As some of you know, my roommate Scott and I got the new iPhone 4 yesterday. So I decided to use it to give you guys an update of my giving challenge via video. Hope you enjoy it!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
The Treasure Principle
My roommate, Matt, recently let me borrow a book entitled "The Treasure Principle" by Randy Alcorn. I started reading it this morning on my flight to Sacramento and read the entire book by the time I landed at my connection in Salt Lake City. This short, 120 page book had me hooked from the start and it radically changed the way I view generosity.
Many of you know that Matt and I are challenging each other to give something away for 30 days in an effort to stretch our hearts in this area. I am days away from completing the challenge, and this book provided 6 key principles that will allow me to turn the 30 day challenge into a LIFESTYLE of giving.
The Treasure Principle is simply this..."You can't take it with you--but you can send it on ahead." Jesus fully unveils what Randy Alcorn calls "The Treasure Principle" in Matthew 6:19-21 which states, "Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
You may be asking the same question I asked after reading this passage...What does it look like to store up for yourself treasure in heaven? 1 Timothy 6:18-19 answers that question beautifully, stating "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."
Now that you know what the Treasure Principle is, here are the 6 key principles that rocked my world:
1.) God owns everything. I'm His money manager.
We are the managers of the assets God has entrusted--not given--to us.
2.) My heart always goes where I put God's money.
Watch what happens when you reallocate your money from temporal things to eternal things.
3.) Heaven, not earth, is my home.
We are citizens of "a better country--a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11:16)
4.) I should live not for the dot, but for the line.
From the dot, our present life on earth, extends a line that goes on forever, which is eternity in heaven.
5.) Giving is the only antidote for materialism.
Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and a greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts Him.
6.) God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.
God gives us more money than we need so we can give--generously.
If you desire to grow in the area of giving, please let me know and I will mail you a copy of this life-changing book. As much as this book has blessed me, it would bless me even more to share it with you.
Generosity is infectious...I hope you catch the bug.
James
Many of you know that Matt and I are challenging each other to give something away for 30 days in an effort to stretch our hearts in this area. I am days away from completing the challenge, and this book provided 6 key principles that will allow me to turn the 30 day challenge into a LIFESTYLE of giving.
The Treasure Principle is simply this..."You can't take it with you--but you can send it on ahead." Jesus fully unveils what Randy Alcorn calls "The Treasure Principle" in Matthew 6:19-21 which states, "Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
You may be asking the same question I asked after reading this passage...What does it look like to store up for yourself treasure in heaven? 1 Timothy 6:18-19 answers that question beautifully, stating "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."
Now that you know what the Treasure Principle is, here are the 6 key principles that rocked my world:
1.) God owns everything. I'm His money manager.
We are the managers of the assets God has entrusted--not given--to us.
2.) My heart always goes where I put God's money.
Watch what happens when you reallocate your money from temporal things to eternal things.
3.) Heaven, not earth, is my home.
We are citizens of "a better country--a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11:16)
4.) I should live not for the dot, but for the line.
From the dot, our present life on earth, extends a line that goes on forever, which is eternity in heaven.
5.) Giving is the only antidote for materialism.
Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and a greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts Him.
6.) God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.
God gives us more money than we need so we can give--generously.
If you desire to grow in the area of giving, please let me know and I will mail you a copy of this life-changing book. As much as this book has blessed me, it would bless me even more to share it with you.
Generosity is infectious...I hope you catch the bug.
James
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
30 Days of Giving: Days 13-17
Day 13:
For the last couple months, I've been blessed with the opportunity to mentor 2 students at West Orange High School, Kellen and Esteban. These two guys are amazing young men and it's been an honor to watch them grow in their faith. On this day, I took Kellen, Esteban, and 2 of their friends to Taco Bell after the youth service at church. We talked about life, ate tacos, and had a blast.
Day 14:
This day's giving was a little different than anything I'd ever done before. I went to www.marrow.org and signed up to be a bone marrow donor. My name was put in a database along with a saliva sample, and I will be contacted as soon as they find a match of someone in need of bone marrow. This is a very practical way to give someone life, and I would encourage all of you to look into this type of donation. See the website that I mentioned above and sign up today!
Day 15:
The youth service that Kellen and Esteban have been going to is called Element, and for the last couple weeks I've been going with them. On this day I took one of the staff members at Element to lunch. We got to chat about ministry, the students, and our stories.
Day 16:
I was in Indianapolis for the Indy 500 and stopped at the Golden Corral, aka "The Horse Troft" for dinner. I hadn't done my giving for the day and decided to bless the waitress with an 80% tip. It wasn't much, but I hope it went a long way in helping her night go a little better.
Day 17:
Since I was in Indianapolis this particular weekend, I decided to hook up with a friend that I met on Summer Project back in 2006 who went to Purdue. We were able to connect and I had the privilege of meeting her fiance and paying for their dinner. It was so great getting to spend time with JP and her soon to be husband, and talking about what we've been up to for the last 4 years. So many things have changed since the last time we'd talked but it was incredibly comforting to hear that JP's passion for Jesus and people hadn't changed a bit.
Friday, June 4, 2010
30 Days of Giving: Days 8-12
Day 8:
I was in Charlotte, NC and it was getting pretty late in the day. I hadn't given anything away and was struggling to come up with something. As I was getting in the elevator coming up to my room, I decided what to do. I wrote my favorite verse on a $10 bill and put it on the elevator floor. I have no idea who picked it up or if they bothered to read the Scripture reference, but I know that finding a random $10 bill is always nice. The verse that I referenced was 1 John 3:18 which reads, "Dear children, let us not love with word or tongue, but with action and in truth." The more I think about that verse, the more I realize that it is the heartbeat behind this whole giving challenge...to love people with action.
Day 9:
While I was in the drive-thru at McDonalds on my way to the track the next morning, I paid for the car behind me in line. This was a very simple and cheap way to give, but my hope is that it made Jesus smile anyway.
Day 10:
Ryan Eber is in my house church, and it's hard to describe how much I love being around him. He has absolutely no interest in NASCAR, but he makes such a genuine effort to understand the sport because it's something I'm directly involved with. This simple act of keeping up with a sport that he cares nothing about says much of his character. He cares about people. He does it well.
We've made it a habit in the last couple weeks to go to Taco Bell after he picks me up from the airport. I paid for his tacos and he listened to story after story from my weekend at the race track. I heart you big time Ryan...can't wait to see you Monday!
Day 11:
If you know me at all, you know that Taco Bell consumes a large portion of my soul. This day we had a new face at house church and I had the priviledge of taking the new guy, Corbin, and my roommate Scott to T-Bell afterwards. We had great conversation, and I became one burrito closer to a heart attack.
Day 12:
I tithed to my church. If you are a follower of Christ, but have a difficult time with titheing, I challenge you to do so with your next paycheck. I am extremely confident that you will experience blessing in some form or fashion. I love watching God bless those who are obedient to Him in this area.
I was in Charlotte, NC and it was getting pretty late in the day. I hadn't given anything away and was struggling to come up with something. As I was getting in the elevator coming up to my room, I decided what to do. I wrote my favorite verse on a $10 bill and put it on the elevator floor. I have no idea who picked it up or if they bothered to read the Scripture reference, but I know that finding a random $10 bill is always nice. The verse that I referenced was 1 John 3:18 which reads, "Dear children, let us not love with word or tongue, but with action and in truth." The more I think about that verse, the more I realize that it is the heartbeat behind this whole giving challenge...to love people with action.
Day 9:
While I was in the drive-thru at McDonalds on my way to the track the next morning, I paid for the car behind me in line. This was a very simple and cheap way to give, but my hope is that it made Jesus smile anyway.
Day 10:
Ryan Eber is in my house church, and it's hard to describe how much I love being around him. He has absolutely no interest in NASCAR, but he makes such a genuine effort to understand the sport because it's something I'm directly involved with. This simple act of keeping up with a sport that he cares nothing about says much of his character. He cares about people. He does it well.
We've made it a habit in the last couple weeks to go to Taco Bell after he picks me up from the airport. I paid for his tacos and he listened to story after story from my weekend at the race track. I heart you big time Ryan...can't wait to see you Monday!
Day 11:
If you know me at all, you know that Taco Bell consumes a large portion of my soul. This day we had a new face at house church and I had the priviledge of taking the new guy, Corbin, and my roommate Scott to T-Bell afterwards. We had great conversation, and I became one burrito closer to a heart attack.
Day 12:
I tithed to my church. If you are a follower of Christ, but have a difficult time with titheing, I challenge you to do so with your next paycheck. I am extremely confident that you will experience blessing in some form or fashion. I love watching God bless those who are obedient to Him in this area.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
