We started a video series this past Sunday. We talk about the scriptures week in and week out, but for these three weeks we’ll be talking about why and how we read the scriptures. So important.
Watch the teaser below or the full teaching HERE. For a recap or for small group discussion, check out the notes!!!
For this last post in our series, we’re going to keep things simple. How simple? We’re going to look at a few words found in John’s gospel. Two words specifically; increase and decrease. But first…
As we look back on the everything we talked about the last several weeks we noticed that there was a bit of a buzz around this series. It seemed to have struck a chord. I guess when you look at the themes and topics, it makes sense. We talked about our time, our money, our relationships, fear, peace, seasons, and discernment. These are ‘rubber meets the road’ kinds of things. Very practical and helpful right? Who doesn’t want to be better with their time and money and relationships? Who doesn’t want peace? Who doesn’t want to feel like they have the wisdom to make the right decisions as seasons of life change?
Let’s remember why we embarked on this journey of decluttering and in turn simplifying our lives – because we want to better hear God’s whisper in our lives. The noise can get out of hand, and God’s voice can get quite faint. Let’s take these lessons to heart and begin to be more attentive to God’s leading in all the area’s we talked about.
The need to declutter comes when things pile up, when life gets disorganize, and when the mountain of things we think we have to do topples over. Of course we can look at our garages, basements, homes, and cars as examples of the disorder or the clutter. However, there’s one place we can look that really shows how unnecessarily busy our lives are – our hearts. It’s in our heart where the real evidence is. That’s why the writer of Proverbs says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of your life” (4:23) Jesus even said that it’s from our hearts that our mouths speak. What’s inside is indicative of what’s coming out. So be careful what you let in.
And this leads us to John 3:30. At this point in the gospel story John the Baptist has completed his role, or he at least he thought so. Some of his friends are confused as to why Jesus is now getting the credit that was once John’s. But John knew his role and was full of joy that Jesus has arrived on the scene. John was always the pointer to Jesus, not the main actor; he was always just the appetizer, not the main dish, he was only the dating service, not the groom. So when we hear his words about Jesus, they should mean so much. In one sentence John clarifies his role, Jesus’ rightful place and our approach to faith in Jesus. You ready? Here it is: You must increase and I must decrease. Or. You must become greater and I must become less.
That’s it right there. This is the way to an uncluttered heart. “I” become less and “Jesus” becomes more. I must “decrease” for Jesus to “increase”. I move things out of the way to make room for Jesus. We can have all the other things in our life in order, but if this part is out of sorts then the other stuff doesn’t matter anyways.
I hope you’re thoughtful with your time so that your calendar helps you and doesn’t hurt you. I hope you’re a good steward with the money God provides. I hope you’re wise in your relationships, feeding others and being fed. I hope you have peace and not fear. I hope your can identify life seasons and navigate them well. But above all that, we simple need more of Jesus. We need to rearrange the furniture of our heart and make room for him. Some things need to just be moved, other things need to to be removed. Jesus, simply Jesus, is what must take the most space in our hearts. Because less of me actually means a better me. Less of me and more of him will always lead to a better version of myself. Jesus makes me a better human. How? By inviting him to take residence in my heart and life and letting his life flow through mine.
So as we continue on this journey of simplifying our lives, remember that Jesus, simply Jesus, takes the first and foremost spot in anyone’s heart, everything else should fall into place after that.
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you”(Matthew 6:33)
So, this series is done. What theme or topic spoke to you or challenged you most? Why?
How would you describe a cluttered heart?
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else guard your heart…” What does that say to you? Why is this so important?
Take a few minutes to talk about John 3:30. “He must become greater, I must become less”. “He must increase and I must decrease”. How do you begin to unpack that?
We end with this one thought, ‘Simply Jesus’. What most excites you or encourages you about who Jesus is?
As you pray, please include a prayer for those affected at the Pickering High School this week.
This winter has been a strange one, hasn’t it. Well, it has if you live in Southern Ontario. We who live in this part of North America are very used to 4 full seasons. Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer. Even though we are in the middle of winter, it has been a season that sure doesn’t feel like ‘our’ winters. You can appreciate how easy it is for a resident in Toronto to forget how cold or snowy winter can get while in the middle of one of the most warm winters we’ve had in a long time. Until of course we have a weekend where the temps drop to -25 followed by a couple of days of snow. Just when you thought you might escape old man winter, he shows up and reminds us that he’s still as ugly as ever.
What this does is bring us back to reality – we’re reminded that we live in a country with 4 full seasons. Seasons are wonderful for a few reasons, first, because they don’t last, and second, they help us appreciate what we’re saying bye to (winter) or saying hello to (summer).
Life is made up of many seasons. Some good, some bad. Some long, some short. Some warm and some cold. Good or bad, seasons are meant to be temporary.
One writer helps us put to words why the long view of seasons, identifying them, and discerning how to navigate through them, is the best way to live. He says…
When we view our lives as a string of random days connected only by a calendar it’s easy to overlook the active movement of God.
and…
Our ability to identify seasons of our lives increases our ability to co-operate with God, recognize his guiding hand, follow his lead, and expect the end of one season as the beginning of the next.
This leads us to the topic of Discernment. Identifying what comes next and deciding which way to go.
But first, Ecclesiastes 3…
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace
We can’t look at all of these, but it is worth taking a quick look at a few of them that hit home a little more.
Mourning vs Dancing The writer of Ecclesiastes touches a sensitive topic here – grieving something that is lost. As we look at the grand scheme of our life we will notice times where we grieved and other times where we celebrated. The wisdom in this phrase is to take the opportunity to fully grieve when needed, but not stay there too long, while on the other side, ensure that one appreciates the good they are experiencing, as it won’t/can’t last forever.
Embracing vs Refraining to Embrace This can be seen as relationship advice. (Enough said there) However, we can view this as how and when we embrace new challenges or opportunities. There are times to welcome a new challenge or jump into new opportunities. There are also times when we should refrain from them. An example might be financial opportunities. If you’re ready to take on a risky venture then it may be the time to do so, but if you’re struggling to make it by, then investing in something, as good as it looks, may not be the best thing for you to do. The question is, will you know the difference?
Keeping vs Throwing Away This phrase may sum up our SIMPLIFIED series. We are attempting to declutter our lives so that we can hear God’s whisper. We must discern what we keep and what we let go of, when we keep and when we let go of things.
Silence vs Speaking This may be the most challenging of all to figure out. When do we talk? When do we speak? When do we listen? When do we add to the conversation? Sometimes we say more when we say nothing. Other times we have to speak up. A friend may need you to listen, but that same friend may also need you to speak up and challenge them on a certain issue.
4 important things about viewing our life in seasons…
Identify your current season – name it, call it, don’t hide from it Be fully present in your season – dive into it…tough season, own it…good season, celebrate it What does God want to teach you – If you believe God’s hand is in your season, then you’ll see the purpose to his activity. Don’t squander opportunities to learn and grow. Recognize when the season is over – which leads to that big word again, DISCERNMENT
People who discern well are those who… – desire to know what God is up to
– ask God what is next…
– are open to hear God’s answer or thoughts
– really believe that God cares about them, their circumstance, their present and their future
Some scripture to consider as you think about discernment in times of choice.
What is it about seasons that you enjoy or don’t enjoy? Which one is your favourite?
Why is it so difficult to appreciate a season you may be in when you’re in the middle of it?
Read through Ecclesiastes 3 and discuss which one of the ‘this and that’ phrases jumps out at you? Is there one particular that resonates with you more? If so, why?
How can we best understand what God may want to teach us through a certain season in our life?
What about Discernment? How important is it for you to make the right decision in times of choice or transitions of seasons? Can you share any personal story about what you thought was a good or perhaps bad choice?
Which one of the closing scripture texts help you most when thinking about discernment?
Do you like getting questions about ideals and dreams? You know those kind of questions…the ones about where your ideal vacation spot would be, or where you think the most perfect place to live might be, or what kind of person fits your criteria for the perfect spouse. We have fun asking/answering those questions because most of time they’re long shots (except the spouse question, because if you’re married, he or she is already perfect right?).
What would you say if I told you that God’s preferred state for you and the human race is that we live in and experience PEACE (*shalom)?
If you were to ask our neighbours moving here from Syria what they desire most, it’s Peace.
If you were to ask a wealthy family with strife what they want most, it’s Peace.
If you ask a mom with energetic kids what she desires most, it’s Peace.
I think we’d all agree that if we want to live a SIMPLIFIED life PEACE is something we must be moving towards.
The Scripture has so much to say about peace. A few examples are… Why do so many people lack peace in their lives? Two reasons: it’s not an easy place to get to, and there are many obstacles that get in our way.
No matter who we are, we will experience Peace Busters in our lives.
1) Bad News
– that letter, text, phone call, email, that changes everything and turns our peace into turmoil
2) Moral Failure
– the thing we do that crosses a line and moves us far away from who we are or who we want to be
3) Impending Mortality
– illness or age gets us thinking about the number of years we may or may not have left
As valid as these peace busters are, none of them rob us of peace more than FEAR.
There is constructive fear and there is of course destructive fear. Constructive fear is what helps you perform better (nerves) or what drives you to do your best or prepare well for an exam. Constructive fear also stops us from doing stupid things. You can probably look back to your childhood and recognize moments when you wish you used a healthy dose of fear.
Destructive fear is the kind of fear that immobilizes – that stops us from moving forward into God’s way for our lives – the kind of fear that robs us of peace. It’s that kind of fear that God wants us to conquer and move past so that we can experience his kind of peace in our lives.
A few ways to help us get from Fear to Peace are…
Understand where fear comes from
Was there an event, a person, or a circumstance in your past that is causing fear in your life today? Take public speaking for example, the most common fear that people have; they say this fear is often caused by an incident in our childhood, one we may or may not even remember.
Anxiety is often triggered by recent events that raise our stress level. We may be coming out of stressful or unique season in our life that causes anxiety in the forthcoming season.
Expose fear’s lie
Many fears are based on ‘what-ifs’ – we catastrophize situations and think of the worst case scenario. We can’t allow our fear to thrive on deceit.
Face fear head on
One writer on this topic said that avoidance only causes escalation. Instead, reach out for God’s hand and go through it together with him. In other words, lean in and walk through/past your fear. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, ‘take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.’ There’s no use running away, instead we must face it, learn from it, and move forward.
Speak truth to the lie of fear
Finally, we must combat fear with truth. This happens with three kinds of speech: self-talk, scripture-talk, and prayer. Self-talk involves positive words we tell ourselves. Scripture talk is allowing God’s words to fill our hearts and minds. Prayer is the privilege we have as followers of Jesus to talk to God about anything.
Don’t let fear become an obstacle to experience God’s peace in your life. Instead invite God’s peace to move you closer to the SIMPLIFIED life you are longing for.
Let these 3 final scriptures inspire and challenge you towards God’s peace in your life…
Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 5:6-7 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
The two verses from Proverbs are both amazing metaphors and very practical. How so?
Which Peace Buster hits home the most? Why?
How real is Fear in your life and experience and in the experience of your loved ones?
Do you think the steps towards Peace in today’s post are helpful? If so, why? If not, why not?
Spend the last few minutes talking about Philippians 4:6-7. Address things like anxiety, prayer, peace beyond understanding, and guarded hearts.
When you pray tonight, think of those in our world who live in turmoil. Pray for them and other unpeaceful situations that weigh heavy on your heart.
(Along with other requests you may have tonight.)
* Shalom is the Old Testament word for Peace. It’s meaning is deeper than just how I’m feeling inside. Shalom is God’s desire for people’s physical and spiritual state, as well as the state of creation. The story of Scripture leads to God’s restoration of all things so that the earth can live in Shalom/Peace.
Would you say that money makes you happy? The appropriate response is NO.
However, would you say that a little more money would make you a little happier? It’s fair to say YES.
Funny enough, our happiness is not connected to our bank accounts. Not at a global level at least. Most of the ‘wealthy’ countries in the world are at the lower end of the ‘happiness’ scale. (USA is an example) Where as some of the countries that are at the bottom end of wealth and prosperity are in the top ten of those who are happy. (Guatemala is an example of this). C.S. Lewis said, “Don’t let your happiness depend on something that you can lose”
Money is a funny thing. We need it to live, to travel, to eat, to get educated – many of the good things in life. However, we’ve seen money cause some nasty things in peoples lives, especially when it’s given too much value or prominence.
In Matthew 6 Jesus says, “You cannot serve both God and money.” Jesus is onto something here. Why? Because as good a tool as money is, it makes a really horrible god. Money wasn’t meant to be longed for or worshiped or coveted, it’s simply meant to be a resource to fund and fuel the lives that we are called to and choose to live.
“Money is a wonderful tool, but it makes a horrible god.”
Matthew 6 isn’t the only place the Bible talks about money. There are more than 1000 references to money, currency or related issues. If you’re wondering why, it’s because the bible is a book about people and community and relationships, and wouldn’t you know it, money is always in the middle of those things. The other reason is that money is tied to our values. If you’re not sure what’s important to you, check out your bank statement or credit card bill, those two things are a pretty accurate reflection of what’s important to us.
In the future we’ll spend a few weeks (posts) on a more thorough look at how our faith changes our perspective on money and resources. For this post, let’s just look at 5 beliefs that will lead to financial reconciliation or peace.
1. All we have comes from God.
This is the best place to start. Things often begin getting out of sorts with money when we forget who our provider is. I’ve said before that no matter what name is on your paycheck, hidden underneath there somewhere it says, ‘God gave this to me’.
Starting here adds two very important ingredients to our lives, humility and perspective. We can never get too arrogant about how much we have if we know that God is the provider. Wisdom says, “I didn’t get here on my own”. Faith says, “God had something to do with it.” Starting here will change the rest of the conversation on money.
2. I live joyfully within God’s current provision for my life.
In other words, Be Content (Heb 13, Phil 4).
It’s our human nature to wish for more. It’s our human nature to want what we don’t have. Think about how many times you’ve asked yourself what you would do if you won the lottery? I don’t even play the lottery and I ask myself that question. The Bare Naked Ladies asked this question in their classic song, “If I had a million dollars”.
Here is where we can get in trouble with debt. Bill Hybels says, “Debt comes from wanting more than God’s current level of provision for you life and arranging other ways to get it.”
Simplifying our lives includes living within our means; being content with what God has provided in each season of life we are living.
3. I want to honour God by giving my first fruits for his purposes in the world.
This might be the toughest thing to talk about when we discuss finances. Tithing, giving away 10% of your income, is an interesting shift for someone that’s not used to it. However, it can be the most freeing way to live if we fully trust God.
When you start with the first belief (above), this third one kind of comes naturally. The two main places in scripture we see this is Malachi 3:10 and Proverbs 3:9. The problem with these verses is that we view them as (OT) law, when really they are simply a biblical principal to practice. When we view this as law we’re making it religious and discounting the New Testament and Jesus. Jesus came to fulfill the law, to move us away from the law and lead us to a new way of love. What do you think inspires more generosity, law or love?
The reasons you’d consider instilling this principal into your budget are…
– You trust God with your finances and believe that everything you have comes from him
– You love the local church and believe it’s the hope of the world
– You identify that giving towards causes that are outside of yourself is actually a healthy way to live
– You fully believe that giving a portion of your income is the best way for you to make things less about you. The more we give the more self-less we become.
This belief takes the most faith, but also reaps the most rewards. And the coolest part is, once you start giving that much away, your desire to give more actually increases.
4. I will set aside a portion of my income (10%) for savings, emergencies, later years, etc.
If giving reinforces that it’s not all about ‘us’, then saving, in the same way, reminds us that it’s not all about ‘now’.
Winter is coming. It always arrives. Sooner or later, something breaks down, somebody gets sick, a car stops working, a career doesn’t go as planned. You get the idea. If we only live in the present and don’t plan for the future, we will enter the difficult seasons of life unprepared.
Here’s the equation that has proven to work best for many wise people:
10 – 10 – 80
10% towards giving
10% towards saving
80% towards living
If your income grows you can always up the first two percentages. On the other hand, the last percentage should never increase, only decrease. Make sense?
5. Live each day, open to hear God’s whisper in your life about opportunities to bless others and make a difference.
Everything we’ve talked about up to this point can lead to the most amazing way to experience God in our lives. If we give, save, and then live on the rest, God can and will do wonderful things in and through us. Being responsible with our income will give us opportunity to bless others. Living simply will enable us to bless extravagantly. Who doesn’t want to experience that kind of joy and freedom with our finances?
Hope this was helpful. Feel free to engage the comment section of this blog if you have any questions.
Money, like time, is in scarce supply, once you spend it it’s gone, so use it well.
Why is it difficult to talk about money? Especially in or within the church?
How have we convinced ourselves that money actually makes us happy?
Out of all the verses listed above, which one speaks to you or challenges you the most?
– How can money become a god in someone’s life?
Be honest with this one, what’s the toughest thing about tithing? Disregarding how some “christians” (especially those on TV) have ruined our view of giving, why is tithing a good principal?
– Share why it’s difficult or why it’s a beautiful thing. No judgement!
Is ‘saving’ as God-honouring as ‘giving’? If so, why?
Have you have ever been on the giving or receiving end of Belief #5? Perhaps you were blessed by someone listening to God…or…you listened to God and blessed someone?
Close tonight be praying for open hands, large hearts, wise minds and clean balance sheets. And anything else you’d like to pray for!!!
– If you have a work retirement, great, but don’t count (only) on that and government CPP for future years
– Don’t throw extra money in an RRSP if you don’t have to. Use up TSFA limits so that when the time comes to use this money, the government won’t tax you on it. RRSP’s are great if they help lower your taxes, but if you’re in a lower bracket, you might not really need those savings now and will be thankful later that you saved them in a non-registered account.
– Use any method you can to save: monthly contributions, change jars, bank the rest programs, etc.
– Use reward cards to your benefit: Starbucks, Canadian Tire, PC points, etc. Don’t spend more to get points, but if you are going to use these stores at least let them work in your favour a little.
– If you make some extra money with overtime or a surprise side job, don’t just blow the money, decide how to best use it (e.g. put 1/2 of it on your mortgage or car loan or in a savings account)
– of course, budget for everything
– tell your money where to go, don’t let it boss you around
* please note that we borrowed the above 5 beliefs titles from Bill Hybels.
