Services are at 9:30 & 11 am. They meet at the Woodruff Leisure Center (leisure suit, not required). For more information: http:elementwoodruff.org. From Greenville, just take Woodruff Road and keep driving.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
I'm Speaking at Element Church in Woodruff, SC This Sunday
Services are at 9:30 & 11 am. They meet at the Woodruff Leisure Center (leisure suit, not required). For more information: http:elementwoodruff.org. From Greenville, just take Woodruff Road and keep driving.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Before Dave Ramsey…
By Allen White
Years ago, I sat in a budgeting seminar
at a summer camp in western Kansas. The speaker gave simple, yet profound
advice. “Spend only what you have. Get out of debt and stay out of debt.” It
seemed there should really be more to it than that.
I was in college at the time and didn’t
have any debt. No credit card. No student loans. I didn’t owe any money to
anybody. I really didn’t worry about debt. I actually didn’t have any money to
worry about at the time.
In the 25 years since then, I’ve
unfortunately been enslaved to debt for the vast majority of those years. No
one forced me into it. I was a victim of my own choices, which actually makes
me the perpetrator.
Our family is in the process of digging
out and is making great progress. Much like weight loss, debt doesn’t all come
on at once, and it certainly doesn’t all come off at once either. It’s steady
plodding.
The image of being someone’s master or
slave seems far removed from where we live, but it certainly exists in this
world. Through my involvement with Water of Life, this
has become very clear.
In our work in India, Roland Bergeron,
our founder, discovered quarries mined by child slaves. The scenario went
something like this.
The mine owners would loan a couple
more money than he knew they could ever afford to repay (usually in the realm
of US$2,000-3,000). After time passed and payment wasn’t made, the mine owner
would show up and demand one of the family’s children to satisfy the debt. The
child became the slave of the lender.
While slavery is outlawed in the United
States, the vast majority are enslaved to debt. (According to the International Justice Mission, slavery exists
right here in the United States. In fact, your tomatoes might
have been picked by slaves in the U.S.). If we don’t pay our Visa bill, no
one is going to submit us to forced labor. But, they can send us to collection
or bankruptcy.
Consumer debt really makes no sense. We
pay for something many times over in a period of years, when we could have just
saved up and bought it when we had the money. Or, we could have just waited for
the impulse to pass and just done without it.
Most of us can’t afford to pay cash for
a house. We’re probably not going to present an all cash offer on “Selling New
York” any time soon – though I would work with Michelle Kleier, if that ever
was the case. Enough financial dreaming.
The Bible has more to say about money
than love, faith or most other subjects. How we handle our money is a key
spiritual indicator in our lives. We can use money and serve God, or we can
serve money and become enslaved to it.
Now that I’m not a pastor at a church,
I can say exactly what I feel about money. It’s a cruel task master. God loves
us. Money demands more. God is generous. Money is stingy. We would all do
better giving our money to build God’s Kingdom and help the poor rather than
sending it all to South Dakota or Wilmington, Delaware.
How are you handling money? Are you
using it or is it using you?
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Sunday, July 22, 2012
Secrets of the Heart
By Allen White
The Queen in Snow White inquires, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who’s the fairest
of them all?”
Mirror: “Not you.” (Allen White
Version)
We can’t see ourselves directly. As I’m
sitting here typing, I can see my hands and arms. I can see my legs. I can see
the rim of my glasses. But, I can’t see my hair, my eyes, my nose, or my ears.
The only way I have any idea of what I look like is from the image in a mirror
or in a photo or video.
Truthfully, I often like the idea of
what I look like rather than the reality of it. In my mind, I still look much
like I did in college. But, the scale reveals I weigh nearly twice as much as I
did then. And, the mail reveals my 25th college reunion is
approaching. How could this be? I’m so young and fit -- in my mind.
All of us tend to think the best of
ourselves, then we get a glimpse revealing we’re not as good as we think we
are. I’m not saying we’re all bad, but we’re certainly not all good either.
Just like the mirror reveals the
condition of our appearance, our hearts reveal the condition of our souls. Are
we jealous? Are we angry? Are we fearful? What are our hearts telling us.
Over the years, so much of discipleship
and spiritual growth has focused on “neck up” exercises. The more we know, the
more we grow, right? Not necessarily. As one author put it, “Most Christians
are already educated well beyond their level of obedience.” Ouch.
Our hearts reveal our condition. But,
our hearts speak differently than our minds. For instance, I’m not sure anyone
has ever purchased a car as the result of a rational decision. We usually go on
the lot and choose a car we will…love. Then, we buy something slightly more
expensive than what we intended to. The rationale comes afterward in justifying
the purchase and figuring out how we can afford the “low monthly payments.”
What do our hearts “say” about our
spiritual condition? What makes us anxious? What threatens us? What irritates
us? What excites us? What helps us feel calm? These indicators show us the
condition of our soul.
If our hearts only longed for good
things, then we would be good people through and through. If our hearts only
longed for evil things, then we would be truly evil people. The problem is none
of us fits neatly into either category. Sometimes good people harbor evil
thoughts in their hearts. Sometimes bad people surprise us and do something
good. Sometimes it’s hard to tell which is which.
The goal is not to live a perfect life,
but we must live an informed life. Our information should come from several
sources. Certainly our mind and our thoughts make a contribution. But, our
heart is quite a blabbermouth in revealing our spiritual condition.
What is your heart telling you? What
are you angry about? What are you sad about? What are you afraid of? If you’re
not sure, get out a sheet of paper and write one of these questions at the top.
Then, start writing the answers. God will help you grow in ways you never
realized you needed to grow.
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Sunday, July 15, 2012
Deception is Reality?
By Allen White
Like a
coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. Enemies
disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. Though
their speech is charming, do not believe them for seven abominations fill their
hearts. Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will
be exposed in the assembly. Proverbs 26:23-26
When I was 12-years-old I spent a week
with my Grandma White. She was a remarkable person. Grandma survived her
husband by about 40 years, raised 12 children, cared for foster children after
her own children were grown, and volunteered to help “senior citizens.” To date,
between children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great
grandchildren, there are 120 of us and growing annually.
During that summer week, my grandma and
I volunteered serving the elderly. It seemed like a fine line between the volunteers
and the elderly in some cases. We visited neighbors, and we made ceramics.
I decided to work on a turtle. Now, I
didn’t create the turtle myself. I started with the clay greenware. My grandma
showed me how to clean it up and smooth out the rough edges. At the end of the
process, we had a clay turtle. Then, I applied some magic paint.
The paint went on white, but once the
ceramic was fired in the kiln, it came out a mix of green and brown. The clay
turtle was now turtle colored - - not through and through, but on the outside.
Now, I wasn’t trying to convince anyone
this was a taxidermy version of a real turtle. It was a ceramic turtle. But, in
this passage, Solomon points to evil and deceitful people who disguise
themselves much like the turtle color disguised the clay.
These people are experts at
manipulation and making everything sound great, even when things aren’t close
to great. They work so hard at deceiving others, they often deceive themselves
in the process.
Some say, “Perception is reality.” But,
in all honesty, “Reality is reality.” Sometimes “Perception is deception.” It’s
someone else’s version of reality, even if that someone else is us.
Deceitful people are often broken and
insecure. Rather than doing the hard work of growing to health and healing,
instead they work hard at covering their tracks and manipulating things to get
their way. This behavior receives a rather strong label in Scripture – evil.
It’s not “he’s just a victim and thus
victimizes others.” It’s not “bless his heart, this is how he’s always been.”
This is “he is choosing to go his own way and refuses to allow God to help
him.”
Rather than honestly confessing what
needs transformation, he just puts on another coat of shellac. We know people
who put it on thick, don’t we? The bigger question is: Are we those people?
What do we feel is easier to cover up
than expose? What bad thing are we trying to put a good face on?
It’s okay to be clay. God knows we’re
fragile. He remembers we came from dust (Psalm
103:13-14). God loves us the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave
us there. No shellac!
More from Allen
White: allenwhite.org
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Twitter: @galatians419 @allenwhite
Sunday, July 8, 2012
The Right to be Right (Even When You’re Wrong)
By Allen White
Anybody who’s ever bought a used car or a used house has convinced themselves the situation is better than it actually appears. “The minor engine noise is not that bad.” “The creak in the floor adds to its charm.” If you’ve only ever bought new, then you don’t know what I’m talking about.
Over time those charming, minor flaws we once felt could be easily overlooked are the first thing we notice on a regular basis. There’s a sick feeling in the pit of our stomach. Our “great value” gains another name “lemon.”
We live in a world where we have the right to be right even when we’re wrong. Our political correctness has led to apathy. “Who am I to judge them?” begins to sounds like “Why should I care? They made their choice.”
The bottom line is simply this: I am not “more” right than you, and you aren’t “more” right than me, but God’s Word is always right. This should be a great comfort, even though at times God’s Word can make us uncomfortable.
A lot of people are wrongly “right” about handling their finances. If you’re trying to set a family budget, and especially if you’re trying to live by one, the first principle of money is the first 10 percent belongs to God (Malachi 3:3) – no ifs, ands, or buts.
We think “if I can’t live on 100 percent of my income, then how could I possibly live on 10 percent less?” Here’s the key: if we live in obedience to God, God will bless us. If we live in disobedience to God, God will, um, not bless us.
Over the last six months, I took on a job that I love, but it’s unlike any job I’ve had before. Rather than having a secure, regular paycheck, there’s a base salary, then incentives beyond that. For the salesmen out there, they wouldn’t have it any other way. For me, the thought of not possibly covering basic needs tends to freak me out a little bit. But, all along we’ve tithed to our church.
Every month we’ve had what we needed. We haven’t had to touch our emergency savings. God has provided for all of our needs. Many of my readers have been a part of this with your generosity in supporting these devotionals.
This is one of many examples of how God’s ways are higher than our ways. When we think we know better than God – this is where the trouble begins.
What are you being stubborn about these days? What part of God’s Word are you ignoring to justify something that feels right to you? If you’re not sure, ask God to examine your heart, then humbly surrender the things He points out.
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More from Allen
White: allenwhite.org
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Gypped by Cash for Gold
By Allen White
I took an old class ring to a “Cash for Gold” place. It wasn’t worth as much as I’d hoped. After listening to all of those advertisements, I really expected ten times more. Thus, the power of advertising drew me in.
The ring was in good shape. It actually was gold. But, it wasn’t as much gold as I had thought. It was 10 caret gold, which means the ring was actually on 41.7 percent gold. There was actually far more other metal in the ring than gold. They only wanted the gold. Otherwise, it would be called “Cash for Nickel and Zinc.”
Once the ring went to the refinery, it was put through the fire. All of the gold was separated from the other metals.
Have you ever known someone beautiful who thought they were ugly? Have you ever encountered someone rich who thought they were poor? Have you ever experienced another’s brilliance only to discover he thinks he’s dumb? Have you ever met a redeemed person who wallowed in their fallenness? These are the impurities God wants to remove from our hearts.
Our character is forged in the furnace of life. While I don’t have much appreciation for unpleasant circumstances, I do value what God does in me as a result. I’m not running into crises and “counting it all joy” like James, but I do understand how God can use difficult situations and difficult people to change me.
Who are you about to “vote” out of your life like an episode of Survivor? Who would you cause you to look the other way or duck behind the shelves at Wal-mart? While you are probably not going to run up and hug them, God has put that person in your life for a reason.
God loves you too much to leave you with the character you have. He will do whatever it takes to make you more like Him.
More from Allen
White: allenwhite.org
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Twitter: @galatians419 @allenwhite
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Allen White: Perpetual Optimist?
By Allen White
Proverbs sort of go back and forth. First we’re told if we’re happy to watch out because it can be replaced by grief (Proverbs 14:13). Now, we’re instructed that a cheerful heart is a continual feast. So, let’s look into a couple of facts about proverbs.
First, proverbs are truths regarding what generally happens. If you start a child on the right path, usually they follow the right path, even if they’ve taken a detour at some point (Proverbs 22:6). It is a general principle, but not a guarantee.
The second fact is proverbs often contrast two statements. “A merry heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). A merry heart is compared to a broken spirit. The idea is if you want good medicine, take a dose of merriment. But, a bitter pill is bad medicine.
In this proverb, Solomon contrasts oppression with cheerfulness. Oppression is the key to wretched days. Good days are wretched. Bad days are wretched. Oppression turns blue skies gray. It steals the last slice of chocolate cake. It makes your half full glass sour. A cheerful heart has a continual feast.
Some people are naturally optimistic. I am not one of those people, but I tolerate them. Those of you who know me, just tweeted “Amen!” Even though I tend to see the glass half empty, the project half done, the result as just okay, but not good enough, I do experience a cheerful heart.
While I am not naturally prone to cheer, I can certainly conjure it up. I am cheerful when I take two minutes in the morning in complete silence to embrace the Master and Creator of the Universe who longs to spend time with me. I am cheered by meaningful work and the news of life-change. I find myself outright giddy when I remember Who I belong to and what He has done for me.
I delight in my children’s laughter and expressions of their creativity. I celebrate a new healthy recipe my wife has discovered. My heart cheers when at the end of the day, I can share a moment with my wife, or when she laughs at one of my dumb jokes – not to placate me, but because she finds it truly funny.
I don’t plan on converting to optimism any time soon. But, I do have much to be cheerful and grateful about. When I stop to celebrate the great family I have and the joys around me, I have a continual feast.
When do you feel oppressed? God is not putting that darkness on you. Oppression comes from our enemy who wants to defeat and destroy us. God desires for us to discover abundant living (John 10:10).
Here’s the bottom line, and even I must admit it’s true – no one can steal your joy. No circumstance can remove your blessings. The only potential joy robber in your life is your attitude. You have little control over anything else, but you can control your view of the world. This is the key to your continual feast.
More from Allen
White: allenwhite.org
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Twitter: @galatians419 @allenwhite
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