Him. We reflect that image. That’s why we bring fairness and justice to the world. We’re for truth. We’re for righteousness. We bear true witness.

There are those who are not careful. They think they’re doing some kind of benevolent act by giving certain individuals or groups some kind of favor. What they may not realize is as they do, they end up hurting others. One side is benefitted; another side loses. Notice the example from the Scriptures: in wanting to show favor to the Jews, Festus was very close to causing Paul to being murdered.

We’re spared from this dangerous mistake because we delight in pleasing God. We’re not people-pleasers. It’s not our life purpose to be liked and exalted by others. Sure; we are pipelines of God’s glory; we shine His light as brightly as we can, and there are people pleased with us because of that, and that’s a blessing because we want others to glorify God. That’s one of the highest honors we experience. Imagine clay vesels empowered to display God’s glory.

Let me be quick to clarify: the glory of God we display is just a slice of the infinite, but it’s sufficient nonetheless for people to be drawn to Him. And that’s what matters to us. Certain individuals or people–specially the needy–may have a special place in our hearts, but that doesn’t cause us to be unjust or unfair. If favoring one means disadvantage to others, we don’t go there.

Of course we love giving. We understand we can’t give to all. But God has allowed us to have special relationships where giving some people favor is very appropriate. What I give my wife, I don’t have to give every wife–that will cause trouble–from my wife, or from other husbands. There are many examples, but we get the point.

We’re gracious; we love showing favors, and we make sure that it’s a kind of graciousness that’s a blessing to others, and where no one gets treated unjustly–a fair favor.

Effective Christianity

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In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Acts 19:20 NIV

God’s Kingdom is advancing; it has been, and it will keep going and growing. The Lord Jesus built His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Many come against it; there are those who attack it violently, but true

Christianity continues to grow. Genuine followers of the Lord Jesus Christ become powerful magnets to those who are sincerely seeking the truth. Whether prosperity or persecution and martyrdom, both are strong attractions that cause the lost to gravitate to the Lord Jesus for Whom they live and die.

True Christianity is effective Christianity. Genuine Christians live out their purposes. They practice what they preach. They preach love and they live love. They preach obedience and they live obediently. They preach sacrifice and they’re willing to make sacrifices when called for. They no longer live for Himself but for the One Who died for them and rose again (see 2 Cor. 5:17). No; in all practicality they’re not perfect, but they live with that aim and ideal. And they don’t have condemnation in times of failure. They already know it’s a part of the journey; it’s a part of the battle; it’s expected from imperfect people.

Some people have a hard time understanding their experience. Not them. They know the reality of God–His love, His power, His holiness, and His forgiveness. They know the sincerity of their faith. They’re not jut just going through the motions. God is all in all to them. They love God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. All they are and all they have are for God. Honoring their heavenly Father–giving Him glory is their reward and riches. They deny themselves, they take up their cross daily, and they faithfully walk in accordance with their Lord’s Words.

People like them are one of God’s keys for unstoppable spread of His Word and more visible demonstration of His power. They’re not enslaved to their eyes, their flesh, their pride, their own ambitions, passions, and desires. They serve one Lord and Master. It’s a joy for them to give. It’s freedom for them to give up everything not of God, even if it has been a huge part of their lifestyle, even if it has been their practice, even if it has been their deeply entrenched religious tradition, even if it has been a lifetime of habit, even if it costs them much.

What’s this “way” referred to in the verse above? That’s a question worth addressing. The “way” had to do with believers who gave up and burned the scrolls they most probably used for their sorcery. They didn’t draw back from such action even when it costed them an equivalent of 50,000 days of wages. That’s about 4,167 years of earnings. Feel free to do the math. Its “in this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power” (Acts 19:20 NIV). I pray this encourages those who struggle in their giving.

Genuineness is attractive; hypocrisy is repulsive. True; there are people who claim to be Christians but their fruit gives them away. People back away from Christianity because of them. But there are authentic believers: Jesus is all to them; they’re all for Jesus. People become real believers and followers of our Lord Jesus because of them.

In looking for description for the opposite of genuine Christians, I find myself withdrawing from the use of the term “fake Christians.” There’s no such thing. Either a person is a Christian or they’re fake; it can’t be both. Of course I understand what it means when others use the term. And I’m not correcting them because I know the right context of their usage. And yes there are “fakes;” we don’t deny that fact. But our confidence in the continuing spread of God’s Word isn’t diminished.

The enemy is planting tares; Our Lord is planting wheat. God has His people. God’s Word will continue to spread from the seeds of His genuine followers–people who have given over everything to their Master, and who continue in giving what they ought/get to give–willingly, cheerfully, humbly, and gratefully.

Loving and Giving

Mark 12:33   (NLT)   And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

Love gives. Loving and giving are not mutually exclusive. True, we can give without loving, but we cannot love without giving. When a choice has to be made between the two, loving is absolutely more important than any giving, offering, or sacrifice we do for God.

God loves us tremendously that He gave us His only Son. A poor widow gave God her two mites— everything she had to live on. God gives us grace, mercy, forgiveness, and many other spiritual and material blessings too numerous to count. He gave us His word; He gives us instructions; He gives us comfort, provision, protection, His promises, His Name. He gives us His companionship—His presence—where we find joy and pleasure. He gives us resurrection; He gives us eternal life; He gives us life itself. He gives us love itself.

Love is never stingy. The person who loves you desires to lavish you with gifts. God has poured out so many blessings that we don’t even have enough room to contain them—not even enough room for memory—to recall all of them. When a person says he loves you but is stingy towards you, that is a cause for caution. A person who says he loves God but wouldn’t give to Him, to His work, and to His cause is questionable. The very reason why we can easily, willingly, lovingly, and cheerfully give to God is because we love Him. And we are called to do nothing less than loving our precious Lord God with everything we have, and everything we are, and express that love we have for Him to other people.

 

We Give Because We’re His

Numbers 31:54   (NLT)   So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gifts from the generals and captains and brought the gold to the Tabernacle as a reminder to the Lord that the people of Israel belong to him.

Our giving to the Lord is one way of expressing our belongingness to Him. Not everyone who gives to God belongs to God. But giving is a beautiful gesture of gratefulness for the precious privilege of being invited to be and accepted as part of his family, as one of His children.

The truth is the Lord owns everything; He doesn’t need anything from us. What we give Him comes from Him anyway. It just appears like we’re giving. Still, we have a choice. We can choose to use all of God’s gifts for ourselves without giving or spending for His work and His Kingdom, but we choose to “give” back to Him. That’s the least we can do with the overflowing blessings He allows us to enjoy.

God gives us victory upon victory; it’s just appropriate that we give Him a portion of the spoils. I would be willing to give Him everything because of so many victories He gives us. He honors us tremendously; He values us very highly. He honors our words; He gave our words power of life in death. He honors us by entrusting us our fellowman, even His creation. He gives us access and allows us to live in His divine laws—principles that are often paradoxical to the world’s ways of doing things. The world would rather keep everything they get, would rather keep accumulating and hoarding. They would rather receive than give. But the Lord would rather have us give than receive; for Him, we’re more blessed that way. He would rather have us love people, not use, misuse, and abuse them. He would rather have us serve them than lord it over them.

Being His people carries incalculably huge amount of perks, blessings, and promises. We don’t operate only in the sphere of senses—of the material; we operate in the supernatural. We operate not by sight, not by feelings, not by senses alone, but by faith; we function in the supernatural world as well. When He asks us to give, it is not because He wants us lacking and with less; it’s because He wants to multiply what we have and fill us to overflowing. Giving to Him and to His work then is a huge honor, privilege, and blessing.

It’s Okay to Ask for Help

John 4:7   (KJV)   ⁷ There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

As believers, we’re more blessed giving than receiving; we’re more blessed helping than being helped. But clearly, it isn’t sinful to ask for help; it doesn’t necessarily make us less effective in our testimony and in proclaiming the Good News. In fact, the Lord can even use that exactly for the purpose of the Good News.

We can’t be too proud to ask for help. We’re not of this world but we’re still in this world. We need food, clothing, shelter, transportation. We don’t expect all of those to be coming from Christian-owned businesses; we will use items produced by non-Christian-owned businesses.

We’re not here to bless believers alone; we’re here to love our neighbors—which include the lost and unbelieving. We will use their products, and praise God, we help them succeed and prosper. That’s love. Asking for their help may be a way we can build relationship with them—a relationship that will give us opportunities to shine the light of Jesus through us to them. That’s good.