The Theory of Giving

A missionary once asked a new convert, “Pablo, if you had a hundred sheep, would you give fifty of them to the Lord’s work?” He answered, “You know I would gladly give them.”

“Pablo, if you had fifty cows, would you give twenty-five to the Lord’s work?” “Yes, you know I would be more than happy to do that.”

Again the missionary asked, “Pablo, if you had two pigs, would you give one of them to the Lord’s work?” “That’s not fair,” Pablo replied. “You know I have two pigs.”

Many people are extremely generous in theory but not in practice. They say, “If I only had a million dollars, I would give half of it away.” This is simply not true. If we aren’t faithfully giving even ten percent of our money right now, we wouldn’t give away half a million dollars if we had it.  (Written by Kent Crockett, Making Today Count for Eternity, Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, p. 151-152)

The word "give" is used over 1,500 times in the Bible. When we look at what Jesus had to say about giving, we discover that Jesus was much more interested in the motive of the giving, rather than the amount of our giving. 

2^nd Corinthians 8:7 describes the importance of excelling in grace giving.  The Apostle Paul said, "Just as you excel in everything else, in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in your love for us, see that you also excel in this grace of giving."  God wants us to grow in giving, as much as you grow in faith, in love, and in knowledge. 

Growing up attending church gatherings every week, I saw the “collection plate” passed out to everyone every time.  Everyone around me put money into the “plate.”  My dad would give all his six kids a quarter so we would have money to put into the “plate” too.  I never quite understood the point of giving until I grew up a bit a saw the value of supporting the local church body.  Over the years, I have discovered a few theories about giving.

Giving shows our appreciation for our blessings – We know that God is the source of all that we have.  He's the source of our life.  He's the source of our abilities.  He's the source of all the natural resources.

Giving shows our commitment to the church – God does not want your money.  He wants YOU! He wants your LIFE.  He wants you to COMMIT yourself to Him.  Remember, our commitment and faith in God will give the resources necessary to grow a great church!  

Giving shows our commitment to the poor – That's why Proverbs 19:17 says, “When you give to the poor it's like lending to the Lord and He repays wonderful interest on your loan.”  (Living Bible)

God is in the business of blessing His children abundantly.  When we give out of our own poverty, God gives out of His own richness.  He gives so much more than we can ever imagine.

Remember, Be God Controlled,

Brian

How to Get What You Need!

Throughout Scripture, God has promised to meet our needs.  Whether the needs are:  Emotional.  Financial.  Physical.  Spiritual.  Relational.  Or, just everyday needs of your life.  In fact, one of the Hebrew names for God is Jehovah Jirah, which means “I am the God who provides for you.”  Philippians 4:19 “My God will supply all that you need  from His glorious resources in Christ Jesus.” 

In order to receive, we must trust!  If you are like me, this gets really tough!  I truly believe that the more we trust God, the more our needs our met.  The psalmist said, Psalm 13:5, "But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me."  Also, Psalm 50:15 “I want you to trust Me in your times of trouble so I can rescue you and you can give Me glory.”  God is in the business of giving.  We must be in the business of trusting!

The Bible also talks about the faith factor.  Jesus said in Matthew 9:29, “According to your faith it will be done unto you.”  Faith is tough too!  Especially, when everything around you is burdensome.  There are great promises told in Scripture for anyone who has priority faith.  As a matter of fact, Matthew 6:32-33 from the New Living Translation says, “Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the kingdom of God your primary concern.” 

When you need, trust!  Trust in a God who knows you, loves you, and died for you.  When you need, have faith! Have faith in a God who provides for you.  Have faith in a God who promises great riches when you display faith. 

Remember, Be God Controlled,

Brian

Dad...Best Three-Letter Word Ever!

Throughout my short life on earth…48 years to be exact, I have been given a variety of titles:  Coach.  Sergeant.  Preacher.  Husband.  Bus driver.  Uncle.  Son.  Mister.  Soldier.  Veteran.  Brother.  Nephew.  Friend.  Pastor.  Rev.  Teacher.  Dad. 

Ah…Dad!  I love it.  No matter how many times my children have called me dad, never one time have I ever said, “stop calling me, DAD!”  The older that I get and the more independent my children become, I cherish the word even more.  On September 2^nd my son will be moving to Texas to serve as a youth minister and on September 5^th my daughter, who married a Navy Seabee will be moving to California.  All at once, the house will be empty of noise and clutter and left on lights and piles of clothes and the constant calling out of the best three-letter word ever…DAD! 

The first time I heard my son speak, the word came out dada!   It melted my heart and I wanted him to keep saying it over and over again.  When my daughter came along and she starting talking, she called me daddy for the longest time.  Dada, daddy or dad, it doesn’t matter.  I love that title!

One of the most important roles a dad has is to ensure that his children know about a dad who expects our faithfulness to him and who is eternal in love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  Ephesians 6:4 declare to dads everywhere to, “bring [the children] up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.” (NLT)  Even Moses instructed the dads to “Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got! Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children.” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7 The Message)

Not only do I want to hear my kids talk to me, but I want them to talk to their heavenly dad, too.  Jeremiah 33:3 says it best, “…Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.” (The Message)  God loves it when he hears from his kids.  He loves it when we call him Father.  Dad.  Pappa.  We never wear out our welcome, nor does our heavenly Father ever get bored with any of our conversations we have with him. 

 

Setting on my desk is a plaque my daughter bought me one year that says, “I’m as lucky as can be, for the world’s best daddy belongs to me!”  I see the plaque every day and it reminds me that I must live like the best daddy for my daughter so that she can truly know the best daddy of them all…our heavenly one!

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

"In or Out of Context?" Part 1

When one asked God to lead in the process of digging deeper into the Scriptures he will give the digger a deeper insight of his intended will. It is true, however, that there are  “out of context” teachings that lead some down the wrong path. 

2^nd Timothy 2:15 is a riveting passage of Scripture about being a good worker and handling truth correctly.  The Apostle Paul said to Timothy the evangelist, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” (NLT)  Correctly teaching truth in “context” is vital for the young believer in the faith and for those who desire “…to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.” Jude 1:3 (NLT)

The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Christian in Ephesus is extraordinarily powerful even for twenty-first Century believers.  Paul penned powerful words to help the believers know that God chose them, adopted them and redeemed them.  Paul helped them see the value of the life in the light of Jesus by living the Jesus way every day.  He shared the importance of family and how couples should treat each other at home and he gave them resources to combat Satan by wearing the armor of God daily.

What is fascinating about the letter to the Ephesian believers is the way that he weaves together how to live the Jesus life and how to live it effectively.  Over the years, one part of this letter seems to take aim at how one worships God with music.  “In context” Ephesians 5 is about godly living in the community and in the home.  In essence, Spirit-filled believers will live godly lives in such a way that gives credibility to the Christian life.  The section of Scripture that must be kept “in context” that has been taken “out of context” is Ephesians 5:19,  “singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.” (NLT)  One of the “out of context” teachings has been that Paul is talking about a general church worship setting where we go to a facility and sing to God.  However, “in context” it is one part of the entire section of the letter that teaches us how to live our lives for Jesus on a daily basis. 

“In context”:  Ephesian 5:15-20, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.  Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.  Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Speak to one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs – Ministering truth

Making music to the Lord in your hearts –Inner joy

And give thanks for everything – Being grateful

“Out of context” is a mandate on “how to” sing in a general church gathering.  It would also being interesting to know how many general church gatherings who teach that this is a “how to” sing in church gathering actually “speak to one another in Psalms and hymns and spirituals songs? 

Stay tuned for another, “In or Out of Context!”

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

A Memorable Teacher

Romans 12:7”…if you are a teacher, teach well.”(NLT) The Greek word for “teacher” is: didasko, which means, "to teach one, to impart instruction, to explain or expound on a subject.” (Greek Lexicon)

The gift of teaching is the ability to communicate in a way that the student can understand and make life applications.  The gift of teaching isn’t so much the quality of teaching, but rather, the ability to teach so that the student is able to learn life lessons.  While some possess the spiritual gift of teaching, all of us have a responsibility to teach godly values of right and wrong, morality, ethical standards and honesty.  It does not take the special spirit-gift to teach virtues that will lead a person to godly living. 

Jesus the Teacher

The word “Rabbi” comes from the Hebrew word meaning “great one, my honorable sir.”  In the Greek language, “Rabbi” (Rhabbi) was a title used by the Jews to address their teachers.  Jesus was referred to as a “teacher” at least 45 times (depending on translation) within the gospels. 

Jesus used a variety of teaching methods to get his message across: 

He told stories (Parables) that had spiritual meaning, such as, the Lost Sheep in Matthew 18:12-14 or the story about how to invest your money wisely in Matthew 25:14-30. 

Jesus taught through discourse (Sermons) by sitting on a mountainside in Matthew 5,6,&7 and instructing the people about the importance of right living.

Jesus taught through one-on-one discussions.  In Luke 10:25, Jesus and a lawyer are discussing how one obtains eternal life and who is my neighbor.   Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council called Jesus, Rabbi. They both proceeded to have a discussion about being born again in John 3:1-21. 

Jesus taught by example.  Not only did he call his Twelve to go out and preach, He lead by doing it first in Mark 6:7-13

Pastor-Teacher

1 Corinthians 12:28

The gift of teaching is a vitally important part of the spiritual health of the church.  And, the gift of teaching is the third most important work within the life of the church according to Paul.

According to 1 Timothy 3:2, those who hold the leadership of pastor, must have the gift of teaching.  The phrase, “able to teach” is not the physical ability to teach, but rather, the Spirit gift ability to teach.  Also, the pastor must hold firm to what he has been taught so that he can teach others in the truth according to Titus 1:7.

In Ephesians 4:11 the gift of teaching comes with the role of pastor.  Pastor comes from the Latin word for Shepherd.  A Shepherd is one who takes care of the spiritual needs of the church by serving the flock and by being an example of living out the spiritual teachings of Scripture as found in 1 Peter 5:1-4

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian McCutchen

The Journey Through Salvation Part 5

A vital part of the salvation journey is wearing the proper clothing.  The Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 6:11, "Put on the full armor of God...." Half clothed Christians become easy prey for Satan.  C. S Lewis said, "The enemy will not see you vanish into God’s company without an effort to reclaim you." 

                                                                       

One of my mottos is:  “The BEST time to get dressed is before you ever get out of the bed.”  If you are like me, I hit the snooze button a few times to get a little extra sleep and when I finally do get up, I am in such a rush that I have no time for prayer, study or even think about God.  Can you relate?  Getting dressed properly is a matter of spiritual survival.  If we neglect to wear the spiritual clothing, then we become vulnerable prey to Satanic attacks. 

Our family loves to camp.  We ensure that we have all the camping essentials to survive out in the woods.  We make sure we have food and water.  Without food and water, we would not be able to stay out in the woods very long. 

I’ve often thought about how much we ensure that we have all the physical elements to survive from day to day, but neglect the elements for spiritual survival. Without a right relationship with God and a defense strategy to keep the predator away, it is impossible to survive very long.

The Apostle Peter said in 1 Peter 5:8, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  And the Apostle Paul to the Christians in Ephesus, "Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil."  Ephesians 6:11

God has provided us with defensive and offensive clothing as we go through spiritual attacks that are meant to destroy any hope of salvation.  Without this clothing, it is impossible to survive spiritually.  The clothing is vital for our salvation. 

   

How to spiritually get dressed before you ever get out of the bed:  Ephesians 6:11-18

The Belt of Truth - Vs. 14 "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place."  Paul says that we are to buckle up with the belt of truth around our waist. 

► Truth sets us free - John 8:32, "the truth will set you free." 

► Jesus is truth - John 14:6, "Jesus answered, 'am the way and the truth and the life.'"

►God's Word is truth - John 17:17, "Sanctify them by your truth; your word is truth."

The Breastplate of Righteousness - Vs. 14 "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place."

The most vulnerable place on the body is the chest and if just one arrow pierces the heart, you're history.  Matthew 6:33 – Seek First His Kingdom and His Righteousness."

The Shoes - Vs. 15 "and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."   A Roman Soldiers boots were of utmost importance.  If he lost his footing, he lost the battle.   Paul says in Romans 1:16 that our spiritual footing is the gospel, the good news by which we were saved.

The Shield of Faith - Vs. 16 "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."  A soldier’s shield was essential for survival.  It protected against flaming and poisonous arrows.

The Helmet of Salvation - Vs. 17 "Take the helmet of salvation..."  Helmets protect our heads.  If the head is knocked out of operation, then you are casualty of Satan.  The helmet will protect us from sinful things and keep Satan from penetrating our thoughts.

The Sword of the Spirit - Vs. 17 "The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."  This is the offensive weapon for the Christian.  This weapon is essential for every believer to survive the on-going spiritual battles.  The Bible is our guide to understand lasting values and important moral and ethical issues.  The Bible is our strategy plans to combat Satan’s attacks and defeat the spiritual rivals that are out to destroy us.

Spiritual survival is gruesome.  Sometimes the battles are long and difficult.  But, if every believer clothes themselves before they every get out of bed, they will be much more effective in fighting the battle.  God + Jesus + Spirit + Armor is a defensive power Satan cannot win against!

If you desire to know more about the journey through salvation, please call me at 931-836-2874 or email me at thegreatestcommandislove@gmail.com

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

The Journey Through Salvation (Part 4)

As a kid growing up in a home that attended church gatherings of all kinds, I was exposed to lots of teaching about “salvation issues.”   Things like:  No mix swimming.  No dancing.  No playing ball on “church night.”  No attending prom.  No missing any worship gatherings.  Looking back, it was a “NO” to everything type of “religion.”  To further complicate matters, the ones who created the “salvation issues standards” would stand on the steps of the church facilities and smoke their cigarettes and gossip about everyone in the church and then stomp out their cigarettes on the ground and go into the worship gathering as if they were the holier than thou elitist. 

For years my head was filled with teachings about salvation issues that never could be substantiated from Scriptures.  My mind was warped with teachings that God never said was wrong or hell bound if I did any of them.  I was taught everything but “real” salvation issues.  For the men who created the “standard” of moral living, struggled with the legalism themselves.  The “rules” were so hard to follow that it set everyone up to fail. 

God never intended for anyone to set “salvation issues” based on their ideologies and personal theology.  God’s Word is the standard by which we live out our lives.  I’ve often heard the motto from the Churches of Christ restoration movement, “Speak Where the Bible Speaks and Be Silent Where the Bible is Silent.”  If this motto is biblically true, then all of us are in a heap of trouble, biblically.  There are no commands for many of the things we do such as, building church facilities with elaborate decorations and paying thousands of dollars on heating and air conditioning each month.  Some may say; that is ridiculous.  Yes, it is!  But, if we are going to be consistent in our journey, we must ensure we don’t teach convenient truth, rather we teach God’s truth. 

The journey through salvation is a courageous journey.  It is a journey in which we learn the real truth about salvation and the issues we face every day that can throw us into spiritual chaos.  The spiritual journey we are on isn’t about going to prom or mix swimming or playing ball on a “church night,” rather it is about an unwavering desire to be connected to the Lordship of Jesus and to allow the indwelled Spirit to guide us in the pursuit of right living. 

God’s Word clearly states salvation issues that can send those who are entrenched in the godless behavior to hell.  God does not sugarcoat evil behavior for the sake of popularity; nor should we. 

For many, the “BIG” salvation issue is homosexuality.  It seems that our nation is intrigued with “coming out of the closet” and watching weddings of same sex couples getting married.  But homosexuality isn’t any bigger than others that God names in the-group of “will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Galatians 5:19-20 and    

1^st Corinthians 6:9.

It is easy to point a finger at gays and lesbians, but take no responsibility for lying, hating, creating discord, selfishness, envy, drunkenness, pornography, gossiping and so on.  Jesus said in Matthew 5:28, “But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  Is it possible we all have the hidden sin of lust and the only two people who know it are you and God?  Count me in!  Is it possible that we get so caught up in what everyone else is doing that we’ve broken God’s standard, too? 

The journey through salvation is paved with many challenges that can rip at the heart of all of us at given time.  The Apostle Peter said,  “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”  1^st Peter 5:8 

If Satan can distract us by keeping us looking at everyone else but ourselves, then before we know it, we are his.  “Salvations issues” are not the prom nor playing ball, rather how we behave at either one of the events.  God’s “salvation issues” will create a troubling eternal life if we go against his best for us. 

When one says YES to Jesus because they have learned his ways and desire to live like him, our community, State, Country, and World will change for the better.  Shootings like the one at the Emanuel AME Church will never happen again.  Drunk driving will decrease and less fear will increase. 

We must never create a legalist society based on our own views, but rather search carefully what is really important to God.  Nothing will make God angrier than any church or individual who thinks they have cornered the market on the only right church and condemns everyone else. 

Keep traveling the journey.  Seek first his righteousness.  Be love.  Be forgiving.  Be prayful. Be Jesus.  Be godly.  Be hope. I would love to chat with you about Jesus if you are interested.  Call me at 836-2874 or email me at thegreatestcommandislove@gmail.com    

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian