NowTHINK!AboutIt

Avoiding Hackneyed...Making Sense

Corruption Countermands Tithing?

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Report Corruption
Refusing To Tithe Won’t Help

There are several reasons people suggest tithing is outdated but the arguments are often more emotive than scholastic. Very diatribe-ish. As a tither I feel a bit bruised and lacerated – sometimes guilty – after reading some of the rants. If you’ve read the write-ups you know what I mean.

But, before you buy into “New Age” ideas about tithing you should consider one question: does the Bible endorse this type of giving? That is essentially the bottom line and there is a lot of Bible material to work through. The history of tithing goes all the way back to Abraham, “The Father of Faith.”

His experience gives us a very interesting perspective on tithing. You can read about it here and here.

Although anti-tithers make a lot of noise about this issue the arguments don’t vary that much from one to another and those Tithing For Today: Why Tithing Is Good For Everyone In Every Erawho make the arguments don’t dialogue very well either. Their propositions are barbed with nasty names and accusations for anyone who disagrees. I usually answer their suggestions not for the sake of dialogue but to provide information for those that are sincerely seeking a way to include God in their finances. [Read more…] about Corruption Countermands Tithing?

Evangelizing the Religiously Hardened

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Jesus Breaks Sabbath Law
John 5

Jesus was not a religionist!

His spiritual devotions never involved habitual ceremony. He prescribed no rituals and there was nothing routine with His words or actions. Some responded to Him angrily, none yawned.

Any rituals He may have followed are not recorded for us. If anything, Jesus was religiously unpredictable.

  • He traveled to Jerusalem on many occasions but not once are we told He offered any sacrifices. He did, on the very odd occasion, tell someone to offer an appropriate sacrifice (Matthew 8:4) but we have no record of Him blessing those ceremonies with His presence.
  • Many of the things Jesus did and much of what He said was religiously disruptive: cleansing the Temple (once in John 2, a second time in Matthew 21*), claiming to be Messiah in the synagogue of Nazareth (Luke 4) and healing on the Sabbath (John 5).
  • The people about whom He spoke His harshest words, the Pharisees, were excessively religious (Matthew 23).
  • It was the ultra religious who were the most instrumental in his execution (Mark 15:1-15).
  • Jesus rarely encouraged anyone to be religious.  He spoke of disciples as sacrificial not ritualistic.
  • Jesus evangelized the religiously hardened and did so by being religiously agitating.

I wouldn’t say that Jesus was anti-religion but I would say that He had no tolerance for religious nonsense. [Read more…] about Evangelizing the Religiously Hardened

“Jesus Manifesto” by Sweet and Viola

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Have you ever wondered why there are so many different Christian religions? Have you ever tried to put a finger on the differences and, if so, could you explain the what and why of each one? Do you find the many different types of theologies and the endless versions of each confusing?

If these questions leave you scratching your head join the crowd.

I doubt anyone is brave enough to suggest they have all the answers and since “religion” is not static the answers are always changing anyway. The more time Christian history consumes the more varieties there are that develop.

If these questions plague you like they do so many others then “Jesus Manifesto” is the book you need to read next. [Read more…] about “Jesus Manifesto” by Sweet and Viola

Evangelizing The Antagonistic

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Lessons From Samaria – John 4

Christians talk a lot about evangelism. It is a primary topic. You aren’t living Christian if you aren’t evangelizing but popular efforts to evangelize don’t compare closely to Jesus’ results or His words. According to Him numbers do count (no pun intended).

Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear MUCH fruit; so shall you be my disciples.  John 15:8

No fruit, little fruit or occasional fruit equals no discipleship. Fruit is the acid test of your discipleship and lip service brings no glory to God.

By the way, personal growth and character development, which are types of fruit, are not what Jesus had in mind here. A few verses later He said…

I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit… (v. 16)

Very similar to:

  • Go and make disciples… Matt. 28:19
  • Go into all the world… Mark 16:15
  • Preach in every nation… Luke 24:47
  • I send you to remit sins… John 20:21 & 23
  • Be witnesses to the uttermost… Acts 1:8

And you don’t have to be sophisticated to be effective. Knowledgeable disciples are NOT more likely to bear fruit than beginners. The fact is God can use anyone anywhere to reach souls. I got saved when a lost person – my best friend – shared just a piece of salvation truth – all he knew. One thing he mentioned was hell. I was so concerned I had to learn more.

God used a lost man to bring me to salvation. Go figure. The most important qualities for an evangelist are humility and vulnerability. Jesus modeled both.

Besides, personal growth should happen concurrently while bringing others to Christ. Evangelism and growth catalyze each other. If one is NOT happening neither is the other. If one IS happening so is the other. [Read more…] about Evangelizing The Antagonistic

Many Goals One Purpose

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We often ask people, “What is your goal?” It’s a good question.

The answer helps us determine where the person is or better yet where they’re going. People with goals are considered switched on. They make reliable partners, usually.

But, a better question is “what is your purpose?” Goals, by nature, are temporary. We visualize and obtain many goals throughout life but once a goal is met what comes next?

Do we stop moving? Does life come to a halt? For some it does but for everyone else the question is, “what keeps you going?” The answer is “purpose.”.

One well-identified purpose can keep you reaching for many different goals over an entire lifetime. Having a purpose means we have restful pauses instead of depressions between goals.

We also must be careful when identifying a purpose or goal. Some things, like retirement, are inevitable and cannot qualify as either. Everyone eventually retires whether they want to or not, prepared or not. [Read more…] about Many Goals One Purpose