Posts tagged Stewardship

The Importance of Being Honest Even on Our Taxes

Apr17
2012 Leave a Comment Written by Warner Smith

This year the IRS has graciously given Americans until Tuesday, April 17, 2012 to pay their income taxes.  Traditionally, however, April 15 has been tax day. Many of us pay our taxes only begrudgingly. Jesus taught that we are responsible to pay the tax which our government determines we owe. One of Jesus’ disciples, Matthew, was a tax collector Mt 9:9 (IRS agent).

If you want to protest the paying of taxes to the government you will not find a sympathizer in Jesus.

17 . . . . Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” . . . 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Matthew 22:17b;19–21 (ESV)

Jesus had a rather unique way of paying His tax.

24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” Matthew 17:24–27 (ESV)

Rather than focusing on Jesus’ method of gathering the funds necessary to pay his tax, however, we should focus on the fact that the funds He needed were supplied to Him by His Father.  In fact God provided more than Jesus needed giving Him enough to pay His and Peter’s tax bill. We don’t need to steal from the government but simply need to trust and obey God and be honest about our tax bills. You and I need to “put off” stealing and “put on” honesty.

Paul clarifies the biblical principle taught by Jesus in his letter to the church in Rome.

6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.  8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:6–8 (ESV)

Our problem with feeling pressure to steal and be dishonest arises from our violating the principal to “owe no one anything, except to love each other.” Because we have failed to trust God and live by His principles we take control of our lives to our own selves and begin to believe that we have what we earned therefore it is ours to do with as we choose. Instead we should recognize that what we have, whatever it is, whether great or small is the gift of God and is His for which we are  to be good stewards. We may not always be able to trust our government we but we know we can always trust our God.

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Assessing Our Own Generosity

Apr15
2012 Written by Warner Smith

I have learned that many of the things I once thought I knew were wrong. One of the principles I have misunderstood deals with generosity. I had always thought that I was generous. When I had something someone else needed I was always willing to give. Upon further reflection I have come to understand that is not true generosity. When I give away that which costs me nothing I am not really giving. The Bible says that David was a man after God’s heart.

And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Acts 13:22 (ESV)

We all know that David was not perfect. The Bible is careful to point out David’s human frailties and moral failings. There is one story about David , however, which reveals that he possessed a truly generous nature.

24 But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. 25 David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.  2 Samuel 24:24-25 (NIV)

I have learned that it is easy to give away things which cost me nothing. Many of us are glad to re-gift presents from certain family members or friends. Such expressions mean little.

When we give of our own time, talent or treasure then we are practicing true generosity. Being generous in times of economic hardship may require more faith than giving during times of plenty. Today there are many needs, and churches and other charitable organizations are finding that their capacity to help is greatly hampered because people are no longer giving with the same generosity with which they once gave.

Could it be that as individuals we are more generous in our own minds than we are in reality? The following story illustrates how much easier it is to be generous in theory than in practice.

A pastor was visiting one of the farmers who was in his congregation. The pastor asked the farmer, “Jim, if you had 100 cows and God asked you for fifty, would you give them to Him?”“Oh Yes, I sure would, preacher”“If you had 100 horses, Jim and God asked you for 50, would you give them to him?” “Oh, sure I would preacher, if I had 100 horses and God asked me for 50, I would be glad to give them to him?” “Jim, If you had two hogs, and God asked for one, would you give it to Him?” “Now that’s not fair preacher. You know I have two hogs.”

There are many around us in true need. They need us to give some of what we have. All Christians need to be more like our heavenly Father who is the most generous of all givers.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (ESV)

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40 Days of Preperation Easter Sunday

Apr08
2012 Leave a Comment Written by Warner Smith

Today is Easter Sunday. The highest and holiest day in the Christian religion. Without the resurrection of Jesus from the dead Christianity is useless. There have always been those who have denied Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. There is no evidence, however, that any of the disciples, or New Testament witnesses ever wavered concerning the truth of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, even when tested with laying down their own lives.

People do not die for beliefs which they know to be false! That the disciples and early Christians died willingly is evidence that;

  1. They knew Jesus was who He said He was
  2. That Jesus in fact truly has been raised from the dead.

The Apostle Paul made his argument for the reality and importance of Jesus’ resurrection to the Church at Corinth. Paul wrote:

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 (ESV)

Notice that Paul teaches that if the resurrection of Christ were ever to be disproved then Christianity would also be disproved. If Jesus’ power is not sufficient to conquer death then neither can He overcome the power of sin. Fortunately for those of us who believe, we know that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead, because we have the witness of the Holy Spirit testifying to the reality of His resurrection within our souls.

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:20-21 (ESV)

Jesus’ resurrection is not only the lynch pen concerning the reality of the claims of the Gospel writers, but it is also a fact of history, witnessed by over 500 individuals.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 1 Corinthians 15:3–8 (ESV)

The facts of Jesus’ resurrection are presented in the Gospels in a rather matter of fact fashion.

1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” 11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day. Matthew 28:1–15 (ESV)

The fact that Jesus was resurrected is only helpful to us if we believe that He also is God’s Son, and died in our place for our individual sins. Easter is genuinely a celebration only for those who believe and know with absolute certainty that Jesus is who He claimed to be, was capable of accomplishing the work His Father assigned Him, and is currently interceding at the right hand of the Father on our behalf.

Easter is not about eggs, baskets, bonnets, or new clothes.  Each of these things are fine in their place, but none of these have any place in a genuine celebration of the resurrection of Christ. A more proper and authentic celebration of Easter would involve thanking God for His grace, praising God for His provision of a sacrifice capable of removing the penalty of sin from us, to worship Him and desire to live in His presence, while doing everything we can to tell others about the Good News that is found through following Jesus Christ.

Will you celebrate Easter? If so, how? Will you choose to commemorate this act that gives hope to Christians that there is forgiveness of sin and eternal life for all those who believe, or will you gather like Easter is just another excuse to celebrate without giving God His due? Remember Jesus’ teaching:

15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:15–21 (ESV)

Please make it your only ambition to be “rich toward God.” Happy Easter!!!

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40 Days of Preparation Day 38

Apr02
2012 Leave a Comment Written by Warner Smith

Today, Monday April 2, 2012, is the thirty-eighth day of preparing our hearts, souls and minds for the most high of all Christian holy days, Easter Sunday. Today I need to “put off” the love of money and “put on” love of God. The American and world economy are increasingly causes for concern and prayer among Christians. Many people today are concerned about their 401k, decreasing home values, increasing gas prices and a whole host of other financial concerns. The Bible has much practical wisdom from which each of us will profit if we simply read, learn and obey.

The first principle we need learn regarding finances is that we do gain as much security as we think from having money in the bank.  True security, security now and security throughout eternity comes not from having money in the bank but from knowing and trusting God on His throne.  Some have perverted the golden rule which Jesus taught, from “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31) to “he who has the gold makes the rules.” Were this perverted golden rule correct, God would still be in charge, because in heaven gold is so plentiful He uses it for pavement.

21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass. Revelation 21:21 (NIV)

The desire to be rich is a sin which ensnares many people preventing them from loving and serving God. Remember that in Jesus’ parable of “The Sower” the seed which is sown among the thorns is choked and becomes unfruitful because “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth” (Matthew 13:22). Paul gave his understanding of how the desire for riches negatively impact many in Timothy.

9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:9–10 (NASB)

Have you ever known anyone who felt that they were worth more dead than alive? Such feelings reveal that someone has fallen into this snare. Whenever we measure a persons worth by their bank balance we have wandered away from the faith. When an individual measures their own worth by their bank balance or net worth they are setting themselves up to pierced by many griefs.

This miscalculation of the value of one’s life has led many to commit suicide. I have lost family members and friends due to this faulty and foolish belief that began simply by someone trying to get ahead in this life resulting in their failing to comprehend the true purpose of life. I hope you understand that you are of much more worth to God, your family, and your friends than the balance in your bank account on any given day. You and I need today to “put off” the love of money and “put on” love of God.

The remedy for this malady of desiring riches is to instead desire God. Jesus taught us to;

33 “. . . seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 (NASB)

Desiring God’s kingdom and His righteousness is the desire which God’s Spirit gives to the seed which is sown on good soil.  This is how the psalmist could say that God would give us the desires of our hearts.

4 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

When we are converted God changes our worldly desires into the desire to delight in Him. One of the best barometers for this change is our desire for riches and how we spend the money we do have.  When I spend everything on myself and my family I am acting from selfishness. When I spend my resources on others, especially on the things necessary to advance God’s kingdom I am doing so from my selfless desire to see His will done upon the earth as it is done in heaven. This lifestyle, know as being a good steward, results in their being treasure stored up for me in heaven.

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Matthew 6:19–21;24 (NASB)

The problem with most of American Christianity today is that we are trying to do what Jesus said was impossible, serve two masters. It is time that we recognize the impossibility of our situation and take the steps to rid the garden of our heart from the thorns which are choking out the power of God’s word in our lives. The first step in this process of reclamation is  to “put off” the love of money and “put on” love of God.

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40 Days of Preparation Day 35

Mar30
2012 Leave a Comment Written by Warner Smith

Today, Friday March 30, 2012, is the thirtieth-fifth day of preparing our hearts, souls and minds for the most high of all Christian holy days, Easter Sunday. Today I need to “put off” lying and “put on” honesty. Have you ever been amused by a child who has yet to realize that you know the truth about that which they are desperately trying to convince you otherwise. It is precisely on such occasions with my own sons that cause me to understand the curse which heredity can be. Whether they were toddlers, young children, older children, or teenagers their belief that they were capable of inventing new ways of pulling “the wool” over their parent’s eyes was amusing and at times bemusing.

This is probably how God feels about us when we try to explain to him why we can not obey Him, or why the clear teaching of His word does not apply to us in our particular circumstance. I have found that too often much of the time I have spent in prayer was wasted by my feeble attempts to rationalize my sin and disobedience to God. I seem to become willfully ignorant of the lesson God taught Jeremiah.

4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” 9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:4–10 (ESV)

Notice that God tells Jeremiah that He has known him since He was formed in his mothers womb. Further, God tells Jeremiah that He consecrated him and appointed him. The word translated consecrated means that God has set Jeremiah apart. It comes from the idea of being made holy. God has also appointed Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations. This was a very strange idea to Jeremiah. His understanding of God did not expand beyond his own nation.

When you take the time to really think about it you realize how many similarities there are to God’s calling of Jeremiah and how God calls and sends Christians today. First, you understand that God has known you since your beginning. Furthermore, in your beginning God set you apart to be different from the rest of the people on the planet. He made you to be unique and in your uniqueness He wants to use you. Being holy to God means that you will be different, very different, and that is not simply O.K., it’s the way you are supposed to be. (If you are the parent of a teenager especially a daughter you need to drive this truth deep into their being).  Next, God has a specific task in mind for you. He called Jeremiah to be a prophet who brought the bad news of judgment to his own people and the people in every nation.

God has called each Christian to proclaim the good news of our sins being forgiven through the sacrifice of His son to all the people in our own family, town and world. Like Jeremiah we want to make excuses for why we cannot go.  Notice what God told Jeremiah. Negatively God tells Jeremiah and us, “Do not say.”  Many of us waste much time negotiating with God.  We try to convince ourselves that we can’t go, we can’t serve, or at least we can’t do it right now.  When you begin to bargain with God about these things remember He said “Do not say.”  Next, God tells us  “Do not be afraid.”  When we are honest about our motivations many of us do not obey God’s calling to tell others the truth about His son because we are afraid.  The thought of simply sharing our faith in Jesus with another person scares us to death.  Some fear what other people might think or say about us if we were to actually talk to them about spiritual things.

Remember God’s answer to Jeremiah “to whom I send you, you shall go! And whatever I command you, you shall speak!” (Why should I not be afraid?) “because I am with you to deliver you.” Our fear and refusal to be obedient in going and inviting others to place their faith in Jesus Christ reminds of the following story.

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Before we begin to negotiate with God we need to remember how foolish our own children seem to us when they attempt to rationalize and explain their own disobedience.  When we refuse to do what Everybody is supposed to do and what Anybody could have done then Nobody does it.  This means that the Somebody whom we were supposed to tell will not hear and that Somebody, is Somebody’s child, and Anybody knows that they might even be yours.

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