Each December, I pray about dedicating the first days or weeks of the New Year to a time of fasting and prayer. I believe in giving the first and best of my year the same as I believe in giving the first and best of my resources. This year, I feel New Life is to do something out of the ordinary because we are living in extraordinary times. Therefore, the 90-day challenge is beginning at New Life on January 1st and will continue through the end of March.

The 90-day Challenge is meant to help all of us do four things:

* Be even more thankful for all God is doing in our lives.

* Set aside a percentage of our income and give it away.

* Live below our means by following a budget.

* Look for every opportunity to serve others.

For the next 90 days, I am hoping all New Lifers will join me on this journey. For many of us, this challenge will be far more difficult than any previous time of fasting food, sweets, or television. Our finances and our attitudes are usually the last parts of our lives that we give to God. Living for others, giving sacrificially, being thankful and controlling our spending appetites will produce an amazing amount of spiritual fruit.  In fact, all of the very mature believers I know live this type of lifestyle and are generally not affected by greed and selfishness. 

The reason the challenge will last to the end of March is simple. It takes time to break old harmful habits and establish healthy new ones. Let’s all stay committed to encouraging one another on this journey and let’s be diligent to share our stories of God’s goodness and faithfulness. These stories are guaranteed for everyone who finishes the challlenge. In fact, I truly believe that people will be so changed by these spiritual principles that they will choose to live like this for the rest of their lives.

I discussed the “T” word this Sunday at New Life.  Tithing is a topic that is certainly biblical, but many people question the motives of any pastor who brings up the topic of money. I believe the poor reputation has been earned by pastors and it will take time to regain the respect and credibility of our churches. I believe the church has to prove to people that it will follow the Acts 2 and Acts 4 recipe of local church. People have to trust that church leaders care more about the poor, the widows and the orphans than living excessive lifestyles or building personal church empires. Once church leaders get serious about the ministry of Jesus on the earth, resources will always be available.

The church is the body of Christ and its members are His bride. No good husband would withhold resources from His bride and neither will Christ. In our staff meeting this week, we discussed the economic realities we are facing as a church right now. We are cutting our budgets to make ends meet, but we are not in a panic. We have decided to use this time to really evaluate what we are doing as a church and to make sure we are being wise stewards. We are convinced that our integrous handling of money will earn people’s trust and release heaven’s resources.

So, I will continue to teach on finances and discuss tithing even though it is awkward for some. Primarily, though, I will do all I can to keep my own heart pure and lead our church toward wise stewardship. In the end, I pray that everyone at New Life catches the revelation of generous giving and compassionate serving because both are expressions of true Christ followers.

I am amazed at how well the human body can heal itself. The wound above my left eye is returning to normal, leaving only a few bruises and a small, one-inch scar. After tripping and hitting my head on the fireplace last week, it seemed it would take forever for the bruising and cut to heal.

The same is true when we experience trauma to our emotions. This time last year, a young man came on our campus at New Life and took the lives of Stephanie and Rachel Works, injuring others before taking his own life. It was one of the darkest days we have ever experienced at New Life and it seemed we would never heal. The wound was just too deep and the bruises too intense. A year later, we still hurt and there are definitely scars that need constant attention and care, but, we are healing and it is a miracle. We have grieved, mourned and rallied around one another and it has made us stronger. The days and weeks ahead will get better and the pain will not always define us. There will be scars, but the scars will only serve to remind us of God’s healing in our lives.

One of my favorite movie scenes is from the movie “Jaws” Three men are sitting in a boat telling the stories of how they got all their scars. Two of the men have scars from battling killer sharks and defending themselves from barracuda attacks, but Roy Schneider only has a scar from having his appendix removed. Life produces scars and every scar has a story.

I have a new scar this morning. Last night I tripped over something in the living room floor and hit my head on the fireplace. My friend and neighbor, Garvin, took me to the emergency room and 15 stitches later, I was as good as new.  But, I will have a scar. Sadly, the ER doctor told me my dreams for a modeling career are over! The scar is about an inch long above my left eye and I look worse than normal this morning. My forehead looks like a war zone and my head is throbbing. But, I do have a story. Unfortunately, my scar story seems as silly as Roy Schneiders. I did not get my scar because of some heroic deed. I just tripped and fell and I feel a bit silly.

I try to learn from all my silly mistakes. I learned that light is better than dark when navigating the living room. I learned that good neighbors are important in a crisis. I learned that the human body will heal itself, but it does leave a scar to remind us of the stories.

Most people do not equate sacrifice with joy, but it is possible to combine the two. It is especially possible for followers of Jesus because our very redemption was made possible by the ultimate sacrifice at the cross.

For the past few weeks, I have been encouraging our church to give a sacrificial offering to help repair some vital parts of our campus. We are also taking 20% of the funds and investing in the poor and needy of our city. Because of the economy, many people will only be able to give a small amount and that will be a real sacrifice. Others can give large gifts and that will also be a sacrifice. The most important thing any of us can give God is our heart. That is the real miracle of sacrificial giving.

Pam and I have given sacrificially in the past and we now realize that a great deal  of our spiritual maturity and growth came during these times of giving what I call “painful offerings.” The last stronghold in most of our hearts is finances.  Mammon tells us we need more money and that more money could solve our problems. Of course, what all of us need is not more money, but more of God.

This weekend, I am most interested in the transformation of people’s hearts, not just the renovation of  a building.  We are eternal beings, buildings are temporary. Pam and I will pray, and ask God for an amount to give. Most likely, the amount will require a great deal of faith for us to actually give it. The joy comes when we obey and allow Him to change us from the inside out. 

By this time next year, I believe at least 100 orphans from the Colorado foster system will be adopted into families at New Life Church. This will be the beginning of our church rediscovering God’s heart for the poor, the widows and the orphans. In fact, I believe that across America, the local church is about to rise up and take responsibility for the poor of our cities and communities. I can sense that a new awakening is happening in the hearts of believers. Our mission is about to become clearer and more defined than ever.

New Life is no different than many congregations. We have immediate needs for new staff and we need immediate repairs for many parts of our campus.  It is so easy, though, to focus so much on buildings and ministries that we forget the real reason for church in the first place. In Acts 2 and Acts 4, the recipe for church was simple – meet together, worship together, honor the sacraments of communion and baptism, teach scripture, pray fervently and bring offerings so that the needs of people could be met. I am not opposed to building buildings or repairing old ones. We just cannot lose our focus in the process.

In two weeks, we are receiving a special offering to renovate our campus. But, we are also setting aside 20% of everything we receive to renovate our community and to help the poor and needy. It helps us stay focused on the real mission. I am excited about this new awakening that is happening at New Life and around the country. The church is to be salt and light and I am convinced more than ever that many congregations, including New Life, are on the threshold of unprecedented influence. Let’s get back to the original recipe of local church and allow God’s glory to spread throughout the earth.

48% of Americans woke up this morning disappointed in last night’s election results. It is certainly ok to be disappointed, but I did notice that the sun rose right on schedule and will most likely show up tomorrow as well.  I was hoping for a different outcome on several elections and ballot issues, and I am disappointed. However, I am not in despair. Sitting in my office, I opened my bible and read the passage that Paul wrote to the church of Corinth. It is a good reminder to me this morning.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NLT

Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. 14 And everything you do must be done with love.

Be on guard.

We must be on guard against anger, criticism and anything that could corrupt our hearts. There will be many voices in the next few days predicting gloom and despair. Proverbs 18:21 says there is life and death in the power of our tongues. As followers of Christ, we are called to speak life to our country. We are not called to predict its death. I say our country will be blessed and continue to be a beacon of light to the rest of the world. I believe our country will turn its heart to Christ and great numbers of people will discover God’s grace.

Stand true to what you believe.

I have principles that govern my life and my family. I decided long ago that I would not negotiate with anyone on these principles. The phrase “stand firm” is found eight times in the New Testament because first century believers knew firsthand the opposition and death they faced for believing in Jesus. I have finally concluded that not everyone will love or even respect me for what I believe. Still, I will stand true to what I believe. I believe that Jesus is the son of God who came to the earth and died for my sins and then was resurrected. I believe in the authority and truth of Scripture. I believe love is more powerful than hate and I believe God is stronger than my enemies. I believe the local church is the hope of the world and that my marriage to Pam is for a lifetime. None of these things are negotiable to me.

Be courageous.

Courage happens when faith replaces fear and hope replaces despair. I am not courageous because I believe so much in myself. I am courageous because of my dad in heaven. I remember as a little boy how protected and safe I felt when my dad was near me. The schoolyard bullies did not seem so intimidating and the night did seem so dark when he was around. Today, my God is near me and I feel safe. Therefore, I am courageous.

Be strong.

God does not have a problem with strong Christians. He actually prefers them. Weak and passive believers have rarely made a difference in the culture. Our world needs us to be strong. We should share our views in the public square. We should certainly take a stand on moral issues, especially to protect the unborn, to defend the widows and orphans and to help the poor. Of course, we are strongest when we give God control of our lives. When we are weak, then He is strong in us and through us.

Everything you do must be done with love.

God loves strong believers, but has zero tolerance for mean ones. “Everything” means “everything”. The world is watching us right now to see if we will attack. Instead, let’s choose to serve humanity, not curse them. Love wins every time. I am convinced that grace and kindness makes up the mortar that builds and sustains the Kingdom of God on the earth. Loving God and loving our neighbors is still the sum of all the law and the greatest of all commandments.

God bless our country and God bless our new president. I pray the Holy Spirit would guide and direct him every day as he tackles the issues that face our country.

I just returned from a trip to Israel. It was my second trip but my first time to visit the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The Temple Mount is the in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem and is now covered by a Muslim mosque. It is at the top of Mount Moriah where Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac before God intervened. It is also the site of the Holy of Holies, where both Temples were built and God chose to make His holy dwelling place on the earth during Old Testament times. The Orthodox Jews prefer to pray at the Wailing Wall instead of venturing to the site which is considered by them to be too holy for human visitation.

I stood there looking at the Muslim mosque, several Christian churches built nearby and the Jewish synagogues in the same vicinity. I realized, more than ever, that Jerusalem is the center of a major clash of religious idealogy. It also reminded me to pray for the good news of the Gospel to spread, both in Jerusalem, and around the world. I was reminded that Jesus came to give us a new covenant of grace and a relationship with God that did not depend on human works or merit. He does not require us to build elaborate temples or to construct ornate shrines. He just asks that we believe. I walked away from my visit a thankful man.  The Temple Mount is a sacred place, but the most sacred place that God desires is to rule our hearts and I am grateful that my eyes have been opened to this wonderful truth.

Matthew 7:24-27 NIV

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Panic and fear are horrible houseguests and lousy motivators. With the current unease in the financial markets and the uncertain political future in our country, even mature believers are finding it difficult not to panic or make decisions based on fear. I believe these times are meant to shake everything that can be shaken and to reveal those things that have been established on biblical principles. Jesus told us this would happen. This is the hour to put the teachings of Jesus to the test. It does seem like the rain is coming down in buckets and the wind is blowing with hurricane force. These storms will reveal what is established on Christ. The only reason we should be afraid is if we have not established our families, our finances and our faith on the proven principles of Scripture. I am convinced this is the finest hour for the local church.

Remember, without faith, it is impossible to please God. Now is the time to pray fervently, give generously, serve willingly, love always and stand firm. The testing of our faith will produce a pure and spotless bride, free from the corruption of our world. Make no decisions that are based on fear and refuse to panic. The Rock has never been swept out to sea or destroyed by the winds of chaos. While institutions and governments may crash, God is faithful to provide and defend His church and His bride.

Living for heaven is a great idea. Difficult to execute, but still a good idea. Most of us are not wired to wait. We want instant gratification and an immediate return on investments. Heaven seems like a long way off and way too mysterious. For me, this is the foundational principle that governs the way I save, the way I give, and the way I purchase. Living with an eternal mindset helps me to travel light here on earth. I am a pilgrim. I am a sojourner. I am citizen of a better place. This all bogs down when we become possessed by our possessions. I have made a decision to live by some very simple principles.

1. Spend less than I make.

2. Live with as little debt as possible.

3. Save and manage wisely.

4. Give generously at every opportunity. 

These are my goals. While there are plenty of examples that point to my failures in these areas, I hope these principles spill over into more and more of my heart. At the end of my life, I want to have great memories of the earth and its blessings. I just don’t want earth to be difficult to leave. Jesus said my heart would be in the place where my treasures are stored. I hope that place is heaven.