Christians, Work, and Welfare by Pastor Paul

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One of the great debates in our national political scene right now

has to do with the administration of the welfare program.

This week’s topic of Christians in the Workplace was chosen many weeks ago.

Therefore, the opportunity to write this blog is coincidental yet timely.

Before Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit their mission was pretty simple.  Make babies and be in charge of the earth.  What a cool job description.  But they disobeyed God and found themselves kicked out into the real world.  And everything changed.

Genesis 3:17-19 (NKJV)
¹⁷ Then to Adam He [God] said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.  ¹⁸ Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field.  ¹⁹ In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return."

God created humans to do work.  It is the primary means God chose to use to provide our income.  It is the source of personal satisfaction for a job well done.  It is often a part of our identity.  God created us to rise up and meet the challenge of work.  He calls us to use our hands, our brain, and the awesome imagination He gave us.  Ephesians 4:28 (NLT)  If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.

God did not call us to subsist upon the government gravy train.  If we need help for a season, praise God for American government.  If we are honestly disabled, praise God for the safety net of insurance and government programs.  If we find ourselves unemployed because of circumstances, praise God for help.  Giving and receiving help is good, and right, and Christian.

However, government assistance is there to help when things go wrong!  It is not the norm for the child of God.  Public assistance is not a career goal!  Yet, for many people it is!

There were three people panhandling in the 40^th St. Stater Brothers parking lot at 11:45 last night.  They were under the impression that the money in my pocket should be used to subsidize their addiction to alcohol.  And they became angry with me when I did not pay them what they obviously thought they were worth. 

I have had similar sounding conversations with Christians who are actively looking for a reason, or excuse, to tap into the government pipeline!  It is as if they are praying for God to give them an adequate level of pain, injury, injustice, opportunity, or disability to qualify for a lifetime of doing nothing!

God calls us as Christians to help those who need help.  The Bible is clear.  Give your shirt to the naked, your food to the hungry, and shelter to the homeless.  The widow, the orphan, and foreigner are constantly lifted up as examples of people we dare not oppress, cheat, or misuse.  We should help the least, the last, and the lost with as much as we can.

Nevertheless, the scriptures are equally clear about those who are to lazy to lift their food from the plate to their mouth. [Proverbs 19:24]    2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 (NKJV) says that  For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.   For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.  Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

With an unemployment rate of 17%, a public assistance usage rate of over 44%, and a city that can’t stay out of bankruptcy…  San Bernardino is a prime example of the consequences of a welfare mindset.  If you are in legitimate need of help then receive it freely with a grateful heart.  If on the other hand you are simply lazy --- repent, and ask your Shepherd to teach you how to find work.  And, if you are one of the unfortunate people who truly wants to work, but are laid off and suffering because of the general economic dysfunction caused in large part by inept and dishonest government… don’t give up!  Keep looking!  Keep trying!  Keep praying!  Get your life group and the church praying!  And I will believe with you that God has a great job for you!  I have seen Him do it many times, for many people!  He can do it for you!

May we all continue to grow in our understanding of God, work, government, and money!

In Jesus name,

Pastor Paul the Pirate Poppie

Christ and Work: Wisdom - Pastor Chris

Work Is Good!!!

In the very begining when God created man he gave him a job. Genesis 2:15 (NLT) 
¹⁵ The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. This was prior to the fall of man. Work is not a punishment from God. Now, on the other hand, work got much harder after the fall. Genesis 3:17 (NLT) ¹⁷ And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. (Dang Woman j/k) But work itself is good, we see throughout scripture that we are called to do good works. So in light of the biblical principle that work is good, here is some encouragement from Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived:

1.       Stop Chasing Fantasies – Start Working Productively (Proverbs 12:11, 28:19).

2.       Stop Scheming For Quick Money – Start Honest Diligent Planning (Proverbs 1:30-33)

3.       Stop Sleeping - Start Working (Proverbs 6:6-11)

4.       Stop Borrowing – Start Earning (Proverbs 22:7)

5.       Stop Spending On Little Luxuries – Start Saving For The Future (Proverbs 21:17)

6.       Don’t think of distant future success – make it happen here and now. (Proverbs 17:24)

7.       Diversify your enterprises. (Eccl 11:2)

8.       When making plans get good advice from many sources (Proverbs 15:22, 20:18)

9.       Plan your work and work your plan. (Proverbs 21:5)

10.     But don’t fall for the paralysis of analysis. (Eccl 11:4)

11.     When dealing with governments follow the procedures even if you are upset. (Eccl 8:6)

12.     No matter how keen you are on your project Work steadily and carefully, do not be hasty. (Proverbs 19:2, 21:5)*

Last Thought: 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT) 

¹⁰ Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” (Hunger is a Great Motivator)

Good Luck as you head to work, and if you don't have a job currently the best advice I ever received was: Getting a full time job, should be a full time job! Good Luck!

God Bless

Pastor Chris

   

*http://www.aibi.ph/tmk/tmk12_biblical_work_ethic.htm

Christ and Work: God's Challenge--by Linden Malki

Jesus worked. People kept saying,"Isn't that the carpenter's son from Nazareth?" In context, that would have been a whole series of mental images: the little kid sweeping up shavings, the bigger kid fetching tools, holding the other end of something, probably working one end of a two-man saw. My dad grew up in the lumber business and was always building or remodeling something; as the last kid at home, I was the assistant. Woodworking wasn't Dad's day job; it was something he did because he loved making something that filled a need.

We know that Joseph and Jesus were known for their work. We know that he respected hard workers; on at least two occasions he took pity on Peter and his fisherman collegues who were not catching anything and miraculously filled their nets with fish. On the other hand, the angriest we ever see him is when he drives out those who were using the Temple sacrificial system to make money from the pilgrims and worshippers. Jesus repeatedly explains that whatever he does is what His Father does and commands.

And what is the first thing that we know about God? In the beginning, God creates! And there is work involved, because even God takes a deserved break. And what do we know about what God made? That it was good! And we are created in His likeness--which implies that we are to work, and the result should be something better than there was before. Jesus called a few people to leave their day jobs and become his proteges; he called others to serve him in the places he found them. As St Paul put it, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24)

My husband John and I found ourselves called to smooth some of the bumps of the imperfect world we live in; I have said that if nobody's cars broke, I could go home and starve. But we have had opportunities to serve God beyond the nuts and bolts. I had not realized how many people John had mentored until after his death. A few months later, I got an email from a former apprentice who said that he had not only learned about repairing cars at our place, but about God and family as well; and that he and his family were active in a church. Are we doing a job not to only our own best but calling on God's help; and is what we are doing worth doing in His name?

EVANGELISM: WIN THIS CITY by Pastor Paul

 

 I have a confession to make!

Over the past few years I think God has been working on my soul.  Let me rephrase that... I know God has been at work on my soul!  You have heard the story!  The loss of money, house, car, pregnancies of those I love, schools, laptop, staff, church property, members, and confidence!  Some call it the Dark Night of the Soul.  Wilkinson calls it the WasteLand.  I call it God kicking the "crud" out of His servant to get him where He wants him!  

And I confess to you and to God, that I surrender!  I am tired of fight, tired of knowing, and tired of resisting.  The last few years have been about knowing!  I want to know!  I want to understand!  I want it to make sense!  I want to know why!!!  

This week I buried myself in a small book by Bruce Wilkinson that my good brother, Michael Weiss had commended to me.  In "The Dream Giver" Wilkinson writes...

"But the hurt we felt went deeper than that.

You see, we all felt that God had called us to do a magazine for Him.

We had obeyed Him at great personal cost.

And then it felt like God had watched from the sidelines while we went down in flames.

It was one of the most disillusioning seasons of my life.

All our efforts had added up to failure and waste.

As a result, I lost all confidence that I could ever lead again."

The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson P. 114  

 As I sat in my office and read those words I bowed my head and wept!  My lack of understanding and questions have kept me from sharing my faith.  Everything I don't know about God in my own life has kept me from sharing Him with others.  The answers I don't have kept me from sharing what I do have!

Wilkerson writes... "Most Dreamers emerge from the WasteLand feeling spiritually and emotionally depleted.  Our relationship wih God has been tested and, in many cases, damaged by distrust."  How can I share Christ with others when I don't understand what he is doing in my life!

But something is beginning to stir.  I can't explain it.  I can't justify it.  As stupid as it may sound, my desire to be with Him is growing stronger than my desire to understand  Him.  I have felt myself worshiping, and crying.  And crying, and worshiping, and really praying, for the first time in a long time.  For reasons I can't understand, and probably never will, the need to know is fading into the background, and a need for His presence is being rekindled. 

It sounds very cliche, but I feel like the boxer who is on the canvas... and the referee is counting four, five, and six!  The crowd wants him to stay down!  People know it is over!  But out of nowhere, or somewhere, the boxer raises up his head.  He knows he can't stay down, and something deep in his soul tell him it isn't yet over.  

I have no idea what God has for NCF.  But I know that in 1995 I felt God call me to this town for two reasons.  To win souls, and to make disciples!  I know that we are pursuing a Biblical and God given model of ministry!  And I know that God wants me to use the gifts of preaching and teaching He has given me!

If God has called you to NorthPoint I pray you will Celebrate on Sunday, fully engage your Life Group mid week, open your heart to your Mentor, and pray for your OIKOS.  On the day of Pentecost 120 believers gathered for prayer.  God used them to change the world.  What will God do with us if we seek Him with all of our heart, and serve Him with all of our strength?  Only He knows!

I love you all,

Paul 

Evangelism - Italian - Pastor Chris Reinhard

Tuesday night Shannon and I went on a date and decided to go to this great Italian place called Carino's. We had been there once before a year or so ago and decided to go again. When we walked in the wait staff greeted us in a friendly manner, they sat us promptly and got our drinks. When the food came it was fresh and very good, I really like the fried mozzarella. The Prices were pretty reasonable. I will go back again, in fact you should go with me. Maybe we can all go together.


What? Wait. You mean this is not a food blog. Nope, we are talking about evangelism. The best evangelism is just sharing your experience. We can do the same thing I did above in sharing our faith with people. The best evangelism is sharing your experience with God. Why you went to him in the first place, what your experience was, how it impacted you and inviting them to join you next time.

We evangelize all the time (share the good news) we just don't do it in regards to our faith like we should. We tell people about restaurants we went to, movies we saw, books we read etc...

I know one thing for sure, the more time I spend with God, the more he impacts my life, and the more I want to share that with others. So maybe the secret to being a better evangelist is to be a better disciple. If God is making an impact in your life you will naturally want to talk about it with others. On the other hand if you don't have a vibrant growing relationship with God than your evangelism will seem forced and unnatural, like a salesman selling a product he himself does not use.

So you want to be a better evangelist, be a better disciple, the evangelism will come naturally out of that.

And that is the best kind of Evangelism.

Comments?

Pastor Chris

Are you eating the "food" that God provides, so that you can share how it "tastes" with others?

Evangelism: Missing Pieces--Linden Malki

"Evangelism" as an assignment is not one of most people's favorite challenges. We worry about whether we know enough, or have the right presentation, or expect questions that we don't know the answers to. Often we not only don't go looking for seekers, but miss obvious opportunities.

I have a business colleague who has some acquaintance with the gospel, but I have heard him reject at least two hard-sell attempts at evangelism by well-meaning people, one of whom is a preacher. One day during an general conversation, he suddenly asked me, "Linden, you're pretty well educated and intelligent--how can you believe in God?" And without thinking, my immediate answer was "Because He changed my life." And then I was able to tell my story, and he actually listened. I don't know what God has done or will do--yet--but that's God's business.

Ultimately, it's about God, not about ourselves. What we really need to know is Who He is, and what He has done with us. People can challenge Scripture if they don't believe it's anything special; they can recognize a canned spiel. What they're more likely to listen to is our own story. We each have one, and each one is different. Each one is a separate piece of the overall puzzle that God has created. When we tell our story, we may not get an immediate response, but God will send other Christ-followers with other pieces. We know that not everyone will accept the invitation to add their own piece to God's kingdom, but we can look at everyone in our Oikos as having a piece with its own place of importance in God's overall design.