The Generational Meltdown

My maternal grandfather, Wally, passed away in 2008.  He was 93.  He was old enough to remember the Great Depression as a teenager in Columbia, Missouri.  He would hold my attention adeptly as he spun yarns about his parents playing Pitch with neighbors as a free form of entertainment, neighborhood vegetable gardens and tight-knit communities.

He married a wonderful woman, Opal Mae Teed (for whom my younger daughter is named), and together they bought their first house in Chillicothe, Missouri for a paltry $13,000 (of course, it was not a meager sum in the 1950s).  They lived frugal lives, hardly ever borrowing money for anything, and I wouldn't hesitate to say that borrowing money to buy the house probably caused them significant turmoil.  You see, they wanted to make sure they lived WELL within their means.

Fast forward one generation to my parents' generation.  Certainly a bit more liberal with the use of credit.  They would borrow to buy a car, and would likely have one or two credit cards, but most people in my parents' generation were likely to conscientiously pay off the credit card each month, and not go out and buy some extravagant vehicle that they would finance for 8 years.

My generation has taken the leap into the abyss.  We finance everything.  We finance houses, cars, furniture, dental work, cosmetic surgery, appliances, motorcycles, education, private school tuition, exclusive preschool tuition, fishing boats...heck, we even use credit cards to pay for Taco Bell, gasoline even tithes and offerings.

I'm pretty sure that my grandparents' generation would like to leap forward in time (I'm asking for a reasonable suspension of disbelief) and slap the living daylights out of us.

What has happened to us?

When did the wheels fly off this train?

When did it become okay to live consistently beyond our means?

How have we not been awakened by the current economic crisis?

You see, I think that the economic crisis suffers from the same probably as 9/11.  In the days immediately following 9/11, we huddled together in a show of patriotic solidarity against the forces that wanted to see our demise.  But after six months (perhaps longer), the Kum-Ba-Yah spirit faded, and we were back to bitter partisan divides, class warfare and the general vitriol that defines our society.  Our collective memory sucks.

Likewise, after the financial meltdown, there was a collective belt-tightening that took place.  But I don't even think it took six months for Americans to get tired of living with the sacrifices required to climb out of our mess.  Agreed, the government could stand to tighten their belts a bit too, but personal responsibility is just that:  personal.

We see people suffering around us, and we wish that there is something that we could do for them.  But we bemoan our own circumstances as the reason we can't do more.

Are the circumstances self-inflicted?  Are we still trying to push our lifestyles over the line of what we can truly afford?

It is my firm belief that if we take a step back and examine all the places our money is going, we might find that there are some financial hemorrhages that could be quickly cauterized to free up resources that would allow us to give more generously.

My fear is that we will continue further down the path of highly-leveraged self-indulgence.  If we do, where will that leave our children...and theirs?

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Jesse S. Greever is the CEO of 3G Publishing, a digital publisher for Christian authors.  If you are a Christian author and have a manuscript that you think is worthy of publication, check out the submission guidelines and follow the directions for manuscript submissions.  Greever is also a co-author of the book, Learning to Give in a Getting World, and numerous fiction titles from Untreed Reads publishing.

You can become a fan of 3G Publishing on FaceBook:  http://www.facebook.com/3GPublishing

You can follow 3GPublishing on Twitter (@3GPublishing):  https://twitter.com/#!/3GPublishing

Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

 

CreateSpace (paperback, $13.99)

Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, $8.99)

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

3G Publishing is ALIVE!

I'm very excited to announce that 3G Publishing is now officially open!  I had the idea for 3G Publishing when my editor at Untreed Reads mentioned that they had a number of manuscripts that they had to reject based on the content being Christian-themed, which simply falls outside of the scope of their acceptance profile.

So, using Untreed Reads as our official eBook distributor, we are now officially "open for business".

Head on over to www.3gpublishing.com and check out the EXTREMELY simple website.  It is mainly a placeholder as we get other functionalities up and going, but it serves the purpose of giving our submission guidelines and other pertinent information.

Also, become a follower of 3G Publishing on Twitter:  @3gpublishing

Stay tune for more GREAT stuff about this exciting venture as we get ready to release our first few eBooks in the coming month.

Taking the Test

Malachi 3:10 is bandied about a great deal in sermons about stewardship and giving back to God generously.  If you don't know it, it goes a little something like this.

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. (Malachi 3:10, NIV 1984)

There are so many wonderful things about this verse, and although I realize that it pre-dates the New Testament, I also believe that God's Promises are still pertinent today, especially when God talks about blessing obedience.

There is one very subtle nuance to this verse, however:  the order in which the thoughts are presented.  Notice that God requests obedience FIRST.  He says "Test me in this...", then he makes the promise of unfathomable blessings.

I've approached this topic previously, in a post entitled "Out of Order", where I encourage people to stop trying to "wheel and deal" with God.  I also talk about the fact that blessings FOLLOW obedience.  We shouldn't approach God with an if-you-do-this-for-me-then-I'll-start-giving attitude, because that is entirely out of order.

The point of this post today is to talk about the fact that God could have presented this differently.  He could have said, "I'm going to test you in this by pouring out blessings on you, and I'll see if you throw open your floodgates and bring the whole tithe in to the storehouse."  Surely this would be easier for us.  I mean, who wouldn't want an enormous and undeserved outpouring of blessing?

But there is a very specific reason why Malachi 3:10 is not reverse in this way:  we are simply not terribly trustworthy.  Knowing that human nature has not changed significantly over the past few millennia, I doubt this was much different in the days of Malachi.  God, being the ultimate in wisdom knows that obedience cannot be bought.  Obedience must be the cause and blessing must be the effect. It just doesn't work the other way around.  Our nature sees to that.

So, as we continue this blog journey learning to give in these uncertain times, remember that God invites us to step out in faith and obedience.  Only when we do that, will God open the floodgates of Heaven and bless us.

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $13.99)

Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, $8.99)

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

What's My Motivation?

It's a cliche joke-y type of situation.  An actor is having trouble with a particular scene, and they ask the director "What's my motivation?".  Of course, this is not just a catchphrase for a clueless or difficult actor.  Sometimes, this question can be uttered in an honest request to understand the character more fully.

You see, the question "What's my motivation?" has to do with the internals (emotions and psychology) that motivate and prompt the externals (actions and attitudes).  Think about recent decisions you've made, and trace them back to the internal elements that motivate them.  I think you'll find that (under most circumstances) there are some very logical causes for our choices, however senseless they may seem to others who cannot see our internal motivations.

Think about the follow extreme example:

No one robs a bank on a whim. There must exist at least one very strong emotional or psychological motivation.  If a person is in a desperate situation, and is about to lose their house to foreclosure and their vehicles to repossession, it may eventually lead to a situation where bank robbery seems like an unfortunate but necessary last resort (key word in this sentence is "seem"; bank robbery is never a necessary last resort).  Financial desperation (internal) can motivate someone to rob a bank, however strange that might seem to an observer.  Likewise, relentless greed (internal) coupled with a lack of professional skills required to get a high-paying job can motivate criminal activity like bank robbery.

But, I think it can be said with relative confidence that very few people wake up in the morning, hop in the car and are on their way to work when the spy a bank along the side of the road, and for no other reason other than the mere existence of the bank, they decide to pop in and hold up a group of people at gunpoint for a few bags full of cash.  There MUST be some sort of internal motivator.

Along these lines, today I'm dealing with the question I hear every now and then that goes something like this:  "Is it okay for followers of Christ to work hard to become wealthy?"

That is a difficult question to answer.  There are people on both sides of the debate that would argue that a firm answer of "Yes" or "No" is warranted without qualification.  I think that oversimplifies the issue a bit.

We are told, as Christians, to work in our chosen vocation as if we are working for the LORD (Col 3:23).  Therefore, if we are to work with great diligence in our jobs, as if Jesus was our boss, it stands to reason that hard work sometimes (not always, I realize) can result in promotions and positions of greater authority.  And with those situations can come additional income.

I do not think it is sinful for people to strive for excellence in their careers.  In fact, I think this is Godly (notable exceptions include prostitution, working in a strip club, bar tending, or things that deal with activities that displease God).  However, to get to the true heart of the matter, we have to know something about the motivation for striving to earn more money.

Is the motivation to earn more money so that more money is available for charitable giving and generosity?  I'm not saying that every penny earned should go toward giving, but with an increase in income, would the increase in giving be proportional?

OR, is the motivation to earn more money so that more items that might be considered luxury or frivolous can be obtained?  This is clearly sinful behavior.

The bottom line is this:  I believe that on its face, striving for excellence in your career which may include earning more money can be honorable.  However, the motivations for doing so MUST be examined.

Ultimately, the answer to the question of motivation will shed light on who is at the center of our lives.  If Jesus is at the center, our motivation will be to earn more so we can pour out more in service to others.  If self is at the center, there is no doubt that any extra income will be frittered away buying more junk that ultimately accomplishes nothing for the Kingdom of God.

So, I ask you:  What's your motivation?

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $9.99) NEW LOWER PRICE!

Amazon.com (paperback, $9.99; eBook, $5.99)  NEW LOWER PRICES!

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

What & WHAT???

Okay, I realize that may be the dumbest and most meaningless blog post title in the history of the Universe, but I'm sticking with it.

This article deals with "Health & Wealth" doctrine.  First, let's define it, then let's take it apart.

My very simple definition for Health & Wealth is the idea that a believer should expect great monetary and materialistic rewards, as well as supernaturally protected health, in return for giving money faithfully to God.  Now, I certainly admire the fervor and enthusiasm with which subscribers to this particularly self-centered doctrine give of their resources.  I believe that everyone, whether they subscribe to Health & Wealth doctrine or not, should give with such gusto!

But the problem with Health & Wealth is that the excitement for giving is derived from an insidiously wrongheaded idea that fabulous wealth is only a few steps away, as long as the giver "believes strongly enough" that they will receive material blessings in return from God.

I would like to present some of the more incorrect ideas of this false doctrine, and address them one at a time.

1.  Treating God like some sort of "high yield investment".  

The idea that we can simply give faithfully to God and He will return what we give plus some exorbitant amount over and above sounds, at best, like a pitch for the world's most ridiculous Ponzi Scheme, and at worst, like a pitch from a snake-oil salesman.  There are very few instances in the Bible where figures who were faithful to God received tremendous wealth and long life simply because they were faithful.  Were there wealthy people in the Bible who were also faithful to God and generous?  There is no doubt.  Was it caused by their faithfulness in giving?  I think you would be incredibly hard-pressed to find evidence for that.  

I know people who are incredibly faithful in their giving, who are also wealthy.  However, as I often remind people (because it is one of my favorite fallacies of logic), correlation does not equal causation.  More often than not, in these cases, these people are gifted (by God) with talents that afford them the ability to have lucrative careers, but to say that their wealth is caused by faithful stewardship is willfully ignoring reality.

There are all sorts of problems with this beyond just the cause/effect fallacy of logic.  I know plenty of people who have sacrificed to give generously, and yet wealth beyond their wildest dreams hasn't come knocking at their door.  In fact, in some cases, they barely have enough to afford their needs.  But, God has promised to provide our needs, so His "end of the bargain" is certainly being held up.  Likewise, there are some truly evil people in the world who are hundreds and thousands of times wealthier than some of the most faithful givers in the Christian church.  If God rewards His people monetarily for faithful giving, why wouldn't he also devastate those who were unfaithful and downright evil?  It doesn't make any sense if you believe God is a God of justice.

2.  Treating God like some sort of "health insurance plan".

The simple idea that faithful stewardship guarantees a long life, full of many healthy years is so ludicrous, I hardly want to give it any space on this blog.  If this were true, then Billy Graham would be as vibrant as ever.  Compassionate, caring and giving Christians commonly find themselves in the turmoil of health issues such as cancer, heart disease and stroke.  To say that these afflictions are somehow caused by some form of sin or disobedience is a twisted and dark fantasy.  Paul was afflicted with an unknown "thorn in his side", and in spite of pouring his life out in missions, God never saw fit to take it from him.  But, if God rewards people who give faithfully with long-life and great health, why would this have been the case?

3.  God wants your life to be easy.

Bull!  There are too many verses to count that indicate that the Christian life is going to be full of struggle, trials and tribulation.  The Christian life is hard!  God has NO interest in the comfort of believers, and it is actually not in the best interest of believers to be wealthy.  In the story of the "rich young ruler" in Matthew Chapter 19, Jesus makes it very clear that it is easier for a "camel to pass through the eye of a needle" than for someone who is wealthy to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt 19:24).  If we are to believe that the words of Jesus are true, then why would God seek to make it more difficult for His children to enter His Kingdom by blessing them with tremendous wealth?  Truth be told, I don't think anyone wants it to be more difficult to live a faithful Christian walk, nor do I think that God wishes to make things more difficult for those who are striving to live faithfully.

There are many other things I could say on the topic, but these things have been weighing on my heart and mind today.  A good friend of mine, and wonderful Christian minister, was taken to the hospital today for 100% blockage in one of his arteries.  He had surgery and is recovering quickly (all glory to God!).  And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he is faithful in giving generously of his time, talents and treasures.  And to subscribed to the idea that his affliction is somehow caused by a lack of faithfulness is absolute stupidity, plain and simple.

Get well soon, John Wolfe!

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $9.99) NEW LOWER PRICE!

Amazon.com (paperback, $9.99; eBook, $5.99)  NEW LOWER PRICES!

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

Putting Our "No-Money" Where Our Mouths Are

Yes, it's Day Two of the great Learning to Give in a Getting World giveaway.  We've already had over 700 people download the free eBook, which has put it squarely at the #1 spot for free downloads in the "Christian Living" category.  However, what is truly surprising is that we are now #59 for free downloads in the "Nonfiction" category.  I am actually quite astounded at that.

Anyway, to the point of today's blog.  Marc Farnell (my co-author) and I were discussing our future plans for the book, which has been the very definition of a slow-starter (or slow-burner, whichever you prefer).  It is incredibly difficult to sell a book on sacrificial giving during a recession.  I think we expected that.  But, it became very clear to us that the message was too important to just let it languish on the virtual shelves of Amazon.  So, we decided to give the book away for a period of two days, starting yesterday and ending tonight around midnight.

Once we made the decision, there was an incredible peace about it, almost as if God was whispering "Duh!" in our ears.  If we're going to offer a book on generous giving, why not start by giving it away?  Doesn't that make sense?

So, we are putting our (non-)money where our mouths are, and we are offering the book for free, where we stand to gain no money off the downloads of the book.  Would it be nice if we made some money off the book to compensate Marc for his time in preparing the messages on which the book is based, on the six months or so that I spent compiling his messages and turning them into a narrative?  I would be lying if I said "no", so I won't.  But, is there great blessing in following God's will?  Yes, I know this to be true.

I don't know what will happen with this book in the future, but I trust that God will do whatever He wants with it.  It is our loaves and fishes that we've brought to Him, and if He decides to "feed the 5000" with it, then so be it.  If the 700 or so (well, now 720 since I've started writing this post) people who have downloaded it already were all the people He wanted to reach with this book, then I'm at peace with thinking of the writing of this book as an act of service.

Of course, tomorrow, the book goes back on sale.  But rest assured that when Marc and I first started writing this, we made a pact that we would model the behavior espoused in the book, and we would not just give 10% of the royalties to the Lord's ministries, but we would give 50%.  It just wouldn't seem right any other way.  In that way, we are actually putting our money where our mouths are.

But for now, we're putting the "no money" that we're getting from these free days where our mouths are.

And it feels good...

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $13.99)

Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, FREE 3/21/2012 and 3/22/2012)

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

Learning to Give In a Getting World is FREE for Two Days

All right everyone!  In the interest of practicing what I preach on this blog, I (along with my co-author, Marc Farnell) are offering our book, Learning to Give in a Getting World, a book about giving generously the way God would want us to give, is being offered free in eBook form at Amazon.com for the next two days (starting at approximately midnight Pacific Time), March 21st and 22nd.

There are no restrictions, and no limitations.  It also will not count against your Amazon Prime borrowing limits.  If a million people want to download it for free, then so be it (although I realize that is a bit of a pipe dream).  We are so passionate about this message, and getting it into the hands of Christ followers, that we are willing to give it away just so people can read the truth contained in the pages.  It is filled with encouragement, a little dose of rebuke, scriptural references, and testimonies from people whose lives have been changed by giving generously.  It is also a bit of a memoir of what awesome things can happen when God's people give generously to further outreach and ministries (based on the results of the Ninety Day Challenge to give generously at CrossRidge Church in Little Elm, TX).

Go check it out now!  Click here to be taken directly to the Amazon.com page.

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $13.99)

Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, FREE 3/21/2012 and 3/22/2012)

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

The Macedonian Throw-Down

Okay, the title does make it sound like some sort of ancient world Ultimate Fighting Competition.  I know, I know.  I have a tendency to be a bit over-dramatic.  But, every time I read through Chapters 8 and 9 of Second Corinthians, I often think of what Paul must have been feeling when he wrote it.

Let's set the scene:  Paul was writing this second letter to the believers in the city of Corinth.  Apparently, during this period, the church in Jerusalem was in great need, and Paul was working to muster financial support for the "saints in Jerusalem".  Prior to the writing of this letter, the Corinthian believers had expressed interest in sending support, but for whatever reason, they had not followed through on their pledge.

Rather than try to browbeat the Corinthian church to "cough up" the money that they had been eager to give before, he decides to use a slightly different tactic:  friendly competition.  He begins in Chapter 8 by citing the example of the churches in Macedonia.  The believers in this region had been living in what Paul describes as "extreme poverty".  However, in spite of this turmoil, they had indeed followed through on their commitment to assist the church in Jerusalem.

In fact, Paul was aware of their dire situation, and it is clear that he had at some point tried to persuade them that they were under no obligation to give.  In light of their desperate poverty, Paul felt that it must have been better for them to take what little they had and care for themselves.  But, the Macedonian churches plead with Paul to allow them to give towards the collection.  Paul even indicates that they gave what would have been proportionally appropriate, they gave well beyond that.

In essence, Paul was saying, "Hey guys!  We've got these believers in Macedonia who, due to their extreme poverty, really have no business giving generously, and yet they have sacrificed tremendously in order to help the believers in Jerusalem.  So, why haven't you all given as you earlier pledged?  What gives?"

Maybe we need to ask ourselves the same question:  What gives?

In America, even in the midst of some of the most turbulent economic times since the Great Depression, we are still one of the most affluent nations on the planet.  And yet, when we hit an economic pothole along the road of our lives, one that makes us tighten our belts a little, what is commonly the first budget item to get dumped?  Why, giving, of course.

I'm not saying that everyone sacrifices giving.  I know a great many people who have remained faithful in giving, in spite of difficult circumstances, and I'm happy to say that God is still as faithful as ever in making sure their needs are provided.  But, it cannot be denied that there is a large segment of the Christian population in America who have forsaken the grace of giving as a means of propping up their monthly budget.  Sometimes, the reasoning for doing so is understandable on logical levels.  Clearly, if it comes down to buying groceries to feed the family or giving to God, there is logical precedence for caring for the family.  I'm not necessarily addressing those types of situations.

What I am addressing are those people who just simply don't want to give up their 24 Mbps high-speed internet in favor of a lower download speed.  I'm addressing those people who don't want to cut back on their cable/satellite TV.  I'm addressing those people who scramble desperately to hang on to two cars with enormous payments that they have no business trying to keep.  I'm addressing those people who simply don't want to put forth the effort to cook a meal for dinner instead of dining out at a restaurant.  I'm addressing those people who just can't bring themselves to stop dropping $5 per day off at their favorite coffee shop.

When we resist the Holy-Spirit-Inspired desire to give in exchange for some of these meaningless creature comforts, we are essentially telling God that He is not quite as important as ____________ (fill in the blank with whatever the stronghold is:  nice cars, high-speed internet, television, eating out, Starbucks, etc).

Is that really what we want to say to God?

I think if Paul were alive today, every single Christian church in America would be getting a rather lengthy letter postmarked from somewhere in the Middle East.  And a few pages in, would be a challenge to give like the Macedonian believers.

Something of a throw-down, I expect.

My curiosity lies in how that message would be received.  Would we rise the challenge?  Or would we continue to wallow in the  mire of our complacency, ready to throw vital ministries in our community under the bus, just so our level of comfort can be maintained? 

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $13.99)

Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, $8.99)

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

What Kind of God...?

Many people who are not believers plant their flag of disbelief in the shaky ground of doubt based on questions like the following:

"What kind of God would say He loves us, and then send us to Hell?"

"What kind of God would tempt Adam and Eve by placing a forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden?"

"What kind of God would allow the atrocities we see every day on the news, if we claim that He is love?"

Now, clearly, these questions have been posed hundreds of thousands of times, sometimes in an effort to truly understand the nature of God, and other times to hide behind a seemingly impossible question to grasp in order to sidestep the issue of faith.

But, now I would like to turn to a question that is equally difficult to wrap our heads around.  It goes something like this:

"What kind of God would ask me to give when He knows that I'm struggling just to make ends meet every month?"

Of course, there are several variations on this question, based on a number of different variables (paycheck frequency, how much the person asking the question is struggling, etc).  I think, whether vocally or internally, each of us has asked that question at some point in our lives.  But at the core of this question is a pervasive issue of selfishness.  We have a very distorted view of what God really wants for our lives.  Let me try and shed some light on this with some very simple statements:

God is not interested in our happiness; He's interested in our holiness.  You see, we seem to think that God clearly wants us to be happy, and if we sacrifice to give, we might end up sacrificing our happiness.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Happiness is fleeting.  Happiness is an emotional response.  God wants something deeper.  He wants us to experience the joy of being set apart (holy) for His purposes.  And to that end, we need to be willing to sacrifice a little bit (or a lot) of "happiness" in order to promote God's Will in our lives.

God is not interested in our comfort; He's interested in our commitment.  Comfort and complacency go hand-in-hand.  Nobody said the Christian life would be comfortable.  In fact, there are a plethora of verses that indicate the exact opposite of this sentiment (John 16:33, James 1:2, 1 Peter 4:12 are just a few notable examples).  The Christian life is not about form, but function.  We endure ordeals and trials so that we can grow in our faith, and you can bet that when we successfully endure one trial through the power and strength of Jesus Christ, the next one will be just a bit more difficult.  God wants us to be committed to Him, and to serving His purpose for our lives.  I would venture to say that He doesn't give a rip about our comfort.

God is not interested in our wealth; He's interested in our worship.  How wealthy we are, how prosperous we become and how much prestige we garner are not the least bit important to God.  He wants our worship.  He wants us to live a life of total submission to His plan for our lives.  This does not necessarily include becoming rich.  While there certainly are Christ-followers who are wealthy by worldly standards, it is not because they have been faithful Christians.  The two have nothing to do with each other.  God wants us to worship Him in everything that we do.  He wants us to worship when singing our praises.  He wants us to worship Him in our quiet times every day.  He wants us to worship Him through diligence at work.  He wants us to worship Him through our relationship with our spouse and children.  He wants us to worship Him through our relationship with our friends and co-workers.  And, He wants us to worship Him with our money through the giving of tithes and offerings.

Can giving be scary?  Of course it can.  When it looks like there isn't enough money in the budget to give to God, it can be absolutely terrifying.  But has God ever failed to provide for the needs of someone who is faithful in their giving and generosity?  I can't think of even a single example.  That's an exceptional track record.

And that's what kind of a God He really is.

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $13.99)

Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, $8.99)

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

Into Every Life: Part 3

Walk into any gym during peak hours, and you will probably hear a chorus of grunts, heavy breathing and any other bodily noise that indicates that extreme effort is being expended.  These are not the types of noises that you expect to hear at, say, a birthday party or a golf course (well, maybe, if you are a duffer like me).

No, head over to your local gym, and you are going to encounter noises that accompany pain.  People at these establishments are inflicting pain on themselves to achieve a very specific goal:  they want to be fitter, stronger and healthier in general.

This brings us to the final cause for turmoil in our lives: sometimes our pain is designed to make us stronger.

Think back to the times that helped to define who you are today.  I am willing to be that a majority of these pivotal events in our lives have some pain component.  Pain has a way of squeezing us to the point of exposing all of our strengths and weaknesses, and if we approach pain with the right attitude, it can help to strengthen those areas where we are lacking in fortitude.

Let's be very clear: God does not cause pain.  We're plenty good at inviting pain into our own lives without His help.  However, God can use any situation, especially those that include a healthy dose of pain, to strengthen us and prepare us for the work He has planned for us.

Turmoil can be a form of preparation in our finances as well.  For example, someone might lose a job, and therefore a significant amount of income.  He or she be forced to examine what things are expendable in the budget.  When the source of turmoil is gone (ie, another job is found), that person may decide that whatever they had to sacrifice was not really necessary in the first place, and moving ahead, the money they would have spent on it is now available for use in more noble, God-honoring activities.

Turmoil is never pleasant.  Just ask Job.  But, if we are faithful in seeking God's Will for our lives, there is never a turbulent situation that can't be used to help make us stronger.  

Even in our finances.

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $13.99)

Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, $8.99)

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

Into Every Life: Part 2

Yesterday, we dealt with the first common cause of turmoil in our lives: our sin.  We constantly are reaping the fallout of poor decisions and disobedience to God's commands in our lives.  Jonah was the prime example, but as in the story of Jonah, he was offered a second chance to make the right decision.  We are all offered that choice (sometimes, third, fourth, fifth and sixth chances...and so on).

Today, I would like to deal with the second cause of turmoil that is given in the book I co-authored with Marc Farnell (Learning to Give in a Getting World) by examining the idea that sometimes turmoil in our lives is designed for the benefit of others.

Pain is never pleasant.  Let's be clear about that.  Just ask someone who has gone through the process of donating bone marrow.  I highly doubt that anyone has ever put that high on their bucket list.  However, when another human's life hangs in the balance, many people are motivated to donate bone marrow.

But why?  What is the motivation?

Simple:  the pain of bone marrow donation is motivated by the possible life-saving benefits for another person.

You see, in spite of making all the right moves, we commonly find ourselves in situations that bring us enormous pain, only to later find out that our suffering served some benefit of a fellow human being.  Take, for instance, the story of Paul and Silas in Acts Chapter 16.  After casting out a demon from a slave girl who had been used by her owners as a fortune-teller (and for them, a fortune-bringer), they were hauled off to be tried by the local magistrates.  Even though they did what was right in God's eyes, they were unjustly beaten without mercy and thrown in prison to be held in the stocks overnight.

I dare say if this were any one of us, the temptation to bemoan our circumstances would be nearly undeniable.  Instead, Paul and Silas sang praises to God, and during this time, the earth shook violently, throwing open the prison gates and their shackles.  The prison guard, knowing that escaped prisoners would likely mean his untimely demise was about to commit suicide when Paul and Silas stopped him.  By the end of the story, the prison guard had pleaded with Paul and Silas to tell how he might be saved, and salvation came to his entire household.

What an incredible impact Paul and Silas had, even though their day had taken a decidedly awful turn.  There are three things that need to be gleaned from this story before I bring this back around to the subject of giving.

1. In spite of their agony, they chose not to complain but to sing praises to God.  What an example for us all!
2. I believe they were able to sing these praises because, as highly effective evangelists, they were keenly tuned into every situation, noting opportunities for evangelizing all around them.
3. Instead of running and caring for themselves, they recognized an opportunity to bring the Gospel to the prison guard.

There are many times that our financial turmoil is not, in fact, due to disobedience regarding our stewardship.  Sometimes, external forces (the ailing economy, for example) can rain down a shower of unwanted hardship.  However, we must always bear in mind that God can use any circumstances for His glory.  Therefore, I submit the following parallels to the story of Paul and Silas.

1. In spite of our agony in our sometimes precarious financial situations, there is always a reason to praise God.  We have salvation.  We have air to breathe.  We have friends, families, other church members who care for us deeply.  Those alone are reason enough to sing praises every second of every day. 
2. We should also praise God, knowing by faith that He can use our circumstances to minister to others.
3. Instead of looking only after ourselves, we should be carefully observant of those around us, seeking to find how our situation might be used to benefit them.

Financial struggles are never pleasant.  However, when we stare down the fear and continue to find ways to give to God faithfully in the face of these turbulent times, our actions become a living testimony to those around us.

In the face of financial turmoil, what do your actions say about you?

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $13.99)

Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, $8.99)

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

Into Every Life: Part 1

Turmoil is not a matter of "if", but a matter of "when".  I hate to be the one to tell you that if  you didn't already know, but rest assured, if you aren't in the middle of turmoil, you are most likely getting ready to head into it.

In Learning to Give in a Getting World, we cover three common reasons for turbulence in most people's lives:

1.  Turmoil can be a result of sin

2.  Turmoil can be designed for the benefit of others

3.  Turmoil can be designed as preparation

Over the next three posts, I am going to talk about these individually, and the first of these is quite possibly one of the most serious.

Clearly, one of the most notable examples of turmoil as a result of sin in the Bible is Jonah.  God unequivocally told him that he wanted him to minister in Nineveh, but instead, Jonah turned tail and ran.  Of course, we all know the story of what happened following his disobedience.  Like the small child that resides in every one of us, he heard what was being requested of him, decided in no uncertain terms that he didn't want to do it, and ran away from the responsibility.

God had other plans.  He sent the storm to batter the boat he was using as his vehicle of escape.  And, through a series of exchanges between Jonah and the other men on board, the decision to throw him overboard was reached.  Before he knew it, Jonah was in the belly of a giant fish.

I can't imagine how awful that experience must have been, but I think that most of us can identify when we've been in situations that were about as rank and odious as being trapped in the belly of a whale.  And I think if we were honest, most, if not all, of those situations were caused by our own poor choices (situations where this is not the case will be covered in the next two blog posts).

Many of us face very difficult financial circumstances; this is certain.  The economy, while in some areas, is beginning to recover, is not turning around quickly enough for most to feel secure and safe.  No doubt, almost all of us are hit with external forces beyond our control that can really make the area of finances a minefield of doubt.  However, in the micro-economy of family finances, we can have some control.

What we spend is entirely determined by us.  We make decisions every day that affect where our money goes.  Yes, of course, we need to make sure that we have a roof over our heads, food for our families, clothes to wear and some form of transportation to take us to and from our jobs.  Generally that isn't the issue.

It is in those gray areas where we spend money on luxuries where sin can creep in.  When discretionary spending erodes our ability to give the way that God intended for us, we tread into the murky waters of disobedience.  Disobedience equals sin, plain and simple.  We find new and unusual ways to siphon available cash out of our budgets and away from people and ministries that desperately need it, and then, through our own twisted logic, we expect God to bless us.

Wrong, wrong wrong!

To be clear, I'm not saying that every time we defy God's expectation of us to give generously that we reap some sort of lightning bolt of Divine retribution.  What I am saying is that we deprive ourselves of God's blessings, both tangible and intangible.  When we go against His Will for our lives and our finances, sometimes, we will find ourselves in the middle of an existential belly of the beast where our struggles only seem to increase in severity.

Fortunately for all of us, there is always a pathway back to obedience.  Jonah cried out to God from inside the fish, and his prayer was heard and answered.  In Chapter 3 of the book of Jonah, we are told that the word of God came to Jonah a second time, and having learned a very hard (and atrociously smelly) lesson, he obeyed.

As we explore the struggles, the benefits and the blessings of giving throughout the life of this blog, we will always return to the fact that the Word of the Lord is coming to us time and time again.  Every single day that we are allowed to live and breathe, we have another opportunity to obey God in His request to us to give generously of our resources.

If you are in the belly of the beast, take a page from the book of Jonah and cry out to God for forgiveness.  Then, ask God for the strength to be obedient to Him in the discipline of giving.  I'm not going to load you down with a bunch of garbage about having untold wealth bestowed upon you as a result of faithful stewardship (it's not Biblical).  Instead, I can tell you that complete obedience to God and greater trust in Him to carry you through your hardships can radically change the way you view all those things that have been stealing money away from your ability to be generous.

When we can walk away from those things that have no lasting significance and trade them in for things of eternal worth, that is the source of true blessing.

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $13.99)

Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, $8.99)

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

The Spirit is Willing, But...

I firmly believe that when it comes to giving, most Christ-followers wish that they could give (or give more, if they are already giving).  Granted, there are those out there who will argue until they are blue in the face about giving back to God, because they do, in fact, have no desire to give.  I'm not talking to those people in this post.

The people I'm talking to are the people who have that twinge in their heart that prompts them with the desire to make good use of their resources for the Kingdom of God.  These are the ones who see a need and want nothing more than to give their time, talents and treasures to address that need.  For these people, it has nothing to do with a lack of desire.

Instead of being about desire, it is about discipline.  It is no coincidence that the words "disciple" and "discipline" arise from the same root word.  Consistent growth in the grace of giving sacrificially and practicing good stewardship is all about discipline.

Let me ask you the following rather ridiculous rhetorical questions.

• Can a person run a marathon without ever having tied on a pair of running shoes?  Can anyone run a marathon without training?
• Could someone book a show at Radio City Music Hall, come out on stage and play Franz Liszt's Liebestraum (one of the all-time best classical piano pieces ever, and I refuse to debate that) without ever having pressed a single key on the piano?
• Can someone write a thousand-page book if they have never written a single word?

The obvious answer to these questions is "NO!".  Of course not.  Nothing worth achieving in this life cannot be obtained without some blood, sweat and tears.  So it is with giving.

The steps to faithful giving are quite simple, actually.  Simple, NOT easy.  It goes a little something like this:

1. START, preferably as soon as possible.
2. Do it again.
3. Do it again.
4. Do it again.
5. Do it again.

See a pattern forming here?  The best way to start giving is just to start.  If your thought processes regarding giving approach the level of debate of a criminal court case, then you are overthinking it.  Just start.  Once you've started, the next opportunity you have, repeat that behavior.

Will there probably be hurdles along the way?  Sure.  Will you fail?  You might.  Should you quit when that happens?  Absolutely not.  Thomas Edison failed around one thousand times before he finally perfected the light bulb.  Hopefully, we don't have to go through that many failures to form a solid discipline of giving, but even if it does take that long, persistence and perseverance are key.

It's time to start disciplining yourself so that your actions match up with your desire.

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $13.99)

Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, $8.99)

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever

Out of Order!

I believe humans are negotiators by nature.  Some may be better than others, but there is always a particularly satisfying feeling to striking a deal with someone that is of greater benefit to us than the original offer.  Most know that there are great times to "wheel and deal", such as car shopping, house shopping and when perusing used wares at garage sales.  Fewer of us will go beyond "the norm" and bargain at places that are not so obvious: car repair shops, electronics stores and even doctor's offices.

Let me first start by saying that there is absolutely nothing wrong with negotiating.  It is a great way to make sure that you, as a consumer are getting the best value for your money.  While some will take it a bit too far, and try to negotiate the price for a meal at McDonald's (I'm partially kidding, although I know there has to be at least one person out there who has tried it), bargaining can benefit almost everyone in appropriate situations.

When is negotiating not a good idea?  I'll give you a hint:  most Christ-followers have done it at least once (if not many times) during their lives.  I'll give you three other hints.

• "Oh God, if you just get me this promotion and the raise that comes with it, I promise I'll start tithing on every paycheck."
• "Oh Lord, if you just get us out of this mess, we'll start giving to You."
• "Please, Lord, if you just ___________, then I'll __________." (fill in the blanks for yourself)

At issue here is the idea that if the Lord will just bless us, we will initiate some obedient act.  For many of us, as we look at our finances, we think that if the Lord will just bestow upon us a fabulous raise or a better job, then we will have more room in our budgets to start (or increase) or giving faithfully to Him.  There is one problem with this idea.

It is ABSURD!

The Bible is full of examples of people who received blessings because of their obedience, but the cause-effect relationship stays in the stated order.  Cause comes before effect.  No high school student gets a perfect score on an examination, then goes home and studies for it.  No stage-actor gives a poignant performance, then goes home after the show and studies lines for the first time.  No investor reaps benefits from an investment before he or she makes the decision to invest.

And as ridiculous as these examples are, it is exactly what we ask God to do when we try to negotiate with him.  The simple fact is:  Blessings FOLLOW obedience.  Let's take a look at Malachi 3:10. 

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. (NIV, 1984)

Take careful not of the order in this verse.  First comes the command:  "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse" (Emphasis added).  God asks His people to obey His command to tithe.  Then, after He issues this command, He indicates that they will be blessed beyond measure.  Notice that God doesn't promise a tremendous outpouring of blessing before His people obey His command.  That would sound more like a "bribe" than an incentive for obedience.

Are you trying to strike a deal with God?  Is it working?

My guess would be "no".

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Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:

CreateSpace (paperback, $13.99)

Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, $8.99)

It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library.  Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.

You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever