plastic people

I want to continue on the thought I had yesterday about being authentic.  After writing  yesterday’s post, I continued to think about a phrase Bob shared with me.  “Plastic People.”  He shared with me that in the sixties with the hippy movement, the phrase plastic people was used to describe people who were fake or not authentic.

That is what we have become, “Plastic People” in its truest sense.  If you don’t think that is true, look in your wallet.  What do you find? Plastic.  Most of the plastic allows people to live a life of hypocrisy or a lie.  That plastic in the form of a credit card says I am wealthier than I really am.  I am more together than I really am.  I can make people like me.  I am more in control than I really am.  That last statement is probably the most deceiving of all. My plastic doesn’t put me in control.  That is a lie. The real bill comes due.  That is what has happened to our country financially. The bill has come due.

The only problem with plastic is that it is only a substitute for something real and when the heat gets on plastic, it melts.  God want us to be people who are authentic and admit our faults and failures.  We should also say to ourselves, “I am not in control of everything only God is.”  I am learning to be patient and trust God to provide for me whatever I need.  I never want my master to be a card.  I want my master to be my faith in God.

The Bible compares our faith in God to gold, not plastic because the more gold is heated the more pure or authentic it becomes.  Here is the challenge you and I face here in the real world.  Will I be a plastic person and have my trust in Master Card or will I be a person who is authentic and have my trust in my Master, the Lord God.  It is our choice. What will it be?

Dave Ramsey’s Program to Financial Peace is a great place to start learning how to change masters.

1 Peter 1:7 (KJV)   That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Sunday Reflections

My thoughts:

 

Ø What an amazing day with 400 people in Church on such a horrible weather day.

 

Ø We have the greatest volunteers serving in our parking lot, they walked through the cold rain to keep everyone dry.

 

Ø Yes, I said that we will go down in history for changing the way we as a church and county think about money.

 

Ø Yes, I said that we should make sure all of our Washington representative can manage their own money before we send them to manage our tax dollars.

 

Ø The question was raised, “why not us?”  Why can’t we be the people God uses to spark a change in our country and in the way we handle money.  We have a proven method given in the Bible that has worked for every person who has put it into practice. 

 

Ø Thank God for influence he has given SCC in the community to give the people an opportunity for a better life.

 

Ø I do believe God is wanting to use his church to bring hope to the world, more than that I believe God wants each of us individually to give hope and help to all those around us.

 

Ø Question of the day “If not you then, who? and if not now when?” 

 

I will leave you with this: I believe it is our time as the people of God to stand up to help the people in our church and community in any way we can.  True life only happens when you feel you are contributing to make someone’s life better. 

 

Luke 18:27 (NIV)   Jesus said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

 

 

A Christmas Story

Last night my family and I delivered bikes and other gifts to the families that were having a difficult time this Christmas in our community.  It was a very eye opening experience for me.  I really thought I would be going to the poorest areas of our county, but that was not the case at all.  I went to people homes who were middle class people just like me, who were just having a very hard time financially.  One house that we went to was just a few miles from my own home. It was a very nice home and as I went in it I noticed it had nice furniture and big flat screen TV.  You could tell these people were living the American dream.  As I looked at all the things in their home, was still amazed at how excited they were just to receive the few things we had to give them.  They didn’t even have enough money to get a Christmas tree.  I just wondered what line of credit or credit card company was demanding they pay them before they provided for their family.

 

 We see the word of Proverbs come true again.

 

Proverbs 22:7 (CEV)    Those who borrow are slaves of moneylenders.

 

This is why we as a church are on a mission to offer people, people like these and anyone who will receive it, an “Opportunity for a better life” through Financial Peace.  Now is the time to get our own house in order and help others do the same.  With God’s help we can help prevent what we are seeing all around us this year.  We can be set free from financial bondage as a church and community.  Call me crazy or nuts, whatever you want to call me, but it is my mission to lead people out of financial bondage, relational bondage, and spiritual bondage because it all goes hand in hand.  God’s word gives us direction, God’s spirit will provide the power, and God’s people provide the proof that He can do it.  I plan on the rest of my life to be a walking billboard, a testimony that God’s way works.

 

 

Got Stress?

My week has been very busy, stressful, and joyful.  Do you ever have weeks like that?  For the last three weeks, we have been working on our Church and Daycare budgets and I can just hear the word, “budget” and my blood pressure goes up.  I am always expecting the worst for some reason but, not anymore.  I have gotten freedom.  As of January 1st our Church will be operating on a Financial Peace budget. 

 

Rhonda has always taken care of our budget at home and I have never gotten stressed one time over that.  We would review it together and we always let the budget tell us what we could do, not what we couldn’t do.  The decisions were already made.  So after 13 years of stressing over budgets, it was that time again and Rhonda could see my stress starting to build.  She suggested, why not do a Financial Peace budget for the church and Daycare?  So I agreed and I can just tell you I had all the fears, frustrations, and stress of making the decision of what was priority, because to me everything is priority.  But here’s the good news, all the financial decisions are made for 2009 outside of the unforeseen things.  So, this year I will be at peace because I know that the decisions are already made for every area of the church.

 

Now, here’s what I had to do to get that Peace:  Lay down pride.  

 

I had to ask people that have a better understanding of numbers and budgets to help me.  I think pride is the greatest enemy of our lives.  God puts many people around us that have what it takes to help us and we don’t ask.  We struggle on and life gets to be overwhelming.  So, if you can do one thing for yourself this Christmas, ask someone who is good at what you are not good at to help you in the area you are struggling in.

 

That’s what Financial Peace University is all about….. giving help where most of us are weak in our personal finances. 

 

Proverbs 16:18 (NCV)   Pride will destroy a person; a proud attitude leads to ruin.

 

What area of your life do you need help with?  Finances, marriage, health, or an addiction?  Just ask for help today!!!!!