How Much You Got?

2 Cor 8:1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. 6 So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7 But as you abound in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us--see that you abound in this grace also. 

“How much you got?” is one of those implicit questions that begs no further question as to the subject being discussed. Yep – we’re talking about money.

“How much you got?” is one of those questions that is always on my mind, because, “how much I got,” has so much to do with how happy and well-adjusted I am.

There are very few substitutes for a sense of financial well-being. The question really is: How much does it take? (To have a sense of financial security, that is.)

I remember reading an article in the Naples Daily News a few years back when things were really rollin’ in the financial markets. The point of the article was to interview some local financial counselors to get their opinion about, “how much was enough?” The answers were fascinating.

Before reading the article, I had thought wealthy people would always possess a sense of financial well-being, even if they didn’t have much else. But the article revealed exactly the opposite to be true. Those who had a million bucks thought “about ten million” would provide security. Those who had ten million thought fifty million should do the trick. Those who had fifty million thought about a hundred million should do it…

I found out, with the little I had, (which really is very little,) that I had a greater sense of financial security than the wealthy guys in the article did. But here’s the thing that separates us even more - I think - and that is that my sense of security comes from God and not man. Perhaps it is easier to learn that lesson when you have little than it is when you have great wealth. Perhaps that is what the Lord is always encouraging us to be a very giving people, more intent on what money can DO than what it can’t.

-  Pastor Bill

A New Day

2 Corinthians 6: 1 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

There is nothing like the morning, (to a morning person, I suppose – which I am.) The first glimmer of what is to come is quite special. If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend you get up before the birds to spend some quiet time with the Lord. Particularly at that time of the day, there is no one else around to make any noise – save for the cars and trucks on the distant highway – and the Lord can easily have your full attention.

Isn’t it great that THIS is the day of salvation? HIS accepted time – HIS day of salvation? I wouldn’t want to miss a minute of it!

Can you imagine what it must have been like to live in the previous day, when all that existed was the promise of THIS day? How privileged we are to live in the day of Christ Jesus, when He has been fully defined. How blessed we are not to have to wonder what Messiah would be like when He comes – and when would He?

No, we’re the ones God’s providence has shined upon, those who know the One who is to come – those who live in THE day - His day - the day of salvation.

The day of salvation is a marvelous day, a day in which the rays of sunlight break through all the early morning clouds, and a day in which all of creation is fresh and misty and gloriously beautiful. There has never been a day like this in which to live…

And this is what Paul is saying. “Hey, pay attention! This is the day of SALVATION!” The old days are done, they’ve given way. So why would you choose to live any longer in the old ways?

Do you not know Christ is risen from the grave?! Do you not know death is dead and life is eternal?! Do you not know the hand that is outstretched to you – for you?

I can’t help but think about what went through the mind of Mary Magdalene on that early morning of the New Day. It is quite remarkable to see the risen Lord - and - just as many in history have also done - she failed to immediately recognize Him. But when He spoke in concern for her weeping she saw Him for Who He was – she reached out to cling to Him with all she was worth. This is what Paul is encouraging us to…Never let Jesus go!

-  Pastor Bill

Growth

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. 12 For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 16Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Walking by faith and not by sight is a renewing kind of thing to do with your life. Of course, most people walk by faith in many areas of their lives without really realizing it. That chair, for instance - which you sat on – was unproven until you sat on it by faith. The car you drove today, do you know how it started? Do you know how an internal-combustion engine works? Nope…just accept it by faith.

Hebrews 11:1 says that, “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” So, that means walking by faith means walking a life of hope that is based upon the substance of things we have seen before, while trusting the evidence for things we haven’t seen just yet – but will.

The substance, I suppose, could be said to be how we have seen the Lord work in the past. (That gives us hope for how He will also work in the future.) The evidence of things not seen? That would be the Holy Spirit; Whom God has given us as a “guarantee.” (See 2 Cor 5:5.)

So, we have plenty to go on…to walk by, when it comes to faith - even though walking in faith is never very comfortable. But, walking by faith is not about comfort, it is about growth. I think about those recorded by history to have walked toward their own funeral pyre, sentenced to death for simply expressing their faith in Christ. While I have always been amazed at any story I have ever heard about those who allowed themselves to be burned alive rather than renounce their “faith,” I can also say I understand what that was all about. I have no desire to be tested in like manner, but when our trust, (based upon the life of the Holy Spirit within,) is in the FACT that being absent from this body means being present with Christ – then we know we can walk through anything.

-  Pastor Bill

Unveiled

2 Cor 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. 12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech--13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

In the words of John Newton, the former slave-trader who became converted to Jesus Christ, and whose life was dramatically changed by the experience, “I once was blind, but now I see.” In one short statement of awesome clarity, Newton’s song, ‘Amazing Grace,’ expresses the grand scope of all theological truth contained in the 66 books of the Bible.

This is why ‘Amazing Grace’ is such a favorite of all those who have gone through the conversion experience to Jesus Christ, but also for those who have not. There is such truth in the words that even those who have not experienced conversion identify with what is being sung because of the connection to the heart provided by the Holy Spirit through the words being sung.

It really makes you wonder why anyone who senses ‘blindness’ in their life – as the words found in ‘Amazing Grace’ provide  ample evidence – would choose to remain willfully blind.

Until we remember who the source of the blindness is: Satan. (See 2 Cor 4:3-4)

How fascinating Paul draws this comparison between the veil Moses wore when he came down from meeting with God, to the veil hung to keep all but the high priest out of the Holy of Holies, to the veil Satan keeps before the ‘eyes of the heart’ of the unconverted, leaving them blind to the truth. Only the Holy Spirit of God can remove that veil through faith in Jesus Christ. That God would allow us sight when we deserve eternal blindness truly is “amazing grace” for all who have received their sight.

-  Pastor Bill