Tag: giving

Monday Kfirst Kickstart: #KB17 week 3 “Actions of Adjustment”

Today I want to give you a place to start your week. It’s Monday and in the wake of a great weekend and a workweek ahead, sometimes you just need a “kickstart” to get focused.  So grab some coffee let’s start a great week together.

image1-2

Our current series is highlighting the shift in our giving in our Kfirst community. We continued the series with our focus upon the prophet Elijah’s interaction with a widow in 1 Kings 17. (Click here for yesterday’s notes.)

It seems like we live in a culture that constantly adds onto busy lives that are already maxed out. Schedules and resources are ran at their max. So when it comes to God, far too often, we want to add God in the mix but want Him to adjust to what is comfortable to us. It’s not a lack of desire for God, but with such a crowded life, we don’t give Him room to move.

The challenge: Instead of adding God to the busy life, we start with Him and ADJUST to what his Holy Spirit is speaking and what His Word is confirming.

The word of the Lord to the widow: “Do not fear” (v. 13). She was being asked to give what little she had. She was being challenged to lay down her own needs for the sake of someone else. And on top of all of that, she saw no future for her or her son.

Yet her response was priceless.

1 – She took a step of faith trusting the word of the Lord. Faith isn’t always easy or convenient. But she took a step of faith by giving FIRST even in the face of her own personal needs. Her step of faith placed what she had in the hands of God for  Him to work a miracle.

We gave what we called the “giving equation.” And it’s simply this:

What’s in our hand [X] God’s hand = Divine opportunity

God doesn’t “add” to our giving; He multiplies it. Regardless of what we have in our hands (our time, talent, or our treasure), when we offer it to the Lord, He multiply it beyond what we can imagine.

2 – The widow didn’t add God onto what she was doing, she adjusted to what God was speaking. She stepped back from her plans and purposes in order to make room for the direction she was given. And because of that, God worked a miracle that provided for her family beyond anything she could expect or imagine.

Our ending question: What adjustment(s) do I need to make, to make room for my step of faith? What area(s) in my life do I, or should I, need to make in order give the Holy Spirit a greater opportunity to work a miracle.

This is our heart regarding launching our Kingdom Builders vision. We are willing to make adjustments in our serving and our finances in order to see God impact the community through Kfirst.

Want to be a Kingdom Builder with us? Start with the tithe. The tithe helps support the local church ministries and its missionaries impacting the world. Above the tithe is our offerings, we call it “Kingdom Builders.” And these monies enable us to extend the love of Jesus to the surrounding community.

If you’d like to give, click on the link below:

youversion-graphic-2

Love you all. We’ll see you next week.

BTW: Here’s a song for your worship playlist:

Monday Kfirst Kickstart: #KB17 week 2 “Overflow”

Today I want to give you a place to start your week. It’s Monday and in the wake of a great weekend and a workweek ahead, sometimes you just need a “kickstart” to get focused.  So grab some coffee let’s start a great week together.

image1

Our current series is highlighting the shift in our giving in our Kfirst community. We continued the series with our focus upon Jesus “Sermon on the Plain” in Luke 6. (Click here for yesterday’s notes.)

https://twitter.com/DawnHause/status/830799125000118273

Jesus taught us, out of this amazing sermon in Luke 6, one of the biggest keys to being a Kingdom Builder: Having a mind of a giver.  Giving is not just about money; giving is about mentality. And if we have a mind that understands what we’ve been blessed with by God, it makes us desire to be generous with everything.

We’ve got one of two choices. We can be a reservoir or a river.

  • A reservoir – Collects and goes nowhere.
  • A river – Receives from one body and flow into others.

Spend some time this week digesting Luke 6 line by line and watch how Jesus wants to develop the mind of giving in you. He will challenge you to:

  • Love your enemies
  • Do good to those who hate you.
  • Bless those who curse you.
  • Pray for those who abuse you.
  • Give beyond what people ask.
  • Don’t demand things back.
  • Give without reciprocation.
  • Show mercy to those who need it.
  • Don’t be stingy out of your judgements.

God wants to do more than fill us with His presence, He wants our lives overflow out of what he’s given us. That “overflow” is what God will use to build the Kingdom around you. And through “overflowing” lives:

  • Strangers become family when we give kindness.
  • Enemies become friends when we give forgiveness.
  • Takers become givers when we give possessions.
  • Hoarders become healers when we give financially.
  • Hurters become helpers when we give mercy.

Next steps:
  1. Live by design and not default. You were made in the image of God and, therefore, have been designed to be a giver. But out of our flesh, we seem to resort to a selfish default. Choose to be a giver.
  2. Giving hands facilitate Kingdom growth. The tighter you hold onto what you have, the less room you have to hold and give. The minute I open up my hand, I have opportunity to receive AND overflow.

Proverbs 11:24-26 “The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped. 26 Curses on those who drive a hard bargain! Blessings on all who play fair and square!”

This week, let your world get larger and larger by having the mind of a giver. Look for opportunities to live as a reflection of Christ and be that giver in the places where God has placed you. Be a river…and let your life be the overflow of His generosity.

Love you all. We’ll see you next week as we continue week 3 of Kingdom Builders.

BTW: Here’s a song for your worship playlist:

Monday Kfirst Kickstart: #KB17 week 1 “Open Hands; Deep Heart”

Today I want to give you a place to start your week. It’s Monday and in the wake of a great weekend and a workweek ahead, sometimes you just need a “kickstart” to get focused.  So grab some coffee let’s start a great week together.

image1-1

Our new series is highlighting the shift in our giving in our Kfirst community. We kicked off this series with our focus upon Paul’s letter to the Philippians. (Click here for yesterday’s notes.)

Paul wrote his letter to the Philippian church to both thank them for their generosity. Even when other churches backed away, this generous church stepped up and came to his aid. They knew that in supporting Paul, they’d impart into their current community and impact the known world around them.

The Philippians were KINGDOM BUILDERS.

What stirred this level of generosity? The more they gave, the deeper their hearts got. And we look our cue from this church in helping us to open our hearts and be Kingdom givers.

  1. Find contentment Christ.
    • The first step to getting ANYTHING in order is to put Jesus first. Paul discovered that priority. It helped him not to defined by what he gained or devastated by what he lost. He knew contentment is about your soul, not your stuff.
  2. Live in obedience to the Holy Spirit.
    • For every promise of God, there is corresponding acts of obedience. And when I step in obedience, I set blessings in motion that affect my life.
    • The Philippian church were candidates for the Philippians 4:19 promise because they were obedient in their giving. How do we give at Kfirst?
      • 1 – Our Tithes. 
        • These go to SUPPORT both Kfirst (local church) ministries and missionaries.
      • 2 – Kingdom Builders
        • Kingdom Builders EXPANDS missions by:
          • 1. Meeting needs in the community;
          • 2. Partnering w/ missional organizations
          • 3. Positioning Kingdom growth
  3. Trust God with what we have.
    • Regardless of what we have, we need to walk with a trust in God with it. Even when we see limitations, we should see them as in invitation for God to do the miraculous.

This week, what can you do to display the Kingdom of God in the sphere of influence that God has placed you? How can you engage in giving and generosity to the world around you?

Love you all. We’ll see you next Sunday as we continue our series, “Kingdom Builders.”

BTW: Here’s a song for your weekly playlist:

Monday Kfirst Kickstart: “How to Love God and Money”

Today I want to give you a place to start your week. It’s Monday and in the wake of a great weekend and long workweek ahead, sometimes you just need a “kickstart” to get focused.  So grab some coffee let’s start a great week together. 

We took a break from our current series at Kfirst to have in a friend of our congregation, J.P. Dorsey director of Northpoint Bible College Grand Rapids. He brought a tremendous message from Matthew 6:19-24 as he challenged us to be generous by opening up our hands and hearts to both God and people. And as we step out in generosity,  it has the power to transform us.

How does that type of change happen? According to Matthew 6…

  1. Generosity accumulates eternal wealth instead of temporal (v. 19-20).
    • It teaches us that people are the treasure.
  2. Generosity transforms our vision from the temporal to the eternal (v. 22-23). 
    • We are naturally are prone to elevate people/stuff with our temporal views.
  3. Generosity moves our heart from the world to Christ (v. 24). 
    • Instead of hoping in materials to revive and sustain us, we trust in the Lord.

 

I’m all about spending some time in the Word and in prayer this week. If you need a scripture reading plan, check out this one. BUT…would you spend some time being generous with your TIME? Would you look for an opportunity to be generous with our TALENT? Perhaps, you’ll take a step and be generous with your TREASURE. In whatever way, respond this week to the great word spoken by being generous.

Love you all.  See you on Sunday!

BTW: Here’s a song this week for your devotions playlist:

2 Minute Devo Series: Book of Matthew Day 5

Welcome to our 2 Minute Devos.  This month we’re going through the Book of Matthew.  Take the time to read through the passage of the day and listen to the 2 Minute Devo.

Matthew 6:1-18

English Standard Version (ESV)

Giving to the Needy

6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

The Lord’s Prayer

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.[a]
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,[b]
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,[c]
12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.[d]

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

2 Minute Devos: Crash – Day 34

Welcome to “Crash”…3 things to do every day:

Glorify God.
Pray over the daily prayer point.
Pray for the lost.
Today’s Scripture: Matthew 6:28-34

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 Forthe Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Crash Prayer Card 6