Coffee With The Lord

People complain a lot about financial appeals in the church – “All they ever do is ask for money”!

Boy, I don’t know where those people go to church (or even if they do)! All I have to say is, that hasn’t been my experience at all!! The appeals from my internet provider, utilities company and every telemarketer in the country on my phone and Facebook have the Church beat “all hollow” on that score!!

In my Bible reading this morning, however, I was challenged by Paul’s testimony about the Church in Macedonia and their attitude to giving…

Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in His kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia… I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more! And they did it of their own free will!! They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. They even did more than we had hoped, for THEIR FIRST ACTION WAS TO GIVE THEMSELVES TO THE LORD and to us, just as God wanted them to do.” (from 2 Corinthians 8.1-5 New Living Translation)

What an attitude!! What a marvelous spirit of generosity!! Makes you wonder where they got it … where they picked that kind of attitude up, doesn’t it?! Well I think the next verses provide an answer…

“You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that by His poverty He could make us rich.” (verse 9)

Wow! Kind of helps puts everything about this “giving issue” in perspective doesn’t it?! When I really grasp the magnitude and spirit of His gift that will motivate and impact my giving.! Sure want it to!! I believe it will!!!

Ever lose your balance spiritually? Something happened that didn’t seem fair, a spiritual anomaly that just tripped you up? You just couldn’t seem to get past it. You found yourself on the ground emotionally – thrashing around spiritually. I’ve been there!

I read Psalm 73 this morning during “coffee with the Lord” – it speaks so powerfully to that issue!!

“I had almost lost my footing! My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else… These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!

“I ask myself, ‘Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?’ So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!

“THEN I WENT INTO YOUR SANCTUARY, O GOD, AND I FINALLY UNDERSTOOD the destiny of the wicked… I realized that my heart was bitter and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant – I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you! You hold my right hand – you guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny! Who have I in heaven but You? I desire You more than anything on earth! My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever! … How good it is to be near God! … I will tell everyone about the wonderful things You do!” (From the New Living Translation)

You know what? I’ve decided I need to spend more time in God’s word and with God’s people – being in the Lord’s presence… just listening for His voice!!

I am always blown away by passages like Mark 11.20-26! There is so much to be discovered about what Jesus taught on the subject of faith and its potential! Sometimes I feel like I’ve only got a toe in the water of a mighty ocean of possibilities! I find myself in an awkward position… I never want to abuse faith for selfish ends – on the other hand I don’t want to leave divinely intended possibilities unexplored or experienced.

I mean, get the picture… Jesus had cursed a vibrant, green fig tree (“a fig tree in leaf”) that had no fruit. He spoke a word of rebuke over it… “May no one ever eat fruit from you again” (a tree full of leaves normally should have had fruit). The next day the disciples and Jesus passed by the tree again… Lo and behold, it had withered away from the roots! It was dead!! The disciples were blown away!! “Look!” they said, “The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

Then Jesus stretched their faith “to the max” with what followed…

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:22–25 NIV)

Now, I have to admit (after years of working with people of all kinds in the church), I would have been inclined to have responded to Jesus words like this… “Don’t say that Jesus! Just as sure as the world, some idiot will try it!” Didn’t seem to bother Jesus, though! In fact, it seems like, rather than qualifying the challenge, he wanted to encourage it! He wanted to stretch their faith to believe for impossible things!

Believe me, when I say abuses of faith have happened in the church – selfish, self-centered, self-seeking displays of “faith” (so-called). But we dare not let our negative reaction to that, or our fear and timidity, keep us from believing God can and will do the impossible!