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Pastor Mark Mikels – July 26, 2009
“BIBLE-BASED EVALUATING”
(Proverbs 27:23-24)

Intro … Several weeks ago I preached a message entitled “Bible-Based Giving” in which we identified three main types of giving: Tithing, Free-Will Offering and Need-Generated Responding or Benevolence Giving.

Last week I followed up that message with one entitled “Bible-Based Financial Planning” which was really just part two of the first. Last week we identified some Key Principles of Bible-Based Financial Planning.

There were four to be exact – popularly expressed principles:
“Spend Less Than You Earn”
“Seek To Live Debt-Free”
“Save A Pre-Determined Amount Every Month”
Sensitively Invest Your Surplus”

Both of those messages are available in printed form this morning on the counter in the foyer and, of course, at our Sonlife Community Church website. They are available in audio form at the website as well. Sometimes we need to hear a thing more than once if we would have its truths really sink in.

Today’s message is now part three of that same message and once again the previous week’s “Final Thot” has given rise to this week’s Key Concept …

TODAY’S KEY CONCEPT …

Biblically-Based Financial Planning will eliminate much
EARTHLY STRESS and guarantee much HEAVENLY REWARD.

Today I would have us focus upon the first part of that re-titled “final thot” …

“Biblically-Based Financial Planning will eliminate much earthly stress.”

ELIMINATE EARTHLY STRESSES LIKE:

* The Stress Of DECIDING Every Month WHAT To Do With My MONEY.

Living according to these Biblically Based Principles will keep us from having to just “make it up as we go along”, financially speaking. When, in fact, our finances are “up for grabs” every month, everyone in the family will tend to get in on the “grabbing”. Our spending becomes a way of affirming who’s most important or who’s not. Unprincipled spending leaves the door wide open to selfishness and manipulation and emotional bingeing.

* The Stress Of WONDERING Every Month If I Will Run Out
Of MONEY Before I Run Out Of MONTH.

This is commonly called “living paycheck to paycheck” … meaning that the only money I have to live on is the money that came in my last paycheck. I exhaust my paycheck every month and if anything unexpected comes up I find myself having in fact “run out of money before I ran out of month”. I have no reserve – I live with a knot in my stomach most months – especially as the end of the month (or week) approaches.

* The Stress Of Never Really Knowing The Answer To The Question:
“CAN We AFFORD It?”

You see, there’s a difference between “Can we find a way to make the payment” and “Can we actually afford it”. Anyone who has ever “signed papers” with a knot in their stomach knows what this stress is like.

Those who follow a Biblically-Based Financial Plan always know the answer to that question. Can we afford it means …

“Do we have enough margin in our monthly operating budget
to take on this obligation or do we have enough stored up in
savings that we can make this purchase outright without
jeopardizing ourselves?”

* The Stress Of Never Being Either In CONTROL Or At PEACE.

Not being in control creates tremendous stress in our hearts and in our homes … Feeling like we are living at the mercy of others, especially with regard to our financial lives is particularly stressful.
That’s why young people should be financially independent before they decide to get married – it’s a stressful thing to only appear to be “grown up” when in fact you are still living under someone else’s jurisdiction and provision.

How many men or women have been able to endure a difficult job situation just because they know that if they reached the point where they just “couldn’t take it any longer” they had enough set aside that they could quit.

As I said last week … there are few pressures in life quite like financial
pressure … financial pressure is a real “peace-stealer”.

This final stress that I mention this morning is one that uniquely affects Christians and is perhaps in many ways the worst of all.

* The Stress Of Feeling That I/We Have FAILED The Lord FINANCIALLY.

Every believer intuitively knows and over time gradually learns that His/Her Commitment to Christ involves every aspect of life.

Believers come to understand that the Lord counts on His People to provide the means for His Work to get done in this world.

Depending on their particular environment, he or she will become more or less familiar with God’s Plan for Giving and Living that we are presently discussing.

And the realization that one is falling short can be most stressful – has even caused some no doubt to drop out of fellowship altogether.

Stress –Stress and more Stress …

These are the kinds of stresses that can wear us down and wear us out. However, these are the very kinds of stresses from which Biblically-Based Financial Principles can and will deliver all who follow them.

What we need is … A PLAN OF ATTACK to get us from where we are to where God would have us be … I’m suggesting this morning a SIX STEP PLAN …

Buy yourself a pad of yellow paper and prepare to go to war!

* DETERMINE Your Actual INCOME

How much are you really making? That’s not the same as “How much you are bringing home?” List every source of income – get it all down on your pad right at the top.

* IDENTIFY Your Set OBLIGATIONS

Begin with what’s deducted from your paycheck … Can any of that be altered? If you get a good size tax refund every year, then you are allowing too much to be taken out of your pay. That’s money that you could put to use every month rather than spending it like a Christmas Club once a year.

Secondly list all your monthly bills – those with set amounts like mortgage or rent and car payments and those with varying amounts like utilities and credit card bills. Be sure to include those bills that aren’t monthly like insurance premiums and perhaps property taxes. Get it all down in front of you. Total it up.

* TRACK Your Non-Obligated SPENDING

Answer the question …
“Where does the money that is under my/our control go?”

Do this for three months – Pretend that you’re a private investigator and it’s someone else that you are tracking. Be prepared for some surprises. Organize these expenditures into general categories … Groceries/Automobile/ Entertainment /Clothes/Gifts/Vacation etc.

* PRIORITIZE Your EXPENDITURES

What are the things that you could get along without or with less of? What are the things that are absolute necessities – What are the things that are definitely not – don’t leave anything out.
Example: which is a higher priority – having a home to live in or everyone having his/her own personal cell phone? Prioritizing is not easy but instructive … All who provide income should share in the process.

(step five) * PICTURE A Biblically-Based SCENARIO

What would your household budget look like based upon Biblical Principles?
Follow the following formula using your own family situation.

FORMULA: Total Income minus Tithe/Taxes* minus Savings
minus Set Obligations = DISCRETIONARY Income.

* remember that the moment you begin to tithe, your taxes will go down – somewhere between 10 and 30% of the amount of your tithe.

Most likely it will appear to be ridiculous … you’ll probably wind up with what appears to be too little “discretionary income” – at least for the current lifestyle that you are living. But look at it anyway. That’s your current situation with Biblically-Based Values plugged in.

Now that you’ve actually seen it ..

* EVALUATE the POSSIBILITIES

What would it take for us to make that biblical-based scenario a reality in our home? What would it be like for us to have adequate savings and be faithfully tithing and be living debt-free?

What could be changed? Can income be increased? Can expenses be cut? Which is more important “tithing or saving”? They are both important.

I would encourage you to start on a path in the direction God would have you go. Tithe 5% and Save 5%. And spend the rest of your money wisely – allocate increases equally toward tithing and saving until they are both 10%.

It’s a lot of work to do this but it’s necessary and God-Approved work.
Here’s God’s word on the subject … Proverbs 27:23-24

“Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds;
for riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all generations.”

Final Thot …
Those who FAIL to PLAN are PLANNING to FAIL!

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Pastor Mark Mikels – July 19, 2009
“BIBLE-BASED FINANCIAL PLANNING”

Intro … Today’s message is really just part two of the message I preached three weeks ago called … “Bible-Based Giving”. In that message we looked at the three critical components that make up a comprehensive Biblical-Giving program: Tithing, Free-Will Offering and Need-Generated Responding. Notes on that message are available in the foyer this morning and, of course, at our Sonlife Community Church website.

The final thot of that message (with a slight modification) becomes …

Today’s Key Concept …
Biblically-Based GIVING Requires
Biblically-Based FINANCIAL PLANNING

The point is … Nobody gives Biblically accidentally. It’s too demanding and it’s too contrary to the way our fallen minds and fallen world actually thinks. On the surface, it would seem practically impossible.

My task this morning is to show you that it is not – it’s incredibly doable if we follow the key financial planning principles that are found in God’s Word. I also hope that you discover this morning is that in addition to being doable … following biblically-based financial principles is delightful – you might say that, “It’s the only way to live”.

So then let’s look at four of them this morning …

FOUR KEY FINANCIAL PLANNING PRINCIPLES:

Key Principle #1 … SPEND Less Then You EARN
(Proverbs 21:20)

Now that seems like a no-brainer but the sad truth is, it’s a principle that is violated every day of the year by more people than we would imagine.

The Bible has a special name for those people.
“In the house of the wise are stores of choice food
and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.”

A foolish man devours – uses up – consumes with relish (like a dog with a meaty bone) all that he has. Like my mother used to say, “His money is just burning a hole in his pocket”.

The foolish, undisciplined consumer lifestyle has been around for a long, long time. Our world today (through the magical wonders of consumer credit) has made it possible for the foolish person to consume even more than he has.

It used to be that if a man had a $100 dollars he could buy $100 dollars worth of stuff … but in the world in which we live today, a man with $100 dollars can buy as much as $10,000 worth of stuff. It’s called credit and so that $100 almost magically allows a man to devour not only his own stuff but the stuff of others as well.

He eats food in fancy restaurants paid for by his banker; he lives in a house and he drives a car and he fills his closet and he even educates himself in the same way. And decision by decision he locks himself and his income into a box where there is no freedom and there is increasing tension. More marriages are ended due to financial tension than for any other reason.

Is it any wonder then that the Bible, in addition to pointing out the wisdom of “under-consumption”, would support this second key principle.

Key Principle #2 … SEEK To Live DEBT-FREE
(Proverbs 22:7; James 4:13; Romans 13:8)

The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is servant to the lender.
(Proverbs 22:7)

When we borrow we put ourselves in a kind of bondage; we also enter
into a world of illusion – we are given the impression that we “own stuff” when in fact we only own it technically/legally. Until we make the final payment, we are in fact merely “renting it”.
Consider this Scriptural Admonition in light of today’s discussion …

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
(James 4:13-16)

Biblically speaking … When we borrow we exercise a kind of presumption – we (and our lender) presume a lot of things as those loan papers are prepared (or as our credit card is swiped). We assume that our financial situation will continue uninterrupted or even improve; our banker assumes the same. We assume that the purchase will be beneficial to us and worth the commitment we are making.
We exercise faith in an unknowable and therefore unreliable future. We step onto shaky ground. Our entire world (lenders and borrowers alike) are discovering right now just how shaky that ground can be.

It’s not surprising therefore that God would have the Apostle Paul include this instruction to the early believers in Rome … Romans 13:8 .

“Owe no man anything but to love one another“ (KJV)

There’s a little less sting to the New International Translation …

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love
one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.” (NIV)

The best way to avoid the consequences of debt is to seek to live as absolutely debt-free as possible!

But wouldn’t that eliminate from our lives most of the things that we enjoy … for most Americans (to restate an old saying) if it weren’t
for “borrowed stuff”, I’d have to stuff at all!

Well that where Key Financial Principle #3 comes into play …

Key Financial Principle #3 is a principle made possible by the First of these Four Key Principles (Spend less than you earn) and one that is absolutely required by the Second (Seek to live debt-free) …
Key Principle # 3 … SAVE A Pre-Determined AMOUNT
(Genesis 41:25-36; Proverbs 6:6-11)

Save a pre-determined amount out of every paycheck – some people would say “pay yourself first” … it’s really the only money that you actually get – all the rest goes to somebody else.

Ten percent (10%) is a good place to start – start with your very first paycheck (allowance). Set a goal of amassing at least 3 months actual expenses in an emergency reserve fund (put any “unexpected” money that comes your way in this fund as well).

This fund will create a bit of a buffer against the unexpected. It’s more important to establish this fund than it is to get debt-free … might take a couple of years.

However, once the three month fund is established, the fun really begins.

Place that 10% amount (that you had been saving) against your smallest consumer debt balance (or possibly against the debt with the highest rate of interest). Make the additional payments until that debt is paid off. Then add the debt payment amount to the original 10% savings amount and apply the total against the next smallest consumer debt balance that you have (credit card or car).

When you have that loan paid off, apply all three amounts to your next smallest debt and so on and so on – all the while taking on no additional debt!

Before you know it you will be consumer debt free and you will have three months expenses in reserve which will now cover more than just three months because your expenses will now be so much lower.

Once you have all your consumer debts paid off, then put the entire debt-reduction amount into your savings and watch your balance grow.
You may choose to begin to systematically “pre-pay” your mortgage – a modest additional principal payment each month can take years off your loan.

Now there’s good biblical precedent for these actions – it has nothing to do with “lacking faith” or “not trusting God to provide” – your job and your ability to follow God’s Direction is the primary way that He does provide!
Consider the instructions God gave the Egyptians in Joseph’s day …

“It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.

“And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.” (Genesis 41:28-36)

Years later God would inspire the wisest man who ever lived to write these words in Proverbs 6 …

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

If God had told us six or seven years ago exactly what was going to happen in our economy, would we have done anything any differently?

Here’s the thing … those who were following God’s Biblical Principles all along didn’t have to – they had already positioned themselves in the best way possible to make it through these “tough times”.

People who live debt-free and who consistently spend less than they earn and who save a pre-determined amount every month are better positioned to make it through economic downturns than those who don’t. During tough times survival is the main agenda.

However, when times are not so tough – when things are moving along a bit more smoothly and normally, the person who is following these Biblically-Based Financial Principles will find that they are amassing quite a large financial surplus – once they are debt-free, they might be saving as much as 30% or more of their monthly income. – after tithe and taxes, of course.

And that reality leads us to Key Financial Principle #4 …

Key Principle #4 … SENSITIVELY Invest Your SURPLUS
(1Timothy 5:8; Galatians 6:10/James 2:15-16; Judges 16:30)

Here too we would follow Biblically-Based Priorities:

* Sensitively Invest In Your Family – 1 Timothy 5:8
If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his
immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

* Sensitivity Invest In Your Church Family – Gal. 6:10/James 2:15-16
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,
especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,”
but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

* Sensitively Invest In God’s Broader Kingdom – Phil 4:14-17; Jud.16:30
Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.

Samson … pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

Final Thot …
Biblically-Based Financial Planning will eliminate much
EARTHLY STRESS and guarantee much HEAVENLY REWARD.

In this sermon Sonlife Shepherd and Overseer Joe Triboli explains 5 benefits of prayer.

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If you would have told me on this day 10 years ago that I would be in Apple Valley, at a church Mark Mikels had planted, Preaching… it would have blown my mind.

First of all I had just LEFT Apple Valley, I had no idea that Sonlife had been planted, and I was in a profession that seemed as far away from being a pastor as you imagine, for I had just begun training to be an officer in the United States Navy.

July 5th, 1999 found me in Annapolis, MD. I hadn’t been out of high school more than 2 weeks… and I was already fully immersed in what would be a 4 year program in which we were trained… in the Art of War.

At Annapolis the official mission statement is…

“To develop Midshipmen morally, mentally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.”

But they mean is… to prepare you for WAR.

And they did. For 4 years I was prepared to lead men and women into war. I took classes that you wouldn’t find at a typical university…. classes such as tactics, navigation, military ethics, counter-terrorism, and espionage.

I didn’t just receive a degree in systems engineering, but I received a degree in weapons systems engineering. Or in other words I didn’t just learn how to make robots… I learned how to make robots that could kill people.

Likewise, my roommate didn’t just receive a degree in economics, but in how to economically force an enemy into surrender, much like we did to the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

We were also prepared physically. Our PE courses were boxing, wrestling, judo, hand-to-hand combat, combat rifle training, scuba diving, and parachuting.
For 4 years we were sharpened and refined into tacticians, commanders, and warriors.

But that’s not the only thing I experienced over those 4 years… I also experienced… for the first time ever… The War Within… or what I am calling today… The Gospel War.

You see, as our Key Truth #1 States…

There is a WAR being waged… WITHIN every Christian.

A war for which ALL Christians need to be prepared!

The apostle Paul himself describes this war in Romans 7:15-25.

15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Now I want us to observe 2 things about the war that is waged within us.

First of all… our own worst enemy… is the sinful nature that dwells in our flesh.

Paul says in verse 18; “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.”

And then in verse 20; “Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

So Paul is saying that even in Him… the APOSTLE PAUL… the man who was so filled with the Holy Spirit that people were healed by touching his handkerchief… there was lurking WITHIN him… His sin nature… Or his FLESH.

But that’s not all. Without 2 sides there can be no war. And so Paul explains in verse 22 that the other side… the second combatant in this war is our inner being… which desires to please God.

Verse 22 says; “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.”

And so on one side we have The Flesh… and on the other side the Inner Being… The part of every Christian that delights in The Lord.

And then it all comes out in verse 23;
“but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.”

And so literally, Paul is saying… “There is a WAR being waged WITHIN me!”

Verse 15 is what actually puts this whole thing in words I can best relate to when Paul says,

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

Can you relate to this? Can you look back over your life… over the last year, the last month, maybe even the last week and say;

“I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT I DO!”

“WHAT I WANT TO DO… I DON’T DO!”

In fact;

“WHAT I HATE… I DO!”

I find myself in this situation over and over and over again

There are times when I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT I DO… in my marriage… in my prayer life… as a father… as a son… as a brother… at work… at play… at home… on Bear Valley Road… I do not do the things I want to do… and the very things I hate… I do.

And so it seems like I am constantly battling against myself… not doing what I want to do and doing the things I don’t want to do!

Let me give you an example…

…Garage Sale Example…

Now, we come to our 2nd Key Truth.

One that is just as important as the first. For in the first we realize that there is a war being waged within every Christian, and in the 2nd we learn that,

Tactical ERRORS are made by EVERY Christian.

This is extremely important for us to understand.

It is vital for me to realize that I am not the only husband who loses the garage sale battle. I am not the only Christian who makes tactical errors.

Lets look first at Abraham, and how he fell prey to fear… (Gen 20:1-13)

Abraham and Abimelech
1 Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, 2 and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”
4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.”
6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. 7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die.”
8 Early the next morning Abimelech summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.” 10 And Abimelech asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?”
11 Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ‘ ”

Likewise, we can also see that David… the man after God’s own heart… even he had losing days… days in which his flesh dealt such devastating blows that he became overwhelmed by the sinful nature that dwelt within him… (Psalm 51:1-5)

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

And finally Peter… The Rock… the man who God used to bring literally thousands of people into a relationship with Christ. Even this great apostle fought through times where the tactical errors led him so far astray that it took another apostle to reach out and pull him back into fellowship… (Gal 2:11-13)

Paul Opposes Peter
11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?

You see, the truth is… not only did Abraham have losing days, not only did David have losing days, not only did Peter and Paul have losing days… but we all have our days… days when the war within beats us up to the point where we, like Paul in verse 24, come to the place where we cry out… “What a wretched man I am!”

And not only that… but I find it interesting that the word Paul uses for wretched here comes from the Greek word Talaiporos, which can also be translated to mean a state of exhaustion…

Or in other words Paul is even saying here what an EXHAUSTED man I am!

That… is the effect of war…

It… is… exhausting.

It wears you down.

It causes you to doubt yourself, doubt your ability to succeed, doubt your ability to lead, even doubt who you really are.

And the worst part… the most frustrating thing of all… is what I am calling the BAD NEWS about this war… and that is that,

As long as we are Alive… we will never fully DEFEAT the Flesh.

We can beat the sinful nature within us down over and over again all day long. We can get up at 4:00 in the morning. Spend 2 hours in prayer. Fast all day. Share the gospel with 10 people at work before lunch time even comes. Spend our lunch hour handing out tracks. Spend the afternoon on facebook raising money for missionaries in China. Spend the evening in silent mediation. Sleep with 88.5 on the radio… and the very next morning… the second we wake up… There will be our FLESH. Dressed and Ready… Full of coffee, bouncing on the bed, and ready to fight again. Never dying… never giving up… never letting us rest.

Now that’s BAD NEWS.

But then there comes the GOOD NEWS…

Its what leads Paul to follow “what a wretched man I am, who will rescue me from this body of death?!?” with…

“Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

And it is found in the very next few verses… Romans 8:1-4.

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

You see the GOOD NEWS… is not that we will eventually reach an age where we are able to fully defeat the flesh… but the GOOD NEWS…is that

Our VICTORY… Is Already SECURED In CHRIST

That’s how the GOSPEL… is applied to the life of every believer.

That’s how we are not only justified… or counted as righteous before God… but it is how we are continually sanctified… or made to be righteous.

It is why the tactical errors… though they may frustrate us… can never fully defeat us.

The GOSPEL… is what keeps us both HUMBLE… and HOPEFUL!

HUMBLE because as we mature in the faith, and as we are continually being conformed to the image of Christ, there is a temptation to start to take on the mindset that says, “Look what I have become… Look what I am doing for God… I haven’t made a tactical error in almost 36 hours…”

And yet… it’s what GOD has done.

And conversely, at those times when the war within us leads to tactical error after miserable tactical error and we fall deeper and deeper into such spiritual depression that we would call out with what seems like our last breath, “What a wretched man I am!”

…We are reminded of what God… HAS DONE… for us.

You see… This is the story of my life…

When I first arrived at Annapolis… EXAMPLE…

And so in closing… I would leave us with this final thought…

The Best Way To FIGHT The FLESH… Is To Focus On Our VICTOR!

Romans 8:5&6 finishes this lesson on war with the following wisdom;

“5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace”

Similarly the author of Hebrews puts it like this, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Or I would say let us fight with all our heart… But…) 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,”

Let us Fix our eyes on JESUS…

The war within will continue to wage on… tactical errors will be made… victories will come and go… but JESUS will never change.

He will remain at the right hand of God… praying for us… lifting us back to our feet… and cheering us on… Knowing… the VICTORY has already been secured.

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Pastor Mark Mikels – June 28, 2009
“BIBLE-BASED GIVING”

Intro …
“Money, money, money” … who doesn’t like to talk about money?

It would seem that everything in life (in one way or another) boils down to money. We make decisions based upon whether or not we have the money to afford it … We take a job based upon how much money it pays … We evaluate our worth in terms of how much money we are able to earn. We show our love and our concern by “putting our money where our mouth is”.

It was no different in Jesus’ day, even though their economy was not
as cash-based as ours is. Jesus talked about money a lot because he knew just how much our hearts (our lives) and our money are linked together.

He once said,
“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
(Mathew 6:21)

Watch a person’s use of money and you will get a pretty good idea of where that person’s heart (and mind) is.

So having said that … it makes sense that a Follower of Jesus Christ should be almost recognizable by his/her use of money if for no other reason. A person’s use of money can in fact become a very powerful testimony.

So what does the Book that Followers of Jesus follow, say about money … especially today about the “Giving of Money” or as the title of this message
puts it … What is “Bible-Based Giving”?

It’s an important topic because every Christian wants to please God and yet there can be great confusion on this subject and much of the confusion comes when we fail to understand a most basic truth – the truth expressed in
today’s Key Concept …

Today’s Key Concept …
Bible-Based Giving is built upon
Three Critical COMPONENTS.

You see there are at least three distinctive kinds of giving identified in the Bible – each has it’s own distinct motivation and each expresses a distinct spiritual reality and each one produces its own distinct God-Approved result.

Now all three of those things can be mixed up … the reality that calls for the giving, the motivation to do the giving and the result that is to be expected by the giving.

And when they get mixed up … God’s work suffers and God’s people can get frustrated and God’s leaders can get agitated.

So let’s try to sort them out a bit this morning … and let’s allow the Scripture to do most of the talking …

Component #1 … (cornerstone of the program) “God-Directed TITHING”
(Genesis 14:18-20; Malachi 3:10; Hebrews 6:19-20)

Three Relevant Scriptures:

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
(Genesis 14:18-20)

“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, `How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse–the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me. 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 3:8-10)

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
(Hebrews 6:19-20)

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever. Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people–that is, their brothers–even though their brothers are descended from Abraham.

This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. (Hebrews 7:1-8)

Three remarkable scriptures tying together over 2,000 years of Sacred History- Scriptures that clearly indicate that TITHING is God-Directed & God-Expected.

Now several Bible-Based Observations concerning “Tithing”.

The essential Motivation for tithing is OBEDIENCE – at the deepest level our motivation for tithing takes the form … “God demands it so I will do it.”

The spiritual Reality expressed here is that of OBLIGATION.
It’s really not an option. It has nothing to do with the Old Testament Law
that has been fulfilled in Christ.

Tithing “pre-dates the Law” …
Abram “tithed” to God’s representative Melchizedek
500 years before the Mosaic Law was given.

Tithing “post-dates the law” …
“Jesus is our high priest after the order of Melchizedek – why would
we show him any less respect that Abram showed the original?”

And what is the God-Approved Result? …

Well, properly understood I would suggest that

“Tithing brings a tremendous Sense of SATISFACTION” –
An inner recognition that we have acted obediently before the Lord.
Tithing – it’s first, it’s fundamental … it’s God’s command and it’s our obligation – it’s the primary way God would have his work funded.

Until you are tithing, don’t worry about any other kind of giving.

Our Sonlife Tithing Challenge … Commit to tithe for three months – your money will be held in reserve. If at the end of the three months, you are not able to meet your basic obligations, you can ask for your money back and it will be refunded, no questions asked.

Now here’s the second component of Bible-Based Giving …

Component #2 … “Free-Will OFFERING”
(Exodus 35:29; 1 Chronicles 29:1-9; Luke 21:1-4)

Three More Relevant Scriptures:

All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do. (Exodus 35:29)

Then King David said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the LORD God. With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God–gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble–all of these in large quantities. Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the LORD?”

Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. Any who had precious stones gave them to the
treasury of the temple of the LORD in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite.

The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly. (1 Chronicles 29:1-9)

As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1)

These are all examples of free-will offerings being given to assist in the accomplishing of a great work of God.

Notice that no one was required to give – the project was shared/the opportunity was provided and the people one by one responded.

The essential motivation for a Free-Will Offering toward some special work of God is DELIGHT – deep in the heart of the contributor is an abounding joy and pleasure in seeing the accomplishment of this wonderful thing – whatever it might be.

The spiritual reality expressed here is that of PRIVILEGE – as in, what a privileged person I am to be able to share in the bringing forth of this great work.

The God-Approved result is that each contributor receives an awesome Sense of PARTICIPATION in the work of God in the world – a participation that they have voluntarily entered into.

Another way of putting it is that such a free-will offering provides a person with the THRILL OF INVESTING … finding a worthy cause, investing money in it and seeing the investment bear dividends in the lives of people. This is what “laying up for yourselves treasure in heaven” is all about.

TITHING … FREE-WILL OFFERINGS

One more to go in this program of “Bible-Based Giving” …

Component #3 … “Need-Generated RESPONDING”
(James 2:15-16; Acts 11:28; 2 Corinthians 9:7, 12-15)

A Final Set Of Three Relevant Scriptures:

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? (James 2:15)
During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
(Acts 11:27-29)

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
(2 Corinthians 9:12-15)

Each of these scriptures relate to a time of serious physical need in the community of believers …

James addresses the topic generally while the other two passages address the topic very specifically.

The Believers in the Jerusalem Church were experiencing great difficulties –
the need was made known to the other churches scattered through the Mediterranean world. It was hoped that a great offering would be raised to assist the Jerusalem Saints.

So today this kind of “Need-Generated Response” can be stimulated by an individual-sized situation or by a situation of need that is far larger than that.

The truth is our fellow-believers can and do fall into dire straits from time to time.

The essential motivation for this kind of “Need-Generated Responding” is COMPASSION – our hearts are touched by the circumstance that they are in.
We give willingly and cheerfully – we are happy we can help.

The spiritual reality expressed here is that it’s a FAMILY MATTER – which
takes the form:
“We are family- your problems are my problems.”

Now the God-Approved result that comes both to the giver and to the recipient is a tremendous Sense of CONNECTION.

Such need-generated responding eliminates feelings of isolation or desperation.

(Tithing – Free-Will Offerings – Need-Generated Responding –
It’s God’s Plan.)

Final Thot …

Biblically-Based GIVING requires Biblically-Based PLANNING!

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Pastor Mark Mikels – June 14, 2009
“HOW TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN LIFE”
Joshua 5:13-6:20

Intro … On this Sunday–this High School Graduate Recognition Sunday,
I’ve chosen the topic:
“How To Achieve Success In Life”.

It’s a topic that, of course, interests far more than just the three young men that we have recognized this morning!

But before we discuss “How To Achieve Success In Life”, let me give you a definition of “Success In Life”.

“Success in Life”, simply put, means living in such a way that you consistently feel the Smile of God’s Approval upon you – there is no greater feeling for a child of God.

Now the truth is … Those who feel God’s Smile of Approval upon their lives will frequently feel Man’s Smile of Approval as well, for the life that pleases God is always a life that benefits and blesses those around us.

Those who consistently feel God’s Smile of Approval upon their lives exhibit a level of contentment and satisfaction in their lives that is unknown by those outside the family of God and, sad to say, by many who would claim to be inside the family of God as well.

This kind of success in life is not automatic – it is not obtained by every Christian! It requires some “want to” and some “know how” if it is to be attained.

Thus our discussion this morning:

“How To Achieve Success In Life”

In answering our question of the day, let me draw your attention to a particular Bible Story – an account of an amazing success – the triumph of the Israelites over the fortified, impregnable city of Jericho.

Let’s look at it together … (Joshua 15:3-16:20)

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.”
Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place
where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and
no one came in.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along
with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men.
Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing
the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the
people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will
go up, every man straight in.”

So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the LORD and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” And he ordered the people, “Advance! March around the city, with the armed guard going
ahead of the ark of the LORD.”

When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the LORD went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the LORD’s covenant followed them. The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew
the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. But Joshua had commanded the people, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. Then the people returned to camp and spent the night there.

Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.
The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the
ark of the LORD and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and
the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets kept sounding.
So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times
in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! The city and all that is
in it are to be devoted to the LORD.

Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury.”

When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet,
then the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in,
and they took the city.

In this account I find a fascinating sequence that Joshua followed as he led
the people in this incredible endeavor.

It’s a foolproof sequence that will bring success to every child of God who
follows it – a foolproof sequence that, when followed, will bring God’s Smiling Approval.

It’s a sequence that involves Five Non-Negotiable Steps …

Step #1 …
ACKNOWLEDGE GOD’S GREATNESS
“take off your sandals for the place where you are standing is holy”
(Joshua 5:15)

This is the only starting place for a life that would know godly success – “Acknowledge the Greatness of God”; surrender yourself to his greatness and
to His Authority over all aspects of your life.

This is actually a step of worship!

Success in life begins with this Worshipful Confession –

“Nothing else has the claim upon my life and allegiance that God has!
I bow my heart daily before Him. I stand on Holy Ground every moment of
every day for I live in His Presence – He is with me!”

Acknowledging God’s Greatness keeps us from falling down and worshipping
the things and the people who surround us – it keeps us focused and committed.

Step #2 in this success sequence …
ADOPT GOD’S PERSPECTIVE
“See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands.”
(Joshua 6:2)

Actually, Joshua couldn’t “see” anything of the sort. With his natural, human vision he could only see a city surrounded by immense walls of stone. It must
have looked to him like he was preparing to attack one of the pyramids of Egypt.

Here’s the point … God’s perspective is always different than our own natural perspective. God saw the deed as already done. God was declaring a reality
that far exceeded Joshua’s experience.

Spiritual success comes as we forsake our own perspective (our own “take”
on things) and adopt God’s Perspective.

To a child of God today the Father might say …

“See, I have placed my Spirit within you –
His fruit is yours for the taking.”

“See, I have made my Grace available to you -
It will enable you to transform any circumstance into
something notable and commendable.”

“See, I have entered into this tragic situation;
I will work in it and through it to accomplish something
that will be for your ultimate good.”

Adopting God’s Perspective is an absolutely crucial step if we would know success.

Step #3 in this success sequence …
ASSIMILATE GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS
“March around the city … then have all the people give a loud shout”
(Joshua 6:3-5)

God’s Word speaks explicitly to every area and circumstance of life:
our work life; our love life; our family life; our church life; our financial life.

The Apostle Paul explained to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:16-17) that …

“All Scripture is God-Breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness so that the child of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work.

He had previously exhorted Timothy (2 Timothy 2:15) to …

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,
a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who
correctly handles the Word of Truth.”

We simply will not experience the Smile of God upon our lives if we fail to
make ourselves familiar with His Instructions …

God has not given us the option of “figuring it out for ourselves” …

We do not have the freedom to come up with our own plan of attack when
facing the challenges of life.

God has already provided the Instruction Manual for every type of situation that we will find ourselves in.

Success in life depends upon us making ourselves familiar with it.

Step #4 in this success sequence points out an absolutely obvious fact:

In order to be successful in life – in order to feel God’s Smile of Approval upon our lives we must …
ACTIVATE GOD’S PROGRAM
“So Joshua called the priests and said to them …”
(Joshua 6:6-19)

Here’s where the rubber meets the road …

Here’s where the surrendered child of God who is seeing with the perspective of God and who is understanding the plan of God steps forward in obedient faith.

Here’s where the Child of God says:

“If he/she is unsaved and/or uncommitted, I cannot allow myself to become emotionally involved, let alone consider marriage.”

“If it will mean sacrificing my commitment to my family,
I will not pursue it.”

“If it will require me to do something that will violate God’s Word,
I will not be part of it.”

“If the clear teaching of Scripture indicates it,
I will do it regardless.”

Obedience is an absolutely essential component in God’s Sequence for Success … It has never been enough to simply “Know the Word” – “knowing” must culminate in “doing” …

Many years after this incident had become ancient history, James would write “faith, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” … and (obviously) “dead faith” does not lead to God’s approval. (James 1:17)

But if we eagerly and obediently take Steps 1-4, we will be led naturally and gloriously to Step #5 …

ACHIEVE GOD’S INTENDED RESULT
“every man charged straight in and they took the city”
(Joshua 6:20)

Living obediently to the Word of God guarantees the kind of “Success in Life” that we are talking about this morning …

Living obediently to the Word of God guarantees that we will feel the “Smile of God” upon our lives – we will know that we are living lives that please Him and that will please us.

Ultimately His Pleasure and our Life Success will be acknowledged when we enter his Heavenly Presence and He announces …

“Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your Master’s happiness.”
Matthew 25:21

Or as the Apostle Peter put it …

“If you do these things … you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
(2 Peter 1: 10-11)

God wants his children to know success …

He wants us to feel His Smile of Approval every day of our lives …

He wants us to experience true contentment and satisfaction in life.

He went on record a long time ago when he announced through the prophet Jeremiah (Final Thot) …

Final Thot …
“For I know the PLANS I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans to PROSPER you and not to HARM you,
plans to give you HOPE and a FUTURE.”
Jeremiah 29:11

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A collection of sermons throughout the summer of 2009 covering a range of topics from Bible Based Finances to Prayer.  This also includes sermons from Sonlife Shepherds Alan Giles and Joe Triboli.