Accept the Challenge

Early in June, I preached a message on "A Fool and His Money" (listen here by opening the media player) and about the 10/90 Challenge.  What is the 10/90 Challenge?  It is simple: Give 10% of your income for 90 Days and see what happens in your finances. This is the only area of the Christian life where God's asks us to "test Him".

"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 our so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.  I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.  "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.  Malachi 3:8-12  NIV

Many people want to wait until they can "afford to tithe", but the truth is, the reason they are struggling in their finances is that they are under a curse as Israel was and their "fields" don't produce as they should until they have God's blessing (vs. 10 & 11).

I ended the message by saying, "Learn God's financial principles and live by them; be a wise saver, a cautious debtor, a prudent consumer, and a generous giver.  Don't devour all you have. Be grateful and joyful."

Take the 10/90 Challenge.  Test God in this.  Give 10% of your income for 90 days and see what God does.  If you would like some help, direction, and hope for your personal finances, sign up for our next Financial Peace University class.  It begins in early September and will definitely put you on the road to financial peace.  Register in July for a discount on the price of the class.

A Different Perspective

How often have you heard someone asking the "why" questions when things are not going as planned, or when there has been a major disappointment or setback?  You know the ones - "why is God allowing this to happen?", or "why me?", or "why isn't this going the way I had planned?"  There are many variations to these questions, and I'm sure I've asked most of them at one time or another.  Maybe you have, too.


I've just finished reading a great new book by one of my Coach Trainers, Tony Stoltzfus.  Tony is pretty much the "guru" of Christian Coaching.  His latest book is titled "The Calling Journey" and it focuses on the different stages of life that a leader will find himself in.  You can complete your own calling timeline by visiting this website.  It's a very interesting exercise.


Towards the end of the book, Tony writes "[a new] perspective moves us away from thinking that life just happens to us and we have to endure it, and toward believing 'God is in this - what is he doing?'  This is the 'called according to his purposes' perspective mentioned in Romans 8:28.  When we engage life like someone who is called, where God is in everything, purposefully preparing us, then everything that happens to us ends up working out for good."


When we change our perspective from "why me?" or "why is this happening to me?" to, "where is God in this?" or "what does God want me to learn in this?" that is very powerful!  Instead of asking the why questions, begin to ask the where and what questions.  This idea has impacted me in a big way - it really does change your perspective and your focus, and the outcome.


The next time you are in a situation that isn't going the way you planned, or there is pain or disappointment, try looking at the issue from a different perspective and see how it changes for you.

Random Thoughts for June 9, 2011

First, I want to give you a reminder of how you can help Joplin, MO recover from the devastating tornado a few weeks back.  They have enough clothes, toiletries, and immediate supplies.  The need as they move forward will be money so they can recover and rebuild.  An organization we've worked with before is IDES.  They work through the local churches in the area to distribute money and aid.  If you'd like to give something to the recovery effort, I strongly encourage you to do so through IDES.  FCC-Phoenix is hoping to send a team of workers in late summer to assist in whatever ways are needed.  We believe God gave us the experience of helping in Bogalusa, LA after Hurricane Katrina so we can be a blessing to other recovery/rebuilding efforts as we can.  Stay tuned for more information on this.


This month I complete my life coach training program.  It has been a wonderful experience and I'm so glad I decided to go through this training.  I've learned so much about myself and about the coaching practice, and I've really enjoyed coaching others throughout my training process.  I love coaching and feel it is a big part of the calling God has placed on my heart.


If you're unfamiliar with coaching, it is the art of engaging a person in a conversational process that results in levels of growth and performance they would not have achieved on their own.  One can be coached on any area of life, as long as they want to grow or make progress in that area.  If you'd like to learn more about coaching or being coached, post a comment below.